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 would there were no age between sixteen and three-and-twenty, or that youth would sleep out the rest; for there is nothing in the between but getting wenches with child, wronging the ancientry, stealing, fighting
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote expresses a longing for the period of youth to be free of the troubles and responsibilities of early adulthood.
In this quote from Shakespeare, the speaker reflects on the challenges of the transition between late adolescence and early adulthood. They lament the tumultuous experiences that often accompany this age, such as unplanned relationships and societal expectations, suggesting that youth would be better off if it could last longer without these burdens.
Themes
YouthAdolescenceResponsibilityTransitionLife
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the challenges of growing up, one might quote Shakespeare to highlight the difficulties of transition into adulthood.
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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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