Rumble thy bellyful! Spit, fire! spout, rain! Nor rain…
““Rumble thy bellyful! Spit, fire! spout, rain! Nor rain, wind, thunder, fire, are my daughters: I tax not you, you elements, with unkindness; I never gave you kingdom, call'd you children, You owe me no subscription: then let fall Your horrible pleasure: here I stand, your slave, A poor, infirm, weak, and despised old man: But yet I call you servile ministers, That have with two pernicious daughters join'd Your high engender'd battles 'gainst a head So old and white as this. O! O! 'tis foul!””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The aging king feels betrayed by the elements and his own frailty, seeing nature as hostile forces that he cannot control.
In simple terms: Old king sees nature as cruel and uncontrollable.
Key Takeaway
Accept limits, seek inner peace.
Themes
age
betrayal
nature
powerlessness
Mood
melancholic
defiant
reflective
Type
dramatic
tragedy
soliloquy
When to use this quote
- old age
- stormy night
- personal crisis
- confronting mortality
Key Concepts
existential dread
human frailty
nature's indifference
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you respond when you feel powerless?
- What can you control in a storm?
A Different Perspective
Nature's forces are metaphorical, not literal enemies.