Wooing, wedding, and repenting is as a Scotch jig, a measure, and a cinque-pace: the first suit is hot and hasty like a Scotch jig--and full as fantastical; the wedding, mannerly modest, as a measure, full of state and ancientry; and then comes repentance and with his bad legs falls into the cinque-pace faster and faster, till he sink into his grave.

Summary

This quote by William Shakespeare, from the play "Much Ado About Nothing," uses the analogy of different dances to explain the stages of romantic relationships. The "Scotch jig" represents the initial passionate and impulsive pursuit of love, akin to a lively and rapid dance. The "measure" symbolizes the more formal and dignified phase of courtship and marriage, characterized by grace and tradition. Finally, the "cinque-pace" illustrates the decline and eventual demise of the relationship, as repentance and regret set in and accelerate until death. It portrays a progression from excitement to sobriety to regret and ultimately, the tragic end.

Topics