Famous Quotes - eNotes.com

I took the one less traveled by

The speaker anticipates reflecting on a major life decision with a mix of emotions, recognizing its lasting impact and the ambiguity of its significance. The lines highlight how...

Show Full Analysis

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

The speaker anticipates reflecting on a major life decision with a mix of emotions, recognizing its lasting impact and the ambiguity of its significance. The lines highlight how people assign meaning to their choices in retrospect, often romanticizing or questioning them, and underscore the universal experience of living with the consequences of paths taken and not taken.

In the final stanza, the speaker projects himself into the distant future, imagining how he will recount the pivotal moment when he faced two diverging paths. The act of telling this story "with a sigh" conveys a complex emotional response—regret, nostalgia, resignation, or perhaps a bittersweet acceptance—reflecting the weight and permanence of his choice. The phrase "ages and ages hence" underscores the long-lasting impact of decisions and the inevitability of reflecting on them over time. While the speaker claims to have taken the road "less traveled by," earlier in the poem both paths are described as essentially the same, suggesting that the distinction is constructed in hindsight. This ambiguity complicates the common interpretation of the poem as a celebration of individualism or nonconformity. Instead, the poem explores the human tendency to imbue our choices with meaning after the fact, often romanticizing or regretting them, and to wonder about the possibilities of the road not taken. The crossroads serve as a metaphor for life's significant decisions, and the poem's tone, structure, and imagery reinforce the sense of finality and the unknowable consequences of our actions. Ultimately, the stanza captures the universal experience of making choices, living with their outcomes, and constructing personal narratives around them.

THE THOUSAND INJURIES of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult...

Montresor reveals a long-standing grudge against Fortunato, culminating in a vow of revenge after a final, unspecified insult. The ambiguity of his grievances and the lack of...

Show Full Analysis

THE THOUSAND INJURIES of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat.

Montresor reveals a long-standing grudge against Fortunato, culminating in a vow of revenge after a final, unspecified insult. The ambiguity of his grievances and the lack of detail about the offenses highlight his unreliability and obsession, establishing themes of revenge, pride, and psychological darkness.

This opening line immediately immerses the reader in the mind of Montresor, whose motivation for the story's central act of revenge is rooted in a long history of perceived slights and a final, unnamed insult from Fortunato. The phrase "thousand injuries" is likely hyperbolic, suggesting either a deep-seated obsession, exaggeration, or even delusion on Montresor's part. Crucially, neither the nature of these injuries nor the specific insult is ever revealed, which casts Montresor as an unreliable narrator and leaves the legitimacy of his grievance in question. This ambiguity is central to the psychological tension of the story, as readers are forced to question whether Montresor's actions are justified or the product of a disturbed mind. The lack of detail also universalizes the theme of revenge, shifting the focus from the specifics of the offense to the dark psychology of vengeance and pride. Montresor's calculated, cold resolve and his ability to mask his intentions from Fortunato further heighten the story's chilling atmosphere. The confessional, first-person narration draws the reader into Montresor's disturbed psyche, making his horrific actions both intimate and believable, and setting the tone for the exploration of pride, obsession, and the dangers of unchecked resentment.

To be, or not to be, that is the question

Hamlet's soliloquy explores his deep internal conflict over existence, suffering, and the morality of action versus inaction, using elevated poetic language and literary devices...

Show Full Analysis

To be, or not to be, that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them...
[...]
To sleep -- perchance to dream. Ay, there's the rub!
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause -- there's the respect
That makes calamity of so long life.

Hamlet's soliloquy explores his deep internal conflict over existence, suffering, and the morality of action versus inaction, using elevated poetic language and literary devices to dramatize his psychological and philosophical struggle.

Hamlet's soliloquy, beginning with the iconic line "To be, or not to be: that is the question," is a profound meditation on existence, suffering, and the nature of action versus inaction. The speech is marked by Shakespeare's formal, poetic diction, rich with imagery, metaphor, rhetorical questions, and philosophical musings. Hamlet uses elevated language and perfect iambic pentameter, employing caesura—pauses created by colons and semicolons—to emphasize his deep internal conflict and hesitation. The soliloquy reveals Hamlet's intelligence, introspection, and emotional turmoil as he grapples with the pain of life, the appeal of death as an escape, and the fear of the unknown after death. He questions whether it is nobler to endure life's hardships or to end his suffering, knowing that suicide is considered a sin. This internal struggle is intensified by his sense of duty to avenge his father's murder and his inability to reconcile action with morality. The passage has become synonymous with existential questioning, resonating with audiences for its universal exploration of mortality, meaning, and the human condition. Shakespeare's use of dramatic, intentionally complex language calls attention to Hamlet's psychological state and the broader philosophical dilemmas at the heart of the play.

Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow / Creeps in this petty pace from day to day

This quote from Act 5, Scene 5 of Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' is Macbeth's famous soliloquy upon hearing of his wife's death. The surrounding analysis highlights Macbeth's descent...

Show Full Analysis

The Queen, my lord, is dead.
She should have died hereafter;
There would have been a time for such a word.
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

This quote from Act 5, Scene 5 of Shakespeare's 'Macbeth' is Macbeth's famous soliloquy upon hearing of his wife's death. The surrounding analysis highlights Macbeth's descent into nihilism, the futility he sees in life, and the use of theatrical metaphors to express the fleeting and meaningless nature of existence. The quote is spoken by Macbeth (with Seyton delivering the news), and relates to themes of nihilism, ambition, and the use of metaphor and symbolism in Shakespeare's style.

This quote is one of the most famous soliloquies in all of Shakespeare, encapsulating Macbeth's utter despair and nihilism at the end of his journey. Upon hearing of Lady Macbeth's death, Macbeth reflects on the futility and meaninglessness of life. The repetition of 'tomorrow' emphasizes the monotonous, relentless passage of time, which, to Macbeth, now seems empty and pointless. The metaphors of life as a 'walking shadow,' a 'poor player,' and a 'tale told by an idiot' all reinforce the idea that human existence is fleeting, insubstantial, and ultimately without purpose. This speech marks the culmination of Macbeth's moral and emotional disintegration; having sacrificed everything for power, he finds it hollow and is left with nothing but existential emptiness. The speech also serves as a commentary on the human condition, resonating with audiences across time as a meditation on mortality, ambition, and the search for meaning.

Stars, hide your fires; / Let not light see my black and deep desires:

Macbeth privately acknowledges that Malcolm's appointment as heir stands in the way of his own ambitions, and he contemplates committing terrible deeds to achieve the throne,...

Show Full Analysis

DUNCAN:
Sons, kinsmen, thanes,
And you whose places are the nearest, know
We will establish our estate upon
Our eldest, Malcolm, whom we name hereafter
The Prince of Cumberland;
MACBETH:
The Prince of Cumberland! That is a step
On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap,
For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;
Let not light see my black and deep desires:
The eye wink at the hand; yet let that be
Which the eye fears, when it is done, to see.

Macbeth privately acknowledges that Malcolm's appointment as heir stands in the way of his own ambitions, and he contemplates committing terrible deeds to achieve the throne, revealing his internal struggle and foreshadowing his moral decline.

Upon hearing that Malcolm is named Prince of Cumberland and thus heir to the throne, Macbeth experiences a profound internal conflict that marks a turning point in his psychological and moral journey. The announcement is a direct obstacle to his ambitions, as prophesied by the witches, and Macbeth immediately recognizes that he must either accept this setback or take drastic, immoral action to achieve his goal of becoming king. The metaphor of a "step" he must "fall down, or else o'erleap" encapsulates his awareness that passivity will not bring him the crown; instead, he must actively intervene, even if it means resorting to murder. His invocation to the stars to "hide your fires" and his plea that "light not see my black and deep desires" reveal his acute awareness of the darkness and moral depravity of his intentions, as well as his desire to conceal them from both the world and himself. The line "the eye wink at the hand; yet let that be which the eye fears, when it is done, to see" suggests a willful blindness to the evil he contemplates, foreshadowing the guilt and psychological torment that will follow. This soliloquy demonstrates that Macbeth's ambition and willingness to contemplate regicide are present before Lady Macbeth's influence, highlighting his agency and the theme of free will versus fate. The passage is also rich in dramatic irony, as Duncan and others remain oblivious to Macbeth's true intentions. Ultimately, this moment sets Macbeth on a path of moral descent, driven by unchecked ambition, and establishes the central conflict between his conscience and his lust for power.

I must not only punish but punish with impunity

Montresor insists that revenge is only complete if he escapes all consequences and ensures his victim knows who is punishing him and why, revealing his cold, calculated nature and...

Show Full Analysis

I must not only punish but punish with impunity. A wrong is unredressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally unredressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.

