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
She is your treasure, she must have a husband;_x000D_ _x000D_ I must dance bare-foot on her wedding day,_x000D_ _x000D_ And, for your love to her, lead apes in hell.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote expresses the speaker's deep affection and sacrifice for a beloved person who is getting married.
In this quote, Shakespeare explores themes of love, longing, and the pain associated with the loss of a romantic interest to another. The speaker depicts a profound devotion to a woman, indicating that although she is valued as a treasure and must marry, the speaker is willing to submit to deep emotional turmoil, symbolized by dancing barefoot and even leading apes in hell, showcasing the extremes of love and sacrifice.
Themes
LoveSacrificeWeddingHeartbreakDevotion
In practice
Example use cases
In a wedding speech, one might express the bittersweet feelings of love when witnessing someone they love marry another.
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