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, speak again, bright angel! for thou art As glorious to this night, being o'er my head As is a winged messenger of heaven
Interpretation
What this quote means
The speaker longs for the presence and beauty of a loved one, comparing them to a heavenly messenger.
In this quote from Shakespeare, the speaker expresses a deep yearning for the beloved's presence, equating their beauty and grace to that of a celestial being. The imagery of a 'bright angel' and a 'winged messenger of heaven' evokes feelings of admiration and reverence, highlighting the transformative power of love and the profound impact that such a connection can have on one's world.
Themes
LoveBeautyLongingAdmirationHeavenly
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used during a romantic wedding speech to express the beauty of love.
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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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Let us pause before the Child of Bethlehem. Let us allow our hearts to be touched, let us allow ourselves to be warmed by the tenderness of God; we need his caress. God is full of love: to him be praise and glory forever! God is peace: let us ask him to help us to be peacemakers each day, in our life, in our families, in our cities and nations, in the whole world. Let us allow ourselves to be moved by God's goodness.
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Love measures our stature: the more we love, the bigger we are.
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Belinda stared into the fire for some time, thinking about what she had in her life, and what she had given up; and whether it would be worse to love someone who was no longer there, or not to love someone who was.
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A heart well worth winning, and well won. A heart that, once won, goes through fire and water for the winner, and never changes, and is never daunted.
Charles DickensRead