🥛 The Milk of Human Kindness: Compassion in a Cup by Shakespeare ☕
Definition 🧐
Milk of Human Kindness: A phrase coined by Shakespeare in his tragic play Macbeth, indicating a fundamental human quality of mercy, compassion, and sympathy.
Origin 🕰️
The term appears in Macbeth (Act 1, Scene 5), spoken by Lady Macbeth: “Yet do I fear thy nature. It is too full o’ th’ milk of human kindness” (to act as ruthlessly as he must in order to become king).
Related Terms and Synonyms 🗣️
- Compassion
- Empathy
- Benevolence
- Goodwill
- Kind-heartedness
Antonyms 🚫
- Ruthlessness
- Apathy
- Cruelty
- Indifference
- Malice
Famous Sayings and Proverbs 💬
- “He had often heard of the milk of human kindness, but never hitherto had he met the cow.” — E. M. Sneyd-Kynnersley, H.M.I., 1908
- “Kindness is like snow—it beautifies everything it covers.” —Kahlil Gibran
Noteworthy Usages in Literature, Songs, and Media 📚🎶🎬
- Book: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - The whole novel demonstrates acts of human kindness and compassion.
- Song: “You’ve Got a Friend” by Carole King - Themes of warmth and human kindness.
- Movie: Pay It Forward (2000) - Explores the contagious nature of kindness.
- Poem: “A Poison Tree” by William Blake - Highlights contrasts against kindness and empathy.
Quirky Quote 🤓
“Show me a person who has a heart of stone, and I’ll show you a geologist.”
Takeaway Thought 💭
Compassion doesn’t cost a single thing, yet it’s one thing that can mean absolutely everything to someone. How full is your cup?
Published by Quirkquill Press, October 2023.
🍵 In the end, be someone’s cup of tea. Let your acts of kindness be the sugar that sweetens the lives of others. Good vibes only!
—E. M. Smirkwick
