Quote by William Shakespeare
O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven It hath the primal eldest curse upon 't, A brother's murder.
Summary
This quote, from Shakespeare's play Hamlet, highlights the speaker's profound sense of guilt and remorse. The words "my offence is rank" suggest that the wrong committed is extremely severe and sends a strong, unpleasant message to even the heavens. The phrase "the primal eldest curse" indicates that the sin committed is akin to the very first transgression in human history – the murder of one's own kin. Ultimately, this passage underscores the deep remorse and self-condemnation the speaker feels for the weight of their actions.