12 Quote by William Shakespeare
““When I do count the clock that tells the time, And see the brave day sunk in hideous night; When I behold the violet past prime, And sable curls, all silvered o'er with white; When lofty trees I see barren of leaves, Which erst from heat did canopy the herd, And summer's green all girded up in sheaves, Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard, Then of thy beauty do I question make, That thou among the wastes of time must go, Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake And die as fast as they see others grow; And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defence Save breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence.””
About This Quote
Source Play: The Tempest, Act 5, Scene 1 (approx. 1611)
The poem reflects on the inevitability of aging and death, using natural imagery to illustrate time’s relentless erosion of beauty and life.
In simple terms: Time erodes all beauty and life.
Key Takeaway
Accept mortality and cherish present moments.
Themes
mortality
beauty
time
impermanence
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal loss
- aging
- creative writing
- philosophical discourse
Key Concepts
transience
natural cycles
philosophical reflection
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you confront your own aging?
- What can you preserve against time?
A Different Perspective
Even the strongest defenses cannot halt time’s advance.
