--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A lover goes toward his beloved as…" description: "\"A lover goes toward his beloved as enthusiastically as a schoolboy leaving his books, but when he leaves his girlfriend, he feels as miserable as the s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/william-shakespeare-4_beloved_a-lover-goes-toward-his-beloved-as-enthu_24717.jpg" --- # A lover goes toward his beloved as enthusiastically as a… ![“A lover goes toward his beloved as enthusiastically as a schoolboy leaving his books, but when he leaves his girlfriend, he feels as miserable as the schoolboy on his way to school. (Act 2, scene 2)” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/william-shakespeare-4_beloved_a-lover-goes-toward-his-beloved-as-enthu_24717.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/william-shakespeare-4_beloved_a-lover-goes-toward-his-beloved-as-enthu_24717.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/william-shakespeare-4_beloved_a-lover-goes-toward-his-beloved-as-enthu_24717.jpg) > “A lover goes toward his beloved as enthusiastically as a schoolboy leaving his books, but when he leaves his girlfriend, he feels as miserable as the schoolboy on his way to school. (Act 2, scene 2)” [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/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 creates eager anticipation when approaching the beloved, but departure brings deep sorrow, mirroring a child's dread of returning to school. **In simple terms:** Love's joy and loss Key Takeaway Love is both exhilarating and painful Themes love anticipation loss contrast emotion Mood nostalgic melancholic hopeful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - first meeting a partner - saying goodbye - reflecting on a breakup - thinking of a future reunion - experiencing separation Key Concepts romantic longing psychology of attachment human desire Practical Applications - relationship counseling - creative writing Questions to Reflect On - What makes the approach to love feel like a joyful escape? - How does the pain of separation shape our perception of love? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beloved](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beloved/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [Girlfriend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girlfriend/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Lover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lover/) [Lovers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lovers/) [Miserable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miserable/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Schoolboy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/schoolboy/) ## Related quotes > [I see a schoolboy when I think of him, With face and nose pressed to a sweet-shop window.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-butler-yeats/i-see-a-schoolboy-when-i-think-of-him-with-face-and-nose-pressed-to-a/) [William Butler Yeats](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-butler-yeats/) > [It was the schoolboy who said, ""Faith is believing what you know ain't so.""](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-was-the-schoolboy-who-said-faith-is-believing-what-you-know-ain-t/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Since I was a schoolboy, I've been used to being recognized on the road by old and young, and being bantered with and, indeed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seamus-heaney/since-i-was-a-schoolboy-i-ve-been-used-to-being-recognized-on-the/) [Seamus Heaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seamus-heaney/) > [I wasn't a model schoolboy. 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I have new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/you-have-not-realized-how-i-have-developed-i-was-a-schoolboy-when-you/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Then why is it that I feel like a schoolboy on sunday? It’s nearly tomorrow and I don’t want to go.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/letters-to-juliet-charlie/then-why-is-it-that-i-feel-like-a-schoolboy-on-sunday-it-s-nearly/) Letters to Juliet Charlie > [There are those who scoff at the schoolboy, calling him frivolous and shallow: Yet it was the schoolboy who said 'Faith is believing what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/there-are-those-who-scoff-at-the-schoolboy-calling-him-frivolous-and/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) ## More by William Shakespeare > [Let us kill all lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/let-us-kill-all-lawyers/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Divers philosophers hold that the lips is parcel of the mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/divers-philosophers-hold-that-the-lips-is-parcel-of-the-mouth/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Short time seems long in sorrow's sharp sustaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/short-time-seems-long-in-sorrow-s-sharp-sustaining/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs; Being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; Being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/love-is-a-smoke-made-with-the-fume-of-sighs-being-purg-d-a-fire/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies Which busy care draws in the brains of men; Therefore thou sleep’st so sound. Julius Caesar (2.1.248-251)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-hast-no-figures-nor-no-fantasies-which-busy-care-draws-in-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Truth needs no color; beauty, no pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/truth-needs-no-color-beauty-no-pencil/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Have you not heard it said full oft, A woman's nay doth stand for naught?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/have-you-not-heard-it-said-full-oft-a-woman-s-nay-doth-stand-for/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Omittance is no quittance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/omittance-is-no-quittance/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Yes, madam: yet I cannot choose but laugh, To think it should leave crying and say 'Ay.' And yet, I warrant, it had upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/yes-madam-yet-i-cannot-choose-but-laugh-to-think-it-should-leave/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I take thee at thy word: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will be Romeo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-take-thee-at-thy-word-call-me-but-love-and-i-ll-be-new-baptized/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) [Explore all 5,604 William Shakespeare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More Beloved quotes > [My Chosen Daughter, No one can define you without your permission. I want you to be so secure in who you are in Me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/god/my-chosen-daughter-no-one-can-define-you-without-your-permission-i/) God > [Why should the Marquis de Cussy wage war on soup? I cannot understand a dinner without it. 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What will enthrall the beloved this way is the glory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/love-is-doing-what-will-enthrall-the-beloved-with-the-greatest-and/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Rest you well, beloved Jesus, Caesar’s Lord and Israel’s King, In the brooding of the Spirit, in the darkness of the spring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-wright-2/rest-you-well-beloved-jesus-caesar-s-lord-and-israel-s-king-in-the/) [N. T. 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