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
The sudden hand of Death close up mine eye!
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the inevitability and suddenness of death.
In this poignant line, William Shakespeare expresses the idea that death can come unexpectedly and abruptly, highlighting the fragility of life and the certainty of mortality. It serves as a reminder to value each moment, as we cannot predict when our time will come to an end.
Themes
DeathMortalityInevitabilityLifeFragility
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about appreciating life, one might say, 'As Shakespeare reminds us, the sudden hand of Death can close our eyes without warning.'
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Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
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