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.
More from William Shakespeare
All quotes βLove 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
God loves each of us as if there were only one of us.
Saint AugustineRead
Let yourself be drawn by the stronger pull of that which you truly love.
RumiRead
Posting a letter and getting married [sic] are among the few things left that are entirely romantic; for to be entirely romantic, a thing must be irrevocable
Gilbert K. ChestertonRead
His crush went from exciting to depressing, as if he'd gone from the first blush of infatuation to the terminal nostalgia of a former lover without even the temporary relief of an actual relationship in between.
Lev GrossmanRead
Help People Know They're Loved (Part 2) Spend the rest of your life giving people back to themselves, that they might love themselves. And show them by how you are with them that you know there is nothing they are lacking, nothing they are missing, nothing they need, nothing they are not.
Neale Donald WalschRead
Love is not an equation, it is not a contract, and it is not a happy ending. Love is the slate under the chalk, the ground that buildings rise, and the oxygen in the air. It is the place you come back to, no matter where your headed
Jodi PicoultRead