Montresor insists that revenge is only complete if he escapes all consequences and ensures his victim knows who is punishing him and why, revealing his cold, calculated nature and setting the stage for a meticulously planned, remorseless act of vengeance.

Montresor's philosophy of revenge is meticulously outlined in his declaration that he must not only punish Fortunato, but do so with impunity—meaning he must escape all consequences for his actions. For Montresor, true retribution is only achieved if two conditions are met: first, the avenger must not be caught or suffer any repercussions; second, the victim must be fully aware of who is punishing him and why. This dual requirement drives Montresor's careful, premeditated planning and his psychological manipulation of Fortunato. He goes to great lengths to ensure that his crime remains undetected, even waiting fifty years to recount the story, and orchestrates the murder so that Fortunato realizes, in his final moments, that Montresor is his executioner. This chilling logic reveals Montresor's cold, calculating, and remorseless nature, and sets the tone for the story's exploration of pride, justice, and the dark side of human motivation. The quote also highlights the disturbing lack of empathy in Montresor's character and the obsessive, almost ritualistic, standards he sets for what he considers perfect revenge. Some interpretations note the irony that Montresor's own criteria for revenge may not be fully met, as Fortunato's awareness of his fate is ambiguous, raising questions about Montresor's reliability and sanity. Ultimately, the passage encapsulates the story's central themes of revenge, impunity, and the psychological consequences of crime.

…remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.

Atticus uses the image of the mockingbird to teach his children about the importance of protecting innocence and standing against injustice, establishing a central symbol and...

Show Full Analysis

Atticus said to Jem one day, “I’d rather you shot at tin cans in the back yard, but I know you’ll go after birds. Shoot all the bluejays you want, if you can hit ‘em, but remember it’s a sin to kill a mockingbird.”

Atticus uses the image of the mockingbird to teach his children about the importance of protecting innocence and standing against injustice, establishing a central symbol and moral lesson that resonates throughout the story.

Atticus's instruction to his children not to kill mockingbirds, delivered when Jem and Scout receive air rifles, is both a literal and deeply symbolic lesson that shapes the moral core of the story. On the surface, Atticus is teaching his children about responsible behavior and respect for innocent creatures—mockingbirds, which do no harm and only bring beauty into the world. Miss Maudie later reinforces this, explaining that mockingbirds "sing their hearts out for us" and never hurt anyone, making it a sin to harm them. Metaphorically, the mockingbird becomes a powerful symbol of innocence and goodness, representing those in society who are vulnerable and do no harm, yet are often targeted or persecuted. Characters like Tom Robinson and Boo Radley are clear embodiments of this symbol: both are innocent, gentle, and ultimately victimized by the prejudices and injustices of their community. The lesson extends to Jem and Scout themselves, whose surname—Finch, another type of bird—further connects them to the theme of innocence. As the story progresses, Scout comes to understand the full meaning of her father's words, especially when she recognizes that exposing Boo Radley to public scrutiny would be "sort of like shootin' a mockingbird." This quote thus encapsulates the novel's central themes of empathy, justice, and the moral imperative to protect the innocent. It serves as a warning against senseless cruelty and a call to stand up for those who are defenseless, making it a touchstone for the book's exploration of lost innocence and the consequences of prejudice.

A kind intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime as she looked upon it in...

Mrs. Mallard experiences a powerful awakening to her own autonomy after her husband's presumed death, reflecting the story's central themes of female repression, the longing for...

Show Full Analysis

There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself. There would be no powerful will bending hers in that blind persistence with which men and women believe they have a right to impose a private will upon a fellow-creature. A kind intention or a cruel intention made the act seem no less a crime as she looked upon it in that brief moment of illumination

Mrs. Mallard experiences a powerful awakening to her own autonomy after her husband's presumed death, reflecting the story's central themes of female repression, the longing for freedom, and the oppressive nature of marriage in the nineteenth century. Her internal monologue reveals both the exhilaration and tragedy of briefly envisioning a life lived for herself, free from the will of another.

