--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Affection faints not like a pale-faced…" description: "\"Affection faints not like a pale-faced coward, But then woos best when most his choice is froward.\" — William Shakespeare" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/847/william-shakespeare-4_affection_affection-faints-not-like-a-pale-faced-c_130333.jpg" --- # Affection faints not like a pale-faced coward, But then… ![“Affection faints not like a pale-faced coward, But then woos best when most his choice is froward.” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/847/william-shakespeare-4_affection_affection-faints-not-like-a-pale-faced-c_130333.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/847/william-shakespeare-4_affection_affection-faints-not-like-a-pale-faced-c_130333.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/847/william-shakespeare-4_affection_affection-faints-not-like-a-pale-faced-c_130333.jpg) > “Affection faints not like a pale-faced coward, But then woos best when most his choice is froward.” [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. Affection can be timid yet bold, choosing to pursue love despite fear or uncertainty. **In simple terms:** Love can be shy but also daring. Key Takeaway Allow love to act despite fear. Themes love courage vulnerability Mood hopeful courageous Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - romantic relationships - friendship - self‑growth Key Concepts psychology emotional expression Questions to Reflect On - When have you let fear stop affection? - How can you act boldly in love? A Different Perspective Fear can suppress affection’s expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) [Choices](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choices/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) ## Related quotes > [The glowworm shows the matin to be near And gins to pale his uneffectual fire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-glowworm-shows-the-matin-to-be-near-and-gins-to-pale-his/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief That thou, her maid, art far more fair…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/arise-fair-sun-and-kill-the-envious-moon-who-is-already-sick-and-pale/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Come, seeling night, Scarf up the tender eye of pitiful day, And with thy bloody and invisible hand Cancel and tear to pieces that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/come-seeling-night-scarf-up-the-tender-eye-of-pitiful-day-and-with/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [An envious fever of pale and bloodless emulation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/an-envious-fever-of-pale-and-bloodless-emulation/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Fondling,' she saith, 'since I have hemm'd thee here Within the circuit of this ivory pale, I'll be a park, and thou shalt be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/fondling-she-saith-since-i-have-hemm-d-thee-here-within-the-circuit/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [All fancy-sick she is and pale of cheer, with sighs of love, that costs the fresh blood dear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/all-fancy-sick-she-is-and-pale-of-cheer-with-sighs-of-love-that-costs/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The native hue of resolution is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought; and enterprises of great pitch and moment, With this regard,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-native-hue-of-resolution-is-sicklied-o-er-with-the-pale-cast-of/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [With these shreds They vented their complainings, which being answered And a petition granted them, a strange one, To break the heart of generosity,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/with-these-shreds-they-vented-their-complainings-which-being-answered/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Coward dogs most spend their mouths when what they seem to threaten runs far before them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/coward-dogs-most-spend-their-mouths-when-what-they-seem-to-threaten/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Art thou afeard To be the same in thine own act and valour As thou art in desire? Wouldst thou have that Which thou…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/art-thou-afeard-to-be-the-same-in-thine-own-act-and-valour-as-thou/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [This sanguine coward, this bed-presser, this horseback-breaker, this huge hill of flesh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/this-sanguine-coward-this-bed-presser-this-horseback-breaker-this/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-coward-conscience-how-dost-thou-afflict-me/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I'll not meddle with it. It makes a man a coward: a man cannot steal but it accuseth him; a man cannot swear but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-ll-not-meddle-with-it-it-makes-a-man-a-coward-a-man-cannot-steal/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The sun, a red wheel, was sinking slowly in the west. Besides being spectacularly beautiful, the early-summer sunset was exceedingly soft and gentle: black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mo-yan/the-sun-a-red-wheel-was-sinking-slowly-in-the-west-besides-being/) [Mo Yan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mo-yan/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) ## 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 Affection quotes > [My team and I have reunited two elements that coexist with diffiulty: respect and affection, because when they love you they don't respect you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakira/my-team-and-i-have-reunited-two-elements-that-coexist-with-diffiulty/) [Shakira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakira/) > [Needs cause motivation. Deep-rooted desires for esteem, affection, belonging, achievement, self-actualization, power, and control motivate us to push for what we want and need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorii-myers/needs-cause-motivation-deep-rooted-desires-for-esteem-affection/) [Lorii Myers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorii-myers/) > [“It is to build a house with affection, even as if your beloved were to dwell in that house.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/it-is-to-build-a-house-with-affection-even-as-if-your-beloved-were-to/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [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/) > [There are a number of qualities which are important for mental peace, but from the little experience I have, I believe that one of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dalai-lama/there-are-a-number-of-qualities-which-are-important-for-mental-peace/) [Dalai Lama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dalai-lama/) > [A lost love. Deny it who will, ridicule it, treat it as mere imagination and sentiment, the thing is and will be; and women…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/a-lost-love-deny-it-who-will-ridicule-it-treat-it-as-mere-imagination/) [Dinah Maria Murlock Craik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinah-maria-murlock-craik/) > [Affection! Affection is false.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/affection-affection-is-false/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [We are a spectacular, splendid manifestation of life. We have language. . . . We have affection. We have genes for usefulness, and usefulness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-thomas/we-are-a-spectacular-splendid-manifestation-of-life-we-have-language/) [Lewis Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-thomas/) > [Listen, I have a great affection and respect for Joe Biden. I think he's been a great vice president. He's taken on a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/listen-i-have-a-great-affection-and-respect-for-joe-biden-i-think-he/) [David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/) > [The still affection of the heart Became an outward breathing type, That into stillness past again, And left a want unknown before; Although the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/the-still-affection-of-the-heart-became-an-outward-breathing-type/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [I am persuaded that there is no affection of the human heart more exquisitely pure, than that which is felt by a grateful son…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/i-am-persuaded-that-there-is-no-affection-of-the-human-heart-more/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [If you live in a material universe where acquiring things is very important to you, then family is an absolute deterrent to maintaining that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taylor-gatto/if-you-live-in-a-material-universe-where-acquiring-things-is-very/) [John Taylor Gatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taylor-gatto/) > [Our sweetest experiences of affection are meant to be suggestions of that realm which is the home of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/our-sweetest-experiences-of-affection-are-meant-to-be-suggestions-of/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [“Georgia O’Keeffe moved to rural New Mexico, from which she would sign her letters to the people she loved, “from the faraway nearby.” It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-solnit/georgia-o-keeffe-moved-to-rural-new-mexico-from-which-she-would-sign/) [Rebecca Solnit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-solnit/) [Browse all 2,465 Affection quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affection/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Affection faints not like a pale-faced coward, But then woos best when most his choice is froward.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Shakespeare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/affection-faints-not-like-a-pale-faced-coward-but-then-woos-best-when/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Affection" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/affection-faints-not-like-a-pale-faced-coward-but-then-woos-best-when/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/847/william-shakespeare-4_affection_affection-faints-not-like-a-pale-faced-c_130333.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/847/william-shakespeare-4_affection_affection-faints-not-like-a-pale-faced-c_130333.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/847/william-shakespeare-4_affection_affection-faints-not-like-a-pale-faced-c_130333.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Affection faints not like a pale-faced coward, But then woos best when most his choice is froward.” — William Shakespeare", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Shakespeare", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Affection faints not like a pale-faced...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/affection-faints-not-like-a-pale-faced-coward-but-then-woos-best-when/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/affection-faints-not-like-a-pale-faced-coward-but-then-woos-best-when/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```