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
How sharper than a serpent's tooth it is to have a thankless child!
Interpretation
What this quote means
The pain of having an ungrateful child is profound and cuts deeply.
This quote from Shakespeare encapsulates the deep sorrow and hurt a parent feels when their child shows ingratitude or disobedience. It likens the emotional pain to the sharpness of a serpent's tooth, illustrating how betrayal from a loved one can wound more than physical harm, emphasizing the importance of gratitude in familial relationships.
Themes
ThanklessChildIngratitudeParentingSorrow
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about parenthood, one might quote Shakespeare to express the emotional toll of raising ungrateful children.
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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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