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
Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Ambition requires resilience and strength to pursue one's goals.
In this quote, Shakespeare emphasizes that true ambition must be supported by a strong, determined character. It suggests that mere desire is not enough; one must possess the inner fortitude and resolve to face challenges and overcome obstacles in the pursuit of their aspirations.
Themes
AmbitionStrengthDeterminationSuccessResilience
In practice
Example use cases
A motivational speech at a graduation ceremony.
More from William Shakespeare
All quotes βLove bears it out even to the edge of doom.
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Good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people.
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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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Motivations are too tangled and complex.
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I don't apologize for anything. When I make a mistake, I take the blame and go on from there. I just despise to lose, and that has taken a man of mediocre ability and made a pretty good coach out of him.
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