--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's nothing in this world can make me…" description: "\"There's nothing in this world can make me joy: Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale Vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man; And bitter shame hath spoil..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/447/william-shakespeare-4_bitter_there-s-nothing-in-this-world-can-make-m_2589066.jpg" --- # There's nothing in this world can make me joy: Life is as… ![“There's nothing in this world can make me joy: Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale Vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man; And bitter shame hath spoil'd the sweet world's taste That it yields nought but shame and bitterness.” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/447/william-shakespeare-4_bitter_there-s-nothing-in-this-world-can-make-m_2589066.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/447/william-shakespeare-4_bitter_there-s-nothing-in-this-world-can-make-m_2589066.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/447/william-shakespeare-4_bitter_there-s-nothing-in-this-world-can-make-m_2589066.jpg) > “There's nothing in this world can make me joy: Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale Vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man; And bitter shame hath spoil'd the sweet world's taste That it yields nought but shame and bitterness.” [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. Life is portrayed as a tedious, repetitive tale that dulls the senses, leading to shame and bitterness. **In simple terms:** Life feels repetitive and joyless. Key Takeaway Seek novelty and meaning to counter monotony. Themes existential dread monotony shame bitterness literary lament Mood melancholic thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - creative writing - mental health coping - philosophical study Key Concepts philosophical pessimism psychology of boredom literary analysis Questions to Reflect On - What brings you joy amid routine? - How can you break the cycle of boredom? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on negativity can hinder action. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitter/) [Bitter Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitter-shame-1844037/) [Bitterness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitterness/) [Drowsy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drowsy/) [Dull](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dull/) [Ears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ears/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life is](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-is/) [Life Tedious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-tedious-243321/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Shame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame/) [Shame Bitterness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shame-bitterness-1844036/) [Spoil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spoil/) [Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweet/) [Tales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tales/) [Taste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taste/) [Tedious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tedious/) [Tedious Twice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tedious-twice-243320/) [This world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/this-world/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Yield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yield/) ## Related quotes > [“Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale Vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man; And bitter shame hath spoil'd the sweet world's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/life-is-as-tedious-as-a-twice-told-tale-vexing-the-dull-ear-of-a/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Life is as tedious as twice-told tale, vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/life-is-as-tedious-as-twice-told-tale-vexing-the-dull-ear-of-a-drowsy/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I see a man's life is a tedious one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-see-a-man-s-life-is-a-tedious-one/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [What so tedious as a twice-told tale?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/what-so-tedious-as-a-twice-told-tale/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [Trouble can be a lot of fun. It's the straight and narrow that makes life tedious and boring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abbi-glines/trouble-can-be-a-lot-of-fun-it-s-the-straight-and-narrow-that-makes/) [Abbi Glines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abbi-glines/) > [Characters develop as the book progresses, but any that start to bore me end up in the wastepaper basket. In real life, we may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-graham/characters-develop-as-the-book-progresses-but-any-that-start-to-bore/) [Laurie Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-graham/) > [“Do you take anything seriously?” “Not if I can help it. Makes life so tedious.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leigh-bardugo/do-you-take-anything-seriously-not-if-i-can-help-it-makes-life-so/) [Leigh Bardugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leigh-bardugo/) > [“He forgot everything: the sorcerer upstairs, the mission, his own imperfection, and the shame and bitterness that came with it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cinda-williams-chima/he-forgot-everything-the-sorcerer-upstairs-the-mission-his-own/) [Cinda Williams Chima](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cinda-williams-chima/) > [The truth is rarely pure and never simple. Modern life would be very tedious if it were either, and modern literature a complete impossibility!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-truth-is-rarely-pure-and-never-simple-modern-life-would-be-very/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Only boring people get bored. Life may be tedious, but not if you brought a book.