--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is a familiar beast to man, and…" description: "\"It is a familiar beast to man, and signifies love.\" — William Shakespeare" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/william-shakespeare-4_beast_it-is-a-familiar-beast-to-man-and-signif_74121.jpg" --- # It is a familiar beast to man, and signifies love. ![“It is a familiar beast to man, and signifies love.” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/william-shakespeare-4_beast_it-is-a-familiar-beast-to-man-and-signif_74121.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/william-shakespeare-4_beast_it-is-a-familiar-beast-to-man-and-signif_74121.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/william-shakespeare-4_beast_it-is-a-familiar-beast-to-man-and-signif_74121.jpg) > “It is a familiar beast to man, and signifies love.” [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. The quote likens love to a known, perhaps untamed, creature that humans recognize and grapple with, emphasizing its pervasive and powerful nature. **In simple terms:** Love as a familiar beast Key Takeaway Love is both known and wild Themes love human nature metaphor emotion familiarity Mood reflective intense Type aphilosophical metaphorical When to use this quote - describing romantic relationships - explaining emotional complexity - teaching literature Key Concepts beast metaphor recognition intensity Practical Applications - literary analysis - psychology of love Questions to Reflect On - How does this metaphor shape our view of love? - What does calling love a 'beast' reveal about its impact? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Memorable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memorable/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [O powerful love, that in some respects makes a beast a man, in some other, a man a beast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-powerful-love-that-in-some-respects-makes-a-beast-a-man-in-some/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [He made me see what Life is, and what Death signifies, and why Love is stronger than both.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/he-made-me-see-what-life-is-and-what-death-signifies-and-why-love-is/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [We live in an age, in an era where there is so much negativity, there is so much violence in the world, there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/we-live-in-an-age-in-an-era-where-there-is-so-much-negativity-there/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [For the world is broken, sundered, busted down the middle, self ripped from self and man pasted back together as mythical monster, half angel,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-percy/for-the-world-is-broken-sundered-busted-down-the-middle-self-ripped/) [Walker Percy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-percy/) > [The concept of number is the obvious distinction between the beast and man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-de-maistre/the-concept-of-number-is-the-obvious-distinction-between-the-beast-2/) [Joseph de Maistre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-de-maistre/) > [We do want to drive out the beast in man, but we do not want on that account to emasculate him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/we-do-want-to-drive-out-the-beast-in-man-but-we-do-not-want-on-that/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Luke Cage is a beast, man. You can't take that guy down no matter what.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khris-middleton/luke-cage-is-a-beast-man-you-can-t-take-that-guy-down-no-matter-what/) [Khris Middleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khris-middleton/) > [A man without justice is a beast, and a man who would make himself a beast forgets the pain of being a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-leary/a-man-without-justice-is-a-beast-and-a-man-who-would-make-himself-a/) [Timothy Leary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-leary/) > [There's a beast in every man. And it stirs when you put a sword in his hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramandeep-singh/there-s-a-beast-in-every-man-and-it-stirs-when-you-put-a-sword-in-his/) [Ramandeep Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramandeep-singh/) > [He's a ten-foot tall beast man, who showers in vodka, and feeds his baby shrimp scampi.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-brasky/he-s-a-ten-foot-tall-beast-man-who-showers-in-vodka-and-feeds-his/) [Bill Brasky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-brasky/) > [There is a beast in man that should be exercised, not exorcised.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-a-beast-in-man-that-should-be-exercised-not-exorcised/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [There is a savage beast in every man, and when you hand that man a sword or spear and send him forth to war,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/there-is-a-savage-beast-in-every-man-and-when-you-hand-that-man-a/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [His passion has aroused the best and the beast in man. And the beast waited for him in the kitchen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-white/his-passion-has-aroused-the-best-and-the-beast-in-man-and-the-beast/) [Theodore White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-white/) > [Beast?" Jane murmured. "Then God make me a beast; for, man or beast, I am yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-rice-burroughs/beast-jane-murmured-then-god-make-me-a-beast-for-man-or-beast-i-am/) [Edgar Rice Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-rice-burroughs/) > [“You can’t escape me, I’m coming for you soon,” shrieked his hellish voice. Whether the beast was a man in a mask or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-nowaz/you-can-t-escape-me-i-m-coming-for-you-soon-shrieked-his-hellish/) [Max Nowaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-nowaz/) ## 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 Beast quotes > [We became Homo sapiens not that long ago, from the scientific perspective, and we've retained a lot of our beast nature. We've done all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wangechi-mutu/we-became-homo-sapiens-not-that-long-ago-from-the-scientific/) [Wangechi Mutu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wangechi-mutu/) > [“Once upon a time, there was a naïve and innocent girl who thought she could tame the beast and live happily ever after. