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
Tis our fast intent To shake all cares and business from our age, Conferring them on younger strengths, while we Unburdened crawl toward death.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the desire to relinquish life's burdens and responsibilities as one approaches the end of life.
In this quote, Shakespeare contemplates the natural inclination to pass on the weight of life's responsibilities to younger generations as one ages. He suggests that as individuals grow older, they often wish to shed their cares and let the youth take on the challenges of life while they themselves accept the inevitability of death, moving forward with a lighter heart and mind.
Themes
AgingBurdenDeathResponsibilityLifeYouth
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a speech about the wisdom of aging and the importance of guiding the younger generation.
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