--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But break, my heart, for I must hold my…" description: "\"“But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.”\" — William Shakespeare" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/274/william-shakespeare-4_quote_but-break-my-heart-for-i-must-hold-my-to_1314758.jpg" --- # But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue. ![“But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/274/william-shakespeare-4_quote_but-break-my-heart-for-i-must-hold-my-to_1314758.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/274/william-shakespeare-4_quote_but-break-my-heart-for-i-must-hold-my-to_1314758.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/274/william-shakespeare-4_quote_but-break-my-heart-for-i-must-hold-my-to_1314758.jpg) > ““But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.”” [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. A plea to express deep sorrow but being forced to stay silent, highlighting emotional restraint. **In simple terms:** Holding back pain is painful. Key Takeaway Speak your truth despite fear. Themes emotional restraint unspoken pain inner conflict Mood somber reflective Type literary emotional When to use this quote - personal relationships - conflict resolution - mental health counseling Key Concepts self‑censorship honesty vulnerability Questions to Reflect On - When have you suppressed your feelings? - What costs does silence incur? A Different Perspective Silence can protect others but may harm the speaker. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [It is not, nor it cannot, come to good, But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/it-is-not-nor-it-cannot-come-to-good-but-break-my-heart-for-i-must/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A man who doesn't know how to hold his tongue doesnt know how to talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-man-who-doesn-t-know-how-to-hold-his-tongue-doesnt-know-how-to-talk/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [For God's sake hold your tongue, and let me love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/for-god-s-sake-hold-your-tongue-and-let-me-love/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [Close your heart to everyone but mine,hold no one in your arms but me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/close-your-heart-to-everyone-but-mine-hold-no-one-in-your-arms-but-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“That's what my aim won't miss. The part of my lady's heart I hold as my own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-c-and-kristin-cast/that-s-what-my-aim-won-t-miss-the-part-of-my-lady-s-heart-i-hold-as/) P.C. and Kristin Cast > [I gave my whole heart up, for him to hold.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-chaucer/i-gave-my-whole-heart-up-for-him-to-hold/) [Geoffrey Chaucer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-chaucer/) > [I cannot, nor I will not hold me still; My tongue, though not my heart, shall have his will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-cannot-nor-i-will-not-hold-me-still-my-tongue-though-not-my-heart/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [To make another person hold his tongue, be you first silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/to-make-another-person-hold-his-tongue-be-you-first-silent/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [When Demaratus was asked whether he held his tongue because he was a fool or for want of words, he replied, "A fool cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-demaratus-was-asked-whether-he-held-his-tongue-because-he-was-a/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [They are fools who kiss and tell'-- Wisely has the poet sung. Man may hold all sorts of posts If he'll only hold his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/they-are-fools-who-kiss-and-tell-wisely-has-the-poet-sung-man-may/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [The best time for you to hold your tongue is the time you feel you must say something or bust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/the-best-time-for-you-to-hold-your-tongue-is-the-time-you-feel-you/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [The new Germany has the unquestionable right to hold its tongue between its teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-liebknecht/the-new-germany-has-the-unquestionable-right-to-hold-its-tongue/) [Karl Liebknecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-liebknecht/) > [Tongue has no bones but its strong enough to break the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sushan-sharma/tongue-has-no-bones-but-its-strong-enough-to-break-the-heart/) [Sushan Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sushan-sharma/) > [I hold him but a fool that will endanger His body for a girl that loves him not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-hold-him-but-a-fool-that-will-endanger-his-body-for-a-girl-that/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/it-is-not-in-the-stars-to-hold-our-destiny-but-in-ourselves/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## 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 Break heart quotes > [“He didn't break my heart. No one can break your heart except you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/he-didn-t-break-my-heart-no-one-can-break-your-heart-except-you/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [It's amazing how someone can break your heart, but you still love them with all the little pieces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sajid/it-s-amazing-how-someone-can-break-your-heart-but-you-still-love-them/) [Sajid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sajid/) > [Must I go bound while you go free Must I love a manwho doesn't love me Must I be born with so little art…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/must-i-go-bound-while-you-go-free-must-i-love-a-manwho-doesn-t-love/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“I won’t break your heart. For the first time in my life, I’ve found something worth fighting for, someone more important than me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelle-bliss/i-won-t-break-your-heart-for-the-first-time-in-my-life-i-ve-found/) [Chelle Bliss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelle-bliss/) > [“Love can give you such happiness, then can break the very heart it filled, leaving a hole that can never be fixed or protected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mcleod/love-can-give-you-such-happiness-then-can-break-the-very-heart-it/) Kevin McLeod > [Every person has at least one secret that will break your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana/every-person-has-at-least-one-secret-that-will-break-your-heart/) [AnA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana/) > [ONE stone enough to break a glass,,, ONE sentence is enough to break a heart,,, FIRST sight is enough to fall in love,,, ONE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-stone-enough-to-break-a-glass-one-sentence-is-enough-to-break-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When the time comes for you to give your heart to someone, make sure that you select someone who will never break your heart.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-the-time-comes-for-you-to-give-your-heart-to-someone-make-sure/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Plz don't cheat true love...and don't break heart…plz do more love each other to build your love…respect true love and njoy Valentine's day very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arindam/plz-don-t-cheat-true-love-and-don-t-break-heart-plz-do-more-love-each/) Arindam > [Its funny how someone can break your heart, but you still love them with all the little pieces.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/facebook/its-funny-how-someone-can-break-your-heart-but-you-still-love-them/) [Facebook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/facebook/) > [“When you break someone's heart, you also break yours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-levithan/when-you-break-someone-s-heart-you-also-break-yours/) [David Levithan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-levithan/) > [When u love so much u would give your life for then they break your heart. Ive been through heart breaks it still hurts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-hood/when-u-love-so-much-u-would-give-your-life-for-then-they-break-your/) [Courtney Hood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-hood/) > [It changes you a little bit every time you either break someone's heart or get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/it-changes-you-a-little-bit-every-time-you-either-break-someone-s/) [Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/) > [“The world can break your heart but never allow it to wound your soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/the-world-can-break-your-heart-but-never-allow-it-to-wound-your-soul/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [He said that he will never let you cry,he will always be there for you no matter how hard the situation is,that he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhra/he-said-that-he-will-never-let-you-cry-he-will-always-be-there-for/) Zhra Browse all 615 Break heart quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Shakespeare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/but-break-my-heart-for-i-must-hold-my-tongue/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Break heart" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/but-break-my-heart-for-i-must-hold-my-tongue/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/274/william-shakespeare-4_quote_but-break-my-heart-for-i-must-hold-my-to_1314758.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/274/william-shakespeare-4_quote_but-break-my-heart-for-i-must-hold-my-to_1314758.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/274/william-shakespeare-4_quote_but-break-my-heart-for-i-must-hold-my-to_1314758.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.” — 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": "“But break, my heart, for I...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/but-break-my-heart-for-i-must-hold-my-tongue/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/but-break-my-heart-for-i-must-hold-my-tongue/#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 } } ] } ```