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
What hands are here? ha! they pluck out mine eyes! Will all great Neptune’s ocean wash this blood clean from my hand? No; this my hand will rather the multitudinous seas incarnadine, making the green one red.” “My hands are of your colour; but I shame to wear a heart so white. A little water clears us of this deed: How easy it is then! Your constancy hath left you unattended.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the deep anguish and guilt stemming from committing a grave wrong, suggesting that no amount of water can cleanse the stain of one's actions.
In this powerful passage from Shakespeare, the character expresses profound remorse over their actions, questioning whether any external force, like the vast ocean, can absolve them of guilt. The imagery of blood and the comparison to nature's colors evoke a sense of the irreversible nature of certain deeds, revealing the internal struggle of dealing with one's conscience and the burden of guilt that cannot be easily washed away, despite societal norms suggesting that remorse can be easily remedied.
Themes
GuiltRemorseConscienceBloodDeed
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the consequences of one's actions, this quote can be used to emphasize the weight of guilt.
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