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
Romeo: Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much. Mercutio: No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door; but 'tis enough, 'twill serve. Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the idea that while pain may not seem severe, it is still significant enough to be acknowledged.
In this exchange between Romeo and Mercutio from Shakespeare's play, Mercutio tries to diminish the seriousness of his injuries with a touch of humor. He notes that although the wounds are not extreme, they are still impactful, implying that even minor wounds can lead to deeper reflections on mortality and life's fragility. His response uses wit to cope with the pain, revealing a courageous spirit in the face of adversity.
Themes
CouragePainHumorLifeMortality
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about resilience after setbacks, one might quote this to highlight the importance of facing challenges with humor and courage.
More from William Shakespeare
All quotes →Love bears it out even to the edge of doom.
William ShakespeareRead
Good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people.
William ShakespeareRead
Absence doth sharpen love, presence strengthens it; the one brings fuel, the other blows it till it burns clear.
William ShakespeareRead
Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
William ShakespeareRead
Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
William ShakespeareRead
Similar quotes
You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best that you have to give.
Eleanor RooseveltRead
Remember the hours after Sept. 11 when we came together as one...It was the worst day we have ever seen, but it brought out the best in all of us.
John F. KerryRead
My spirit tells me I cannot be silent.
Maxine WatersRead
I don't see why I should bow my head when I could hold it high, or place it in the hands of my enemies when I can defeat them.
Jose RizalRead
When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree by the river of truth, and tell the whole world - No, you move.
J. Michael StraczynskiRead
Want of pluck shows want of blood.
VirgilRead