--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My love is as a fever, longing still For…" description: "\"My love is as a fever, longing still For that which longer nurseththe disease; Feeding on that which doth preserve the ill, The uncertain sickly appeti..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb0/william-shakespeare-4_147_my-love-is-as-a-fever-longing-still-for_1145609.jpg" --- # My love is as a fever, longing still For that which longer… ![“My love is as a fever, longing still For that which longer nurseththe disease; Feeding on that which doth preserve the ill, The uncertain sickly appetite to please. My reason, the physician to my love, Angry that his prescriptions are not kept, Hath left me, and I desperate now approve, Desire his…” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb0/william-shakespeare-4_147_my-love-is-as-a-fever-longing-still-for_1145609.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb0/william-shakespeare-4_147_my-love-is-as-a-fever-longing-still-for_1145609.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cb0/william-shakespeare-4_147_my-love-is-as-a-fever-longing-still-for_1145609.jpg) > “My love is as a fever, longing still For that which longer nurseththe disease; Feeding on that which doth preserve the ill, The uncertain sickly appetite to please. My reason, the physician to my love, Angry that his prescriptions are not kept, Hath left me, and I desperate now approve, Desire his death, which physicdid except. Past cure I am, now reason is past care, And frantic-mad with evermore unrest; My thoughts and my discourse as madmen's are, At random from the truth vainly express'd; For I have sworn thee fair, and thought thee bright, Who art as black as hell, as dark as night.” [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 speaker describes love as a destructive fever that both sustains and harms, turning reason into madness and longing for death of the beloved. **In simple terms:** Love feels like a painful illness that drives you crazy. Key Takeaway Recognize love’s toxic patterns and seek balance. Themes love madness destruction reason longing Mood tormented intense tragic Type poetic dramatic philosophical When to use this quote - unrequited love - obsessive relationships - emotional turmoil - mental health crises Key Concepts psychology romantic tragedy self‑destruction Questions to Reflect On - Do you ever feel love is harming you? - How can you restore reason when passion overwhelms? A Different Perspective Love can become self‑defeating, eroding rational thought. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [147](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/zz-147-196/) [Cure Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cure-reason-3213651/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Fever Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fever-longing-3213650/) [Longing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/longing/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Medicine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/medicine/) [Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shakespeare/) [Sickly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sickly/) [Sonnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sonnet/) [Sonnets](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sonnets/) [Uncertain Sickly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncertain-sickly-3213652/) ## Related quotes > [My love is as a fever, longing still For that which longer nurseth the disease, Feeding on that which doth preserve the ill, Th'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/my-love-is-as-a-fever-longing-still-for-that-which-longer-nurseth-the/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [My love is as a fever, longing still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/my-love-is-as-a-fever-longing-still/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“... we may seek to impose severe restrictions upon what, how and when we engage with others so that the risks are statistically minimised.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernesto-spinelli/we-may-seek-to-impose-severe-restrictions-upon-what-how-and-when-we/) [Ernesto Spinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernesto-spinelli/) > [“Snow fell. 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