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/once-upon-a-time-there-was-a-na-ve-and-innocent-girl-who-thought-she/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [Is man no more than this? Consider him well. Thou ow'st the worm no silk, the beast no hide, the sheep no wool, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/is-man-no-more-than-this-consider-him-well-thou-ow-st-the-worm-no/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [In giving us dominion over the animal kingdom God has signified His will that we subdue the beast within ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lancaster-spalding/in-giving-us-dominion-over-the-animal-kingdom-god-has-signified-his/) [John Lancaster Spalding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lancaster-spalding/) > [ No visiting angel, or explorer from another planet, could have guessed that this bland orb \[Earth\] teemed with vermin, with world-mastering, self-torturing, incipiently angelic… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/olaf-stapledon/no-visiting-angel-or-explorer-from-another-planet-could-have-guessed/) [Olaf Stapledon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/olaf-stapledon/) > [As a beast of toil an ox is fixed capital. If he is eaten, he no longer functions as an instrument of labour, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-marx/as-a-beast-of-toil-an-ox-is-fixed-capital-if-he-is-eaten-he-no-longer/) [Karl Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-marx/) > [« He squeezed his hands into fists. I picked up a grapefruit-sized rock and handed it to him. It went flying. Home run, Beast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ilona-andrews/he-squeezed-his-hands-into-fists-i-picked-up-a-grapefruit-sized-rock/) [Ilona Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ilona-andrews/) > [Was man made stupid to see his own stupidity? Is God by definition indifferent, beyond us all? Is the eternal truth man's fighting soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-eberhart/was-man-made-stupid-to-see-his-own-stupidity-is-god-by-definition/) [Richard Eberhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-eberhart/) > [When a man is treated like a beast, he says, 'After all, I'm human.' When he behaves like a beast, he says 'After all,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/when-a-man-is-treated-like-a-beast-he-says-after-all-i-m-human-when/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [The American people are incredibly generous and even playful when you open yourself up and feed the media beast until it goes away satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krystal-ball/the-american-people-are-incredibly-generous-and-even-playful-when-you/) [Krystal Ball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krystal-ball/) > [Wherever I am, I see the yoke on women in some form or another. On some it sits easy for they are but beasts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abby-may-alcott/wherever-i-am-i-see-the-yoke-on-women-in-some-form-or-another-on-some/) [Abby May Alcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abby-may-alcott/) > [“He's a beast. A monster. And he looks like he wants to devour me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-darhower/he-s-a-beast-a-monster-and-he-looks-like-he-wants-to-devour-me/) [J.M. Darhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-m-darhower/) > [ Antichrist is the pope and the Turk \[Muslim\] together. A beast full of life must have a body and soul. The spirit or soul… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther/antichrist-is-the-pope-and-the-turk-muslim-together-a-beast-full-of/) [Martin Luther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther/) > [My hero among heroes is my grandmother, she's the epitome of strength and I try to mock that strength all the time. She's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeriel-miranda/my-hero-among-heroes-is-my-grandmother-she-s-the-epitome-of-strength/) [Aeriel Miranda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeriel-miranda/) > [You've heard tales of beauty and the beast. How a fair maid falls in love with a monster and sees the beauty of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-maitland/you-ve-heard-tales-of-beauty-and-the-beast-how-a-fair-maid-falls-in/) [Karen Maitland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-maitland/) [Browse all 1,640 Beast quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beast/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is a familiar beast to man, and signifies love.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Shakespeare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/it-is-a-familiar-beast-to-man-and-signifies-love/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beast" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/it-is-a-familiar-beast-to-man-and-signifies-love/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/william-shakespeare-4_beast_it-is-a-familiar-beast-to-man-and-signif_74121.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/william-shakespeare-4_beast_it-is-a-familiar-beast-to-man-and-signif_74121.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce2/william-shakespeare-4_beast_it-is-a-familiar-beast-to-man-and-signif_74121.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is a familiar beast to man, and signifies love.” — 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": "It is a familiar beast to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/it-is-a-familiar-beast-to-man-and-signifies-love/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/it-is-a-familiar-beast-to-man-and-signifies-love/#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 } } ] } ```