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
They lie deadly that tell you have good faces.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote cautions against judging people based on their appearance, suggesting that looks can be deceiving.
In this quote, William Shakespeare warns that superficial judgments based on physical appearance can be misleading. He suggests that those who solely rely on outward appearances are deceived, as true character and intentions often lie beneath the surface. This highlights the importance of looking beyond the exterior to understand a person's true nature.
Themes
AppearanceDeceptionJudgmentWisdomTruth
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about inner beauty vs. outer beauty.
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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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