Conscience Quote by William Shakespeare
““Love is too young to know what conscience is, Yet who knows not conscience is born of love? Then, gentle cheater, urge not my amiss, Lest guilty of my faults thy sweet self prove: For, thou betraying me, I do betray My nobler part to my gross body's treason; My soul doth tell my body that he may Triumph in love; flesh stays no farther reason, But rising at thy name doth point out thee, As his triumphant prize. Proud of this pride, He is contented thy poor drudge to be, To stand in thy affairs, fall by thy side. No want of conscience hold it that I call Her 'love,' for whose dear love I rise and fall.””
About This Quote
Source Play: The Tempest, Act 5, 1611
Love is portrayed as the source of conscience, yet it can also lead to betrayal of the body’s desires, showing the tension between spiritual and physical selves.
In simple terms: Love creates conscience but can cause inner conflict.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how love shapes moral choices.
Themes
love
conscience
conflict
spirituality
physical desire
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- romantic relationships
- personal introspection
- moral decision making
Key Concepts
dualism
ethical tension
self‑betrayal
Questions to Reflect On
- How does love influence your sense of right and wrong?
- Can love justify betraying one’s own body?
A Different Perspective
Love may blind us to ethical lapses.
