Shakespeare on Sex and Aging

old men, young women, desire and performance“Is it not strange that desire should so many years outlive performance?”
(King Henry IV p2, act 2, sc. 4)

Comments. Applicable to any aging Romeo. A modern equivalent is, “I still run after women but no longer remember why.” In his Anatomy of Melancholy Robert Burton, reflecting on the general cure for love-melancholy, says, “Although it be controverted by some, whether love melancholy may be cured, because it is so irresistible a passion, for as you know,
It is an easy passage down to hell,

But to come back, once there, you cannot well. (Virgil, Aeneid)
yet without the question, if be taken in time, it may be helped, and by many good remedies amended – at any age. Avicenna sets down seven compendious ways how this malady may be eased, altered, and expelled. Savonarola nice principal observations, Jasn Praetensis prescribes eight rules, besides physic, how gthis passion may be tamed, Laurentius two main precepts, Arnoldus, Valleriola, Montaltus, Hildesheim, Langius, and others inform us otherwise, and yet all tending to the same purpose.”…
You may look at the page describing the book “Your Daily Shakespeare”, 1387 pages filled choc-a-block with over 10,000 situations you may find yourself in or involved with, calling for the perfect Shakespearean repartee that will get you on the stage or at least out of the water – besides making a winner of any verbal contest. The analytical index is structured so that you can quickly select the best words that fit the situation. And if you like this website why not subscribe (see last menu item to the right)? You will get automatically any new blog as well as any other information and novelty that will be forthcoming, including a system to effortlessly (yes) remember hundreds of Shakespearean quotes by heart while having fun in the process. You can also chat with me – please go to the chat-page. And I promise, no sales calls, trade leads, venomous schemes, hidden plots, Machiavellian conspiracies, commercial ploys, psychological tricks, leads exchanges, barter proposals, suggestions or offers of any kind imaginable (and unimaginable).

In the play.  Poins referring to Falstaff.

Image Source:  http://www.clker.com/clipart-face-kiss.html

This entry was posted in After Dinner Quotes, Amusing Shakespeare, Best Shakespeare Quotes, Chances Quotes, Philosophical, Psychological & Historical Considerations, Romantic Shakespearean Quotes, Sayings about Life, Shakespeare on Sex & Gender Roles, Social Exchanges Shakespeare style, William Shakespeare Love Quotes and tagged , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.