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
One fire burns out another's burning, One pain is lessen'd by another's anguish.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The suffering of one can be alleviated by the suffering of another.
This quote by William Shakespeare suggests that our experiences of pain and suffering are interconnected. It implies that when we witness or share in another's suffering, it can lessen our own, highlighting the empathetic nature of human relationships and the understanding that we often find solace in shared experiences of hardship.
Themes
SufferingPainEmpathyAnguishRelationships
In practice
Example use cases
In a support group discussing shared experiences of loss, this quote can emphasize the power of community.
More from William Shakespeare
All quotes βLove bears it out even to the edge of doom.
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Good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people.
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Absence doth sharpen love, presence strengthens it; the one brings fuel, the other blows it till it burns clear.
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Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
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Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
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