A broken white porcelain mask exposes its hollow interior, with small fragments scattered beside it.

Original artwork, not a still

Macbeth · 1623

William Shakespeare

There’s no art To find the mind’s construction in the face

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

The face is denied the power to disclose reliably what lies in the mind. The line warns against treating an outward appearance as a readable account of someone’s thoughts. Its emphasis falls on the difficulty of knowing another person from what can be seen.

Context reviewed

Share this quote