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-mailer-anderson/only-boring-people-get-bored-life-may-be-tedious-but-not-if-you/) [Robert Mailer Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-mailer-anderson/) > [My brain more busy than the labouring spider Weaves tedious snares to trap mine enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/my-brain-more-busy-than-the-labouring-spider-weaves-tedious-snares-to/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“I am in blood so deep that to wade no further is as tedious as to go over”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-am-in-blood-so-deep-that-to-wade-no-further-is-as-tedious-as-to-go/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Speak on, but be not over-tedious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/speak-on-but-be-not-over-tedious/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [In winter's tedious nights sit by the fire With good old folks, and let them tell thee tales Of woeful ages, long ago betid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/in-winter-s-tedious-nights-sit-by-the-fire-with-good-old-folks-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [To be in love- where scorn is bought with groans, Coy looks with heart-sore sighs, one fading moment's mirth With twenty watchful, weary, tedious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/to-be-in-love-where-scorn-is-bought-with-groans-coy-looks-with-heart-2/) [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 Bitter quotes > [The cooler days have brought a wistful mood upon him. The smell of coalsmoke in the air at night. Old times, dead years. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/the-cooler-days-have-brought-a-wistful-mood-upon-him-the-smell-of/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [From the bitter cold winter at Valley Forge, to the mountains of Afghanistan and the deserts of Iraq, our soldiers have courageously answered when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-ortiz/from-the-bitter-cold-winter-at-valley-forge-to-the-mountains-of/) [Solomon Ortiz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-ortiz/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [Troy was a sweet, good man. We just were never destined to be married. We just didn't have the same values. But I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-pleshette/troy-was-a-sweet-good-man-we-just-were-never-destined-to-be-married/) [Suzanne Pleshette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-pleshette/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [One may have been a fool, but there's no foolishness like being bitter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-norris/one-may-have-been-a-fool-but-there-s-no-foolishness-like-being-bitter/) [Kathleen Norris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-norris/) > [“I doubt taking in a sullen, bitter, teenage girl with more issues than National Geographic is at the center of the vision board for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katja-millay/i-doubt-taking-in-a-sullen-bitter-teenage-girl-with-more-issues-than/) [Katja Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katja-millay/) > [Tireless passion, fierce jealousy, longing to possess and crush-these alone were left of all his love for Rosalind; these remained to him as payment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-scott-fitzgerald/tireless-passion-fierce-jealousy-longing-to-possess-and-crush-these/) [F. Scott Fitzgerald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-scott-fitzgerald/) > [Life is too bitter already, without territories and wars and noble feuds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-too-bitter-already-without-territories-and-wars-and-noble/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [With every interview you feel like you lose a piece of yourself, and with every bad review you become just that little bit more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-march/with-every-interview-you-feel-like-you-lose-a-piece-of-yourself-and/) [Jane March](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-march/) > [“Without the bitter, the sweet ain’t as sweet.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/without-the-bitter-the-sweet-ain-t-as-sweet/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I refuse to be one of those artists who, 10 years from now, they're bitter about the rise and the fall of their career.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-bryan/i-refuse-to-be-one-of-those-artists-who-10-years-from-now-they-re/) [Luke Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-bryan/) > [“In these days in which we live, when existence has become a thing of infinite complexity and fate, if it slips us a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse/in-these-days-in-which-we-live-when-existence-has-become-a-thing-of/) [P.G. Wodehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-g-wodehouse/) > [If a sudden jar can cause me to speak an impatient, unloving word, then I know nothing of Calvary love. For a cup brimful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-carmichael/if-a-sudden-jar-can-cause-me-to-speak-an-impatient-unloving-word-then/) [Amy Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-carmichael/) [Browse all 1,923 Bitter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitter/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's nothing in this world can make me joy: Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale Vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man; And bitter shame hath spoil'd the sweet world's taste That it yields nought but shame and bitterness.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Shakespeare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/there-s-nothing-in-this-world-can-make-me-joy-life-is-as-tedious-as-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Bitter" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/there-s-nothing-in-this-world-can-make-me-joy-life-is-as-tedious-as-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/447/william-shakespeare-4_bitter_there-s-nothing-in-this-world-can-make-m_2589066.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/447/william-shakespeare-4_bitter_there-s-nothing-in-this-world-can-make-m_2589066.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/447/william-shakespeare-4_bitter_there-s-nothing-in-this-world-can-make-m_2589066.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's nothing in this world can make me joy: Life is as tedious as a twice-told tale Vexing the dull ear…” — 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": "There's nothing in this world can...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/there-s-nothing-in-this-world-can-make-me-joy-life-is-as-tedious-as-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/there-s-nothing-in-this-world-can-make-me-joy-life-is-as-tedious-as-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 } } ] } ```