This passage marks the profound turning point in Mrs. Mallard's emotional and psychological journey. Upon hearing of her husband's death, she moves from initial grief to an overwhelming sense of liberation, realizing that her future is no longer defined by the will of another. The language of the quote underscores the oppressive nature of marriage in the nineteenth century, where women were expected to subordinate their desires and autonomy to their husbands. Mrs. Mallard's realization is not a condemnation of her husband's character—he is described as kind and loving—but rather a critique of the institution of marriage itself, which, regardless of intention, imposes one person's will upon another. This moment of 'illumination' is both exhilarating and tragic: Mrs. Mallard briefly savors the hope of living for herself, free from societal and marital constraints, only to have that hope cruelly snatched away by her husband's unexpected return. The passage also broadens its critique to suggest that both men and women can be complicit in perpetuating these norms, and that the imposition of will is a universal crime against individuality. Mrs. Mallard's internal monologue reveals the depth of her repression and the intensity of her longing for selfhood, making her both a sympathetic protagonist and, in her joy at her husband's death, a figure who challenges traditional moral expectations. Ultimately, her fleeting taste of freedom and the shock of its loss lead to her own death, highlighting the devastating effects of denied autonomy and the limited avenues for female self-assertion in her era.

The world is made up of two classes—the hunters and the huntees

Rainsford's confident dismissal of animal suffering and belief in a world divided into hunters and the hunted foreshadow his own reversal of fortune, highlighting themes of...

Show Full Analysis

It will be light enough in Rio, promised Whitney. We should make it in a few days. I hope the jaguar guns have come from Purdey's. We should have some good hunting up the Amazon. Great sport, hunting.
The best sport in the world, agreed Rainsford.
For the hunter, amended Whitney. Not for the jaguar.
Don't talk rot, Whitney, said Rainsford. You're a big-game hunter, not a philosopher. Who cares how a
jaguar feels?
Perhaps the jaguar does, observed Whitney.
Bah! They've no understanding.
Even so, I rather think they understand one thing—fear. The fear of pain and the fear of death.
Nonsense, laughed Rainsford. This hot weather is making you soft, Whitney. Be a realist. The world is made up of two classes—the hunters and the huntees. Luckily, you and I are hunters. Do you think we've
passed that island yet?

Rainsford's confident dismissal of animal suffering and belief in a world divided into hunters and the hunted foreshadow his own reversal of fortune, highlighting themes of empathy, power, and the moral ambiguity of hunting.

This early exchange between Rainsford and Whitney reveals Rainsford's unreflective and arrogant attitude toward hunting and the animals he pursues. He dismisses Whitney's suggestion that animals experience fear, insisting that the world is divided into two classes: hunters and huntees, with himself firmly in the privileged position of the hunter. Rainsford's lack of empathy and his belief in a natural hierarchy not only characterize him as unsympathetic but also foreshadow the story's central irony and conflict. As the narrative unfolds, Rainsford is forced into the role of the hunted by General Zaroff, experiencing firsthand the terror and vulnerability he once denied in his prey. This reversal challenges his worldview and compels both Rainsford and the reader to reconsider the morality of hunting and the arbitrary divisions between predator and prey. The conversation serves as indirect characterization, highlighting Rainsford's hubris and setting up the story's exploration of empathy, power, and the ethics of violence.

I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with...

Atticus teaches Jem and Scout that true courage is persevering in a righteous cause despite knowing you may not win, using Mrs. Dubose's fight against addiction as an example....

Show Full Analysis

I wanted you to see something about her-I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It's when you know you're licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do. Mrs. Dubose won, all ninety-eight pounds of her. According to her views, she died beholden to nothing and nobody. She was the bravest person I ever knew.

Atticus teaches Jem and Scout that true courage is persevering in a righteous cause despite knowing you may not win, using Mrs. Dubose's fight against addiction as an example. This lesson shapes their understanding of moral courage and prepares them for the challenges they will face.

Atticus Finch uses Mrs. Dubose's struggle with morphine addiction to teach Jem and Scout a profound lesson about the true nature of courage. He explains that real courage is not about physical strength or violence—symbolized by "a man with a gun in his hand"—but about moral and mental fortitude: the willingness to begin a difficult battle even when you know you are likely to lose, and to see it through to the end regardless of the outcome. Mrs. Dubose, despite her frailty and the certainty of her own death, chooses to fight her addiction so she can die beholden to nothing and nobody, embodying this ideal of courage. Atticus wants his children to understand that courage comes in many forms, often unexpected, and that the most admirable acts are those done out of principle and integrity, even when success is unlikely. This lesson not only prepares Jem and Scout for the prejudice and hostility they will face in their community, especially during Atticus's defense of Tom Robinson, but also challenges traditional, often masculine, notions of heroism. By witnessing Mrs. Dubose's perseverance, Jem and Scout learn to value moral strength and resilience, a central theme that shapes their understanding of integrity, empathy, and what it means to be truly brave.