“As soon go kindle fire with snow, as seek to quench the fire of love with words.”
- April 26, 1564 – April 23, 1616
- Born in England
- Playwright, poet, actor
- Wrote many masterpieces such as “Hamlet,” “Romeo and Juliet,” and “Macbeth,” and had a great influence on English literature
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Quote
“As soon go kindle fire with snow, as seek to quench the fire of love with words.”
Explanation
This quote from Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew highlights the impossibility of using rational explanations or words to address the intense, emotional nature of love. “As soon go kindle fire with snow” suggests that it is as futile to try to start a fire with snow as it is to try to extinguish the passionate, often uncontrollable nature of love with mere words. “Seek to quench the fire of love with words” emphasizes that love is an emotion that cannot be easily cooled or controlled through reason or verbal communication—it requires more than just explanations or logical arguments.
In modern contexts, this quote speaks to the depth of emotional connections and how love often defies logic or explanation. For example, when someone is deeply in love, words alone may not be enough to resolve conflict or address emotional needs. Love requires more than just rational discussion; it often demands action, patience, or emotional support to truly nurture or calm. This is why in relationships, emotional expression and understanding often carry more weight than what is said.
Ultimately, this quote reminds us that love is not always rational and cannot always be solved with logic or reason. It underscores the idea that emotions, particularly those as powerful as love, require something beyond mere words to truly understand and manage. It calls for empathy, actions, and care to address the complexities of human emotion rather than relying solely on verbal explanations.
