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
All love's pleasure shall not match its woe.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The joys of love cannot compare to the pains it can cause.
This quote by William Shakespeare highlights the duality of love, suggesting that while love brings immense joy and pleasure, it also comes with deep sorrow and heartache. The intensity of emotional experiences in love can be overwhelming, indicating that the suffering incurred can overshadow the happiness derived from love itself.
Themes
LovePleasureWoeSorrowEmotion
In practice
Example use cases
During a wedding speech, to emphasize the complexities of love.
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Absence doth sharpen love, presence strengthens it; the one brings fuel, the other blows it till it burns clear.
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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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Pope Benedict XviRead
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Ralph Waldo EmersonRead
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Thou saw'st the locked lovers when leaping from their flaming ship; heart to heart they sank beneath the exulting wave; true to each other, when heaven seemed false to them.
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