--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What seest thou else In the dark backward…" description: "\"What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time?\" — William Shakespeare" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/william-shakespeare-4_dark_what-seest-thou-else-in-the-dark-backwar_2236963.jpg" --- # What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time? ![“What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time?” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/william-shakespeare-4_dark_what-seest-thou-else-in-the-dark-backwar_2236963.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/william-shakespeare-4_dark_what-seest-thou-else-in-the-dark-backwar_2236963.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/william-shakespeare-4_dark_what-seest-thou-else-in-the-dark-backwar_2236963.jpg) > “What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time?” [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 wonders about unseen depths of time and darkness. **In simple terms:** Contemplating hidden, of time. Key Takeaway Reflect on unseen forces shaping life. Themes philosophy existence time Mood reflective poetic Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - personal introspection - creative writing - historical analysis Key Concepts metaphysics uncertainty human curiosity Questions to Reflect On - What does “the dark backward” symbolize for you? - How do hidden pasts affect present choices? A Different Perspective The poetic phrasing may obscure practical meaning. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dark/) [Memorable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memorable/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [The Dark Backward. Bill Paxton is in it with me. Wayne Newton. James Caan. Adam Rifkin wrote and directed it. It was made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/the-dark-backward-bill-paxton-is-in-it-with-me-wayne-newton-james/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [“Without those who tapped into the invisible world, humanity would have remained in the dark and backward...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assegid-habtewold/without-those-who-tapped-into-the-invisible-world-humanity-would-have/) [Assegid Habtewold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assegid-habtewold/) > [ \[In The Dark Backward \] someone who has writer's block and kills people in A Cabin By The Lake. I guess he's a type… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judd-nelson/in-the-dark-backward-someone-who-has-writer-s-block-and-kills-people/) [Judd Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judd-nelson/) > [Cursed be he that moves my bones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/cursed-be-he-that-moves-my-bones/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/nothing-emboldens-sin-so-much-as-mercy/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [He that commends me to mine own content Commends me to the thing I cannot get.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/he-that-commends-me-to-mine-own-content-commends-me-to-the-thing-i/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [So full of artless jealousy is guilt, It spills itself in fearing to be spilt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/so-full-of-artless-jealousy-is-guilt-it-spills-itself-in-fearing-to/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/something-is-rotten-in-the-state-of-denmark/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I have not slept one wink.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-have-not-slept-one-wink/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/double-double-toil-and-trouble-fire-burn-and-cauldron-bubble/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I do begin to have bloody thoughts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-do-begin-to-have-bloody-thoughts/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [It is a familiar beast to man, and signifies love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/it-is-a-familiar-beast-to-man-and-signifies-love/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [I must be cruel only to be kind; Thus bad begins, and worse remains behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-must-be-cruel-only-to-be-kind-thus-bad-begins-and-worse-remains/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [We have seen better days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/we-have-seen-better-days/) [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/) ## 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 Backward quotes > [I hate looking backward, but every once in a while it sneaks up on you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/burt-lancaster/i-hate-looking-backward-but-every-once-in-a-while-it-sneaks-up-on-you/) [Burt Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/burt-lancaster/) > [“Thus the thoughtless drift backward toward slavery.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carter-g-woodson/thus-the-thoughtless-drift-backward-toward-slavery/) [Carter G. Woodson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carter-g-woodson/) > [“Whoever said that the past isn’t dead had it backward. It’s the future that’s already dead, already played out. This whole night has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/whoever-said-that-the-past-isn-t-dead-had-it-backward-it-s-the-future/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [Honestly, if you were any slower, you’d be going backward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/honestly-if-you-were-any-slower-you-d-be-going-backward/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I learn things in a backward way. I learn all those limitations, and slowly my brain soaks them up, and if things go right,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-odenkirk/i-learn-things-in-a-backward-way-i-learn-all-those-limitations-and/) [Bob Odenkirk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-odenkirk/) > [“It took us a while to discover that we do effectively think, but that we more readily narrate backward in order to give ourselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/it-took-us-a-while-to-discover-that-we-do-effectively-think-but-that/) [Nassim Nicholas Taleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nassim-nicholas-taleb/) > [“Our habit of wishing backward from what is to what might have been is the soft but persistent tapping that cracks the crystal.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-kirn/our-habit-of-wishing-backward-from-what-is-to-what-might-have-been-is/) [Walter Kirn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-kirn/) > [The thing I love most about my job is watching people age backward, becoming more lively and energetic as they free themselves from situations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-beck/the-thing-i-love-most-about-my-job-is-watching-people-age-backward/) [Martha Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-beck/) > [“Dreaming her way backward in time, resurrecting images, the young girl realized, with wonder, that the absent are always present, that you don't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-shields/dreaming-her-way-backward-in-time-resurrecting-images-the-young-girl/) [Carol Shields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-shields/) > [“Us ballplayers do things backward. First we play, then we retire and go to work. —CHARLIE GEHRINGER”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-wilde/us-ballplayers-do-things-backward-first-we-play-then-we-retire-and-go-2/) [Lori Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-wilde/) > [This was the Darker Life, where every truth was written backward.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/this-was-the-darker-life-where-every-truth-was-written-backward/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [Backward, flow backward, O tide of the years!I am so weary of toil and of tears,-Toil without recompense, tears all in vain!Take them, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chase-allen/backward-flow-backward-o-tide-of-the-years-i-am-so-weary-of-toil-and/) [Elizabeth Chase Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chase-allen/) > [I loved you backward and forward in time. I loved you beyond boundaries of time and space.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-simmons/i-loved-you-backward-and-forward-in-time-i-loved-you-beyond/) [Dan Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-simmons/) > [Nobody gets to live life backward. Look ahead; that is where your future lies. Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-landers/nobody-gets-to-live-life-backward-look-ahead-that-is-where-your/) [Ann Landers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-landers/) > [“Life, too, is like that. You live it forward, but understand it backward." from CUTTING FOR STONE”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-verghese/life-too-is-like-that-you-live-it-forward-but-understand-it-backward/) [Abraham Verghese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-verghese/) Browse all 340 Backward quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Shakespeare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/what-seest-thou-else-in-the-dark-backward-and-abysm-of-time/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Backward" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/what-seest-thou-else-in-the-dark-backward-and-abysm-of-time/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/william-shakespeare-4_dark_what-seest-thou-else-in-the-dark-backwar_2236963.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/william-shakespeare-4_dark_what-seest-thou-else-in-the-dark-backwar_2236963.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/905/william-shakespeare-4_dark_what-seest-thou-else-in-the-dark-backwar_2236963.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What seest thou else In the dark backward and abysm of time?” — 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": "What seest thou else In the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/what-seest-thou-else-in-the-dark-backward-and-abysm-of-time/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/what-seest-thou-else-in-the-dark-backward-and-abysm-of-time/#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 } } ] } ```