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
Look to her, Moor, if thou has eyes to see. She has deceived her father, and may thee.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote suggests that one should be cautious in trusting others, especially in matters of love and relationships.
In this quote from Shakespeare's Othello, the speaker warns Othello about Desdemona's potential deceit, citing her previous trickery with her father. It underscores a theme of mistrust and betrayal in relationships and serves as a cautionary reminder that appearances can be deceptive, particularly in emotional ties.
Themes
DeceptionTrustRelationshipsCautionBetrayal
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion on trust in relationships, one might quote this to illustrate the potential for deception.
More from William Shakespeare
All quotes βLove bears it out even to the edge of doom.
William ShakespeareRead
Good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people.
William ShakespeareRead
Absence doth sharpen love, presence strengthens it; the one brings fuel, the other blows it till it burns clear.
William ShakespeareRead
Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
William ShakespeareRead
Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
William ShakespeareRead
Similar quotes
Being married gives one one's position like nothing else can.
Queen VictoriaRead
Not gay, just never met the right woman.
Neil GaimanRead
Nothing haunts us like the things we don't say.
Mitch AlbomRead
In that shrinking moment he discovered that he had never hated anyone until now. It was a feeling as pure as love, but dispassionate and icily rational.
Ian McewanRead
...real loneliness is having no one to miss. Think yourself lucky you've known something worth missing.
Emma DonoghueRead
When I'm getting to know someone, I look for someone who has passions that I respect, like his career. Someone who loves what he does is really attractive.
Taylor SwiftRead