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
My thought, whose murder yet is but fantastical, Shakes so my single state of man That function is smothered in surmise, And nothing is but what is not.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the struggle between reality and imagination, suggesting that our thoughts can hinder our perception of reality.
In this quote, Shakespeare contemplates the power of thought and imagination, symbolizing how one's inner turmoil can disrupt the clarity of existence. The phrase 'whose murder yet is but fantastical' implies the conflict between the desires to act and the paralyzing grip of overthinking, highlighting how the mind can complicate one's understanding of life's true nature.
Themes
ThoughtImaginationRealityParalysisExistence
In practice
Example use cases
In a philosophical discussion about the nature of reality and perception.
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