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
I can see he's not in your good books,' said the messenger. 'No, and if he were I would burn my library.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects a strong disdain for someone and places a high value on knowledge and literature.
In this quote, Shakespeare's character expresses a strong sentiment against valuing someone who is not held in esteem, to the point of suggesting that they would destroy their own library rather than associate with that individual. This highlights the importance of personal values and intellectual pursuits over social connections, emphasizing how one's principles can outweigh the desire for approval or relationships.
Themes
BooksKnowledgeDisdainPrinciplesLiterature
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a discussion about the value of literature in one's life.
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