--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Why, I can smile and murder whiles I…" description: "\"Why, I can smile and murder whiles I smile, And cry 'content' to that which grieves my heart, And wet my cheeks with artificial tears, And frame my fac..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa1/william-shakespeare-4_all-occasions_why-i-can-smile-and-murder-whiles-i-smil_532286.jpg" --- # Why, I can smile and murder whiles I smile, And cry… ![“Why, I can smile and murder whiles I smile, And cry 'content' to that which grieves my heart, And wet my cheeks with artificial tears, And frame my face for all occasions” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa1/william-shakespeare-4_all-occasions_why-i-can-smile-and-murder-whiles-i-smil_532286.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa1/william-shakespeare-4_all-occasions_why-i-can-smile-and-murder-whiles-i-smil_532286.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fa1/william-shakespeare-4_all-occasions_why-i-can-smile-and-murder-whiles-i-smil_532286.jpg) > “Why, I can smile and murder whiles I smile, And cry 'content' to that which grieves my heart, And wet my cheeks with artificial tears, And frame my face for all occasions” [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 masks true emotions, using performance and artificial tears to hide inner grief, showing the artifice of social appearances. **In simple terms:** People often hide true feelings behind performance. Key Takeaway Recognize and express authentic emotions. Themes identity performance emotional concealment Mood dramatic poignant Type theatrical psychological When to use this quote - theatre - personal relationships - public speaking Key Concepts Masking dramatic irony Questions to Reflect On - When do you choose to reveal true feelings? - How does performance affect emotional health? A Different Perspective Authenticity can be socially risky. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [All occasions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/all-occasions/) [Content Grieves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/content-grieves-4468609/) [Cry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cry/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Grieves Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grieves-heart-4468610/) [Grieving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grieving/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [I smile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-smile/) [Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/murder/) [My heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-heart/) [Occasions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occasions/) [Smile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smile/) [Smile Content](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smile-content-4468607/) [Smile Murder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smile-murder-4468608/) [Tears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tears/) ## Related quotes > [“The thing that grieves the heart of the Lord is when God doesn’t see men who stand in defense of the truth”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunday-adelaja/the-thing-that-grieves-the-heart-of-the-lord-is-when-god-doesn-t-see/) [Sunday Adelaja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunday-adelaja/) > [“What is a man, If his chief good and market of his time Be but to sleep and feed? 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It's a fond companion for all occasions, a loyal friend through fair weather and foul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-bunuel/if-alcohol-is-queen-then-tobacco-is-her-consort-it-s-a-fond-companion/) [Luis Bunuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-bunuel/) > [The principle of laissez-faire may be safely trusted to in some things but in many more it is wholly inapplicable; and to appeal to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ramsay-mcculloch/the-principle-of-laissez-faire-may-be-safely-trusted-to-in-some/) [John Ramsay McCulloch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ramsay-mcculloch/) > [Pray on all occasions." Unlocked page 38.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-kingsbury/pray-on-all-occasions-unlocked-page-38/) [Karen Kingsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-kingsbury/) > [Chi-Os were ideal partners for all occasions. They were discrete, desirable, tactful, polite, and fun... 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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.' 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It's a fond companion for all occasions, a loyal friend through fair weather and foul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luis-bunuel/if-alcohol-is-queen-then-tobacco-is-her-consort-it-s-a-fond-companion/) [Luis Bunuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luis-bunuel/) > [Insensibility, of all kinds, and on all occasions, most moves my imperial displeasure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/insensibility-of-all-kinds-and-on-all-occasions-most-moves-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The game of Chess is not merely an idle amusement; several very valuable qualities of the mind are to be acquired and strengthened by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/the-game-of-chess-is-not-merely-an-idle-amusement-several-very/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [We should on all Occasions avoid a general Action, or put anything to the Risque, unless compelled by a necessity, into which we ought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/we-should-on-all-occasions-avoid-a-general-action-or-put-anything-to/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [All occasions invite His mercies, and all times are His seasons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/all-occasions-invite-his-mercies-and-all-times-are-his-seasons/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [We find upon all occasions, the early Christian writers speak of the Father as superior to the Son, and in general they give him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-priestley/we-find-upon-all-occasions-the-early-christian-writers-speak-of-the/) [Joseph Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-priestley/) > [One prefers, of course, on all occasions to be stainless and above reproach, but, failing that, the next best thing is unquestionably to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-g-wodehouse-2/one-prefers-of-course-on-all-occasions-to-be-stainless-and-above/) [P. 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