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
she shall scant show well that now shows best.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that those who are truly beautiful or virtuous may not always outwardly display their qualities.
In this quote by Shakespeare, the idea is that real beauty or worth is often understated or subtle, implying that those who seem to show their best qualities may not be as genuine as those who are modest about their virtues. It highlights the complexity of human nature and the tendency to overlook the depth of character in favor of surface appearances.
Themes
BeautyAppearanceVirtueHuman NatureHumility
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion on beauty in literature, one might quote Shakespeare to illustrate the idea that true charm is often hidden.
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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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