“ Hope is a lover's staff; walk hence with that and manage it against despairing thoughts. ”
William Shakespeare, The Two Gentlemen of Verona (1623). copy citation
| Author | William Shakespeare |
|---|---|
| Source | The Two Gentlemen of Verona |
| Topic | love hope despair |
| Date | 1623 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | Written between 1589 and 1593 |
| Weblink | http://shakespeare.mit.edu/two_gentlemen/full.html |
Context
“PROTEUS Cease to lament for that thou canst not help, And study help for that which thou lament'st. Time is the nurse and breeder of all good. Here if thou stay, thou canst not see thy love; Besides, thy staying will abridge thy life. Hope is a lover's staff; walk hence with that And manage it against despairing thoughts. Thy letters may be here, though thou art hence; Which, being writ to me, shall be deliver'd Even in the milk-white bosom of thy love. The time now serves not to expostulate: Come, I'll convey thee through the city-gate;”
source
Meaning and analysis
