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
I have very poor and unhappy brains for drinking: I could well wish courtesy would invent some other custom of entertainment.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote humorously expresses dissatisfaction with drinking as a form of entertainment.
In this quote, Shakespeare uses wit to criticize the social custom of drinking, suggesting that it leads to poor mental states and unhappiness. The speaker wishes for a more pleasant and courteous form of entertainment that doesn't involve alcohol, highlighting both the burdens of drinking and the desire for better social practices.
Themes
DrinkingUnhappinessEntertainmentCourtesyMental Health
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about social habits, one might quote Shakespeare to highlight the downsides of drinking culture.
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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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