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
O polished perturbation! golden care! That keep'st the ports of slumber open wide To many a watchful night.
Interpretation
The quote reflects on the anxiety and worry that disrupt sleep and peace of mind.
In this poetic expression by Shakespeare, the speaker personifies the feelings of anxiety and care as 'polished perturbation' and 'golden care'. These emotions are depicted as forces that keep the doors of restful sleep ajar, allowing worries to invade and disturb many a sleepless night. The imagery captures the struggle between seeking tranquility and being burdened by nagging thoughts.
In practice
In a speech about mental health awareness, one could use this quote to highlight the impact of anxiety on sleep.
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).
Love bears it out even to the edge of doom.
Good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people.
Absence doth sharpen love, presence strengthens it; the one brings fuel, the other blows it till it burns clear.
Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
Grief is a matter of the heart and soul. Grieve your loss, allow it in, and spend time with it.
Like my mother, I was always saying, 'I'll fix my life one day.' It became clear when I saw her die without fulfilling her dreams that my time was now or maybe never.
i laced my shoes with sorrow and walked a weary road dead end streets don't come undone with double knots wing tipped shoes that walk on air through vacant lots
It was a meditation on life, love, old age, death: ideas that had often fluttered around her head like nocturnal birds but dissolved into a trickle of feathers when she tried to catch hold of them.
We tried not to age, but time had its rage.
The heart may freeze, or it can burn. The pain will ease and I can learn. There is no future, there is no past. I live this moment as, my last.
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