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Wonder of time,' quoth she, 'this is my spite, That, thou…

“Wonder of time,' quoth she, 'this is my spite, That, thou being dead, the day should yet be light. 'Since thou art dead, lo, here I prophesy: Sorrow on love hereafter shall attend: It shall be waited on with jealousy, Find sweet beginning, but unsavoury end, Ne'er settled equally, but high or low…” quote by William Shakespeare
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““Wonder of time,' quoth she, 'this is my spite, That, thou being dead, the day should yet be light. 'Since thou art dead, lo, here I prophesy: Sorrow on love hereafter shall attend: It shall be waited on with jealousy, Find sweet beginning, but unsavoury end, Ne'er settled equally, but high or low, That all love's pleasure shall not match his woe. 'It shall be fickle, false and full of fraud, Bud and be blasted in a breathing-while; The bottom poison, and the top o'erstraw'd With sweets that shall the truest sight beguile: The strongest body shall it make most weak, Strike the wise dumb and teach the fool to speak. 'It shall be sparing and too full of riot, Teaching decrepit age to tread the measures; The staring ruffian shall it keep in quiet, Pluck down the rich, enrich the poor with treasures; It shall be raging-mad and silly-mild, Make the young old, the old become a child. 'It shall suspect where is no cause of fear; It shall not fear where it should most mistrust; It shall be merciful and too severe, And most deceiving when it seems most just; Perverse it shall be where it shows most toward, Put fear to valour, courage to the coward. 'It shall be cause of war and dire events, And set dissension 'twixt the son and sire; Subject and servile to all discontents, As dry combustious matter is to fire: Sith in his prime Death doth my love destroy, They that love best their loves shall not enjoy.””

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.

Love and death intertwine, producing both joy and sorrow; emotions are fickle, capable of uplifting or destroying.

In simple terms: Love brings joy and pain, often contradictory.

Key Takeaway

Recognize love’s dual nature and manage expectations.

Themes

love death emotion human nature

Mood

melancholic reflective

Type

poetic philosophical

When to use this quote

  • relationships
  • grief counseling
  • creative writing
  • mental health support

Key Concepts

philosophy psychology

Questions to Reflect On

  • What aspects of love feel most unpredictable?
  • How do you balance passion with reason?
A Different Perspective

Romantic idealism can ignore practical realities, leading to disillusionment.

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