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
The very substance of the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Ambition often stems from unattainable dreams that may only exist as illusions.
This quote by William Shakespeare suggests that the essence of an ambitious person is often constructed from dreams that may not be rooted in reality. It reflects on the nature of ambition, positing that what drives people towards their goals is often a vision or a desire that can be more like a shadow—fleeting and vague—rather than a tangible achievement. Shakespeare encourages us to consider the origins of our ambitions and whether they are based in reality or simply influenced by our dreams.
Themes
AmbitionDreamIllusionRealityDesire
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about setting goals, one might cite this quote to inspire critical thinking about ambitions.
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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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