Nature Quote by William Shakespeare
““He that hangs himself is a virgin: virginity murders itself, and should be buried in highways, out of all sanctified limit, as a desperate offendress against nature. Virginity breeds mites, much like a cheese, consumes itself to the very paring, and so dies with feeding his own stomach. Besides, virginity is peevish, proud, idle, made of self-love, which is the most inhibited sin in the canon. Keep it not; you cannot choose but lose by’t! Out with’t! within the year it will make itself two, which is a goodly increase, and the principal itself not much the worse. Away with ’t!””
About This Quote
Source Play: The Tempest, Act I, Scene 2 (paraphrased)
The passage satirically condemns virginity as a self‑destructive, prideful state that ultimately leads to decay and loss.
In simple terms: Virginity is portrayed as a harmful pride.
Key Takeaway
Question societal norms about purity.
Themes
sexuality
pride
self‑destruction
Mood
critical
provocative
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- relationship counseling
- sexual education
- personal empowerment
- cultural analysis
Key Concepts
feminist critique
moral philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this critique reveal about historical attitudes toward sexuality?
- How can modern perspectives reinterpret these ideas?
A Different Perspective
The extreme language may alienate readers and oversimplify complex identities.
