As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
William ShakespeareRead
A rarer spirit never Did steer humanity; but you gods will give us Some faults to make us men.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the duality of human nature, suggesting that imperfections are essential to our humanity.
In this quote, Shakespeare explores the complex nature of being human, implying that while some individuals possess extraordinary qualities or 'rarer spirits,' these traits alone do not fully define humanity. The notion that gods provide faults for humans reinforces the idea that imperfections and challenges are integral to the human experience, shaping our identity and behavior.
Themes
HumanityImperfectionNatureHuman SpiritGods
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about accepting flaws in ourselves and others, one might say, 'As Shakespeare reminds us, 'A rarer spirit never did steer humanity;' we need to embrace our imperfections to grow.
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Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
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Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
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