---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: O jest unseen, inscrutable, invisible, As…"
description: "\"“O jest unseen, inscrutable, invisible, As a nose on a man's face, or a weathercock on a steeple! My master sues to her, and she hath taught her suitor..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbe/william-shakespeare-4_humor_o-jest-unseen-inscrutable-invisible-as-a_881235.jpg"
---

#  O jest unseen, inscrutable, invisible, As a nose on a…

![“O jest unseen, inscrutable, invisible, As a nose on a man's face, or a weathercock on a steeple! My master sues to her, and she hath taught her suitor, He being her pupil, to become her tutor. O excellent device! was there ever heard a better, That my master, being scribe, to himself should write…” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbe/william-shakespeare-4_humor_o-jest-unseen-inscrutable-invisible-as-a_881235.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbe/william-shakespeare-4_humor_o-jest-unseen-inscrutable-invisible-as-a_881235.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbe/william-shakespeare-4_humor_o-jest-unseen-inscrutable-invisible-as-a_881235.jpg)

> ““O jest unseen, inscrutable, invisible, As a nose on a man's face, or a weathercock on a steeple! My master sues to her, and she hath taught her suitor, He being her pupil, to become her tutor. O excellent device! was there ever heard a better, That my master, being scribe, to himself should write the letter? Valentine. How now, sir? what are you reasoning with yourself? Speed. Nay, I was rhyming: 'tis you that have the reason.””

[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 convoluted exchange of riddles and wordplay highlights the absurdity of overthinking language.

**In simple terms:** Wordplay shows how language can become tangled.

Key Takeaway

Embrace clarity over cleverness.

Themes

language humor confusion

Mood

playful ironic

Type

literary humorous

When to use this quote

- theatrical performance
- literary analysis
- writing workshops

Key Concepts

riddles metafiction

Questions to Reflect On

- Do you prioritize wit or clarity?
- When does cleverness become a barrier?

A Different Perspective

Cleverness can obscure meaning.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Jest Unseen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jest-unseen-1053737/) [Letter Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/letter-valentine-1053736/) [Master Scribe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/master-scribe-1053740/) [Speed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speed/) [Suitor Pupil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suitor-pupil-1053739/) [Taught Suitor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taught-suitor-1053738/) [Valentine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/valentine/)

## Related quotes

> [O jest unseen, inscrutable, invisible, As a nose on a man's face, or a weathercock on a steeple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-jest-unseen-inscrutable-invisible-as-a-nose-on-a-man-s-face-or-a-2/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Good morrow, 'tis Saint Valentine's Day, All in the morn betime, And I a maid at your window, To be your valentine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/good-morrow-tis-saint-valentine-s-day-all-in-the-morn-betime-and-i-a/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [We've still got a few days until Valentine's Day, so if you're secretly in love with me... Now is the time to speak up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-ve-still-got-a-few-days-until-valentine-s-day-so-if-you-re/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Love is just a chocolate substitute.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-is-just-a-chocolate-substitute/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“As a child Valentine’s Day was fun. You got to design your own little heart-laden box to accept all your classmate’s Valentine’s. Then you’d…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-blaylock/as-a-child-valentine-s-day-was-fun-you-got-to-design-your-own-little/)

[Aaron Blaylock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-blaylock/)

> [I get letters every year from women who think Valentine's Day is an empty exercise, but are ironically pretty exercised when their boyfriends neglect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-get-letters-every-year-from-women-who-think-valentine-s-day-is-an/)

[Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/)

> [“That was fifteen years ago. Fifteen Valentine's Days.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-spinelli/that-was-fifteen-years-ago-fifteen-valentine-s-days/)

[Jerry Spinelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-spinelli/)

> [I like Valentine's Day. The trouble is the florists and the candy-makers and the card people are all advertising so much, you don't dare…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/i-like-valentine-s-day-the-trouble-is-the-florists-and-the-candy/)

[Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/)

> [Valentines Day does not exist in my book. Every year it sucks the same. It is all about gifts, love is jut a cover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-bognar/valentines-day-does-not-exist-in-my-book-every-year-it-sucks-the-same/)

[Jenna Bognar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-bognar/)

> [On Valentine's Day, couples in Calgary can celebrate their love for each other with couples' nude yoga - great way to get in shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sagal/on-valentine-s-day-couples-in-calgary-can-celebrate-their-love-for/)

[Peter Sagal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sagal/)

