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
My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me, That I must love a loathed enemy.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the paradox of loving someone who is traditionally seen as an enemy.
In this powerful quote from Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet', the speaker expresses the intense conflict of emotions that arise from loving a person who is also an enemy. It highlights the complexities of love and hate, illustrating how deep feelings can spring from unexpected or contradictory places, particularly when societal or familial loyalties are at stake.
Themes
LoveHateConflictEmotionEnemyParadox
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared in a discussion about complicated relationships during a book club meeting.
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