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
Love is begun by time and time qualifies the spark and fire of it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Love develops over time, becoming more profound as it matures.
In this quote, Shakespeare suggests that love is not an instantaneous emotion but a progression that evolves with time. The initial spark of attraction or affection can ignite a deeper connection, but it is the passage of time that truly shapes and enriches that love, allowing it to grow like a fire that becomes stronger and more enduring.
Themes
LoveTimeGrowthRelationshipMaturity
In practice
Example use cases
Sharing this quote during a wedding ceremony to highlight the enduring nature of love.
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
To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.
Oscar WildeRead
Eroticism is like a dance: one always leads the other.
Milan KunderaRead
Love consists of this: two solitudes that meet, protect and great each other.
Rainer Maria RilkeRead
Happiness is holding someone in your arms and knowing you hold the whole world.
Orhan PamukRead
Love doesn't need to be discussed; it has its own voice and speaks for itself.
Paulo CoelhoRead
Obedience keeps the rules. Love knows when to break them.
Anthony De MelloRead