> [Darling, replied Valentine, has not the count just told us that all human wisdom was contained in these two words,- "Wait and hope"?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/darling-replied-valentine-has-not-the-count-just-told-us-that-all/)

[Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/)

> [Valentine's day is an excuse to treat a lady right for once, when you should be treating whoever you're with right everyday](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/valentine-s-day-is-an-excuse-to-treat-a-lady-right-for-once-when-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [If you can believe it, Hollywood wanted to change my birthdate. I was born after Valentine's Day, so they wanted to change it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-romero/if-you-can-believe-it-hollywood-wanted-to-change-my-birthdate-i-was/)

[Cesar Romero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-romero/)

> [I'm not alone, but I am lonely without you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-alone-but-i-am-lonely-without-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Valentine's Day: Rubbing singles' noses in their lack of a mate and the noses of couples in their lack of time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-mclaughlin/valentine-s-day-rubbing-singles-noses-in-their-lack-of-a-mate-and-the/)

[Emma McLaughlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-mclaughlin/)

## 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 Humor quotes

> ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/)

[Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/)

> [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/)

[Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/)

> [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/)

[Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/)

> [In my opinion, sexiness comes down to three things: chemistry, sense of humor, and treatment of waitstaff at restaurants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhoda-janzen/in-my-opinion-sexiness-comes-down-to-three-things-chemistry-sense-of/)

[Rhoda Janzen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhoda-janzen/)

> [“...I haven't guessed where your shirt is from yet Bane, but I don't think it'll matter once it's underwater!' Tristan looked at Bane questioningly.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-k-munt/i-haven-t-guessed-where-your-shirt-is-from-yet-bane-but-i-don-t-think/)

[S.K. Munt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-k-munt/)

> [“Be careful about reading health books. Some fine day you'll die of a misprint.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/markus-herz/be-careful-about-reading-health-books-some-fine-day-you-ll-die-of-a/)

[Markus Herz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/markus-herz/)

> [“Not wise, perhaps, to be rude to the Pope's favorite son, but my viper tongue still required a fool now and then on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/not-wise-perhaps-to-be-rude-to-the-pope-s-favorite-son-but-my-viper/)

[Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/)

> [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/)

[Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/)

> [ “\[S\]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-ephron/s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-the-possible-irrelevance-of/)

[Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-ephron/)

> [If you were to send a werewolf to the moon, would he be a werewolf permanently?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-schaal/if-you-were-to-send-a-werewolf-to-the-moon-would-he-be-a-werewolf/)

[Kristen Schaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-schaal/)

> [“I only have two words to say More or Less”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timbur/i-only-have-two-words-to-say-more-or-less/)

[TimBur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timbur/)

> [“ “Do Southerners laugh at different things than Northerners do? Yes, I say--Northerners.” Roy Blount, Jr., Roy Blount’s Book of Southern Humor”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-ford/do-southerners-laugh-at-different-things-than-northerners-do-yes-i/)

[Deborah Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-ford/)

> [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/)

[Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/)

> [I love being my silly ole self! Lifes a lot better when you have a good sense of humor and you smile.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-love-being-my-silly-ole-self-lifes-a-lot-better-when-you-have-a/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/)

[Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/)

[Browse all 33,155 Humor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“O jest unseen, inscrutable, invisible, As a nose on a man's face, or a weathercock on a steeple! My master sues to her, and she hath taught her suitor, He being her pupil, to become her tutor. O excellent device! was there ever heard a better, That my master, being scribe, to himself should write the letter? Valentine. How now, sir? what are you reasoning with yourself? Speed. Nay, I was rhyming: 'tis you that have the reason.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "William Shakespeare"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-jest-unseen-inscrutable-invisible-as-a-nose-on-a-man-s-face-or-a/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Humor"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-jest-unseen-inscrutable-invisible-as-a-nose-on-a-man-s-face-or-a/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbe/william-shakespeare-4_humor_o-jest-unseen-inscrutable-invisible-as-a_881235.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbe/william-shakespeare-4_humor_o-jest-unseen-inscrutable-invisible-as-a_881235.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/dbe/william-shakespeare-4_humor_o-jest-unseen-inscrutable-invisible-as-a_881235.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“O jest unseen, inscrutable, invisible, As a nose on a man's face, or a weathercock on a steeple! My master…” — 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": "“O jest unseen, inscrutable, invisible, As...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-jest-unseen-inscrutable-invisible-as-a-nose-on-a-man-s-face-or-a/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-jest-unseen-inscrutable-invisible-as-a-nose-on-a-man-s-face-or-a/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
