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
This is a gift that I have, simple, simple; a foolish extravagant spirit full of forms, figures, shapes, objects, ideas, apprehensions, motions, revolutions; these are begot in the ventricle of memory, nourished in the womb of pia mater, and delivered upon the mellowing of occasion.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the complexity and richness of creativity, describing how ideas are formed and expressed.
In this quote by William Shakespeare, the speaker expresses the intricate and almost mysterious nature of creative thought. The use of vivid imagery like 'ventricle of memory' and 'womb of pia mater' suggests that creativity is deeply rooted in memory and thought processes, nourished and birthed in moments of inspiration. It implies that artistic expression is a spontaneous and abundant gift, brimming with diverse ideas and forms.
Themes
CreativityMemoryArtImaginationInspiration
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about art and creativity at a local gallery opening.
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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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