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For, boy, however we do praise ourselves, Our fancies are…

“For, boy, however we do praise ourselves, Our fancies are more giddy and unfirm, More longing, wavering, sooner lost and won, Than women's are. ... For women are as roses, whose fair flow'r Being once display'd doth fall that very hour. Viola: And so they are; alas, that they are so! To die, even…” quote by William Shakespeare
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““For, boy, however we do praise ourselves, Our fancies are more giddy and unfirm, More longing, wavering, sooner lost and won, Than women's are. ... For women are as roses, whose fair flow'r Being once display'd doth fall that very hour. Viola: And so they are; alas, that they are so! To die, even when they to perfection grow!””

William Shakespeare

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A character compares women's emotional volatility to delicate roses, suggesting that both are fleeting and subject to change.

In simple terms: Women are likened to fragile, changing roses.

Key Takeaway

Acknowledge the impermanence of emotions.

Themes

gender emotions impermanence

Mood

melancholic thoughtful

Type

poetic philosophical

When to use this quote

  • relationships
  • self‑reflection
  • artistic expression

Key Concepts

metaphor poetry human nature

Questions to Reflect On

  • How do we view emotional change across genders?
  • What other symbols capture fleeting feelings?
A Different Perspective

The metaphor may reinforce stereotypes.

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