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Deformity: Quotations from Shakespearian Quotations

Why, love forswore me in my mother's womb: And, for I should not deal in her soft laws, She did corrupt frail nature with a bribe To shrink mine arm up like a wither'd shrub ; To make an envious mountain on my back, Where sits deformity to mock my body; To shape my legs of an unequal size; To disproportion me in every part; Like to a chaos, or an unlick'd bear-whelp, That carries no impression like the dam. And am I then a man to be belov'd? O, monstrous fault to harbour such a thought— H. VI. PT. 111. iii. 2

But I, that am not shap'd for sportive tricks, Nor made to court an amorous looking glass, I that am rudely stampt, and want love's majesty, To strut before a wanton ambling nymph; I, that am curtail'd of this fair proportion, Cheated of feature by dissembling nature, Deform'd, unfinish'd, sent before my time Into this breathing world, scarce half made up, And that so lamely and unfashionable, That dogs bark at me as I halt by them:- Why I, in this weak piping time of peace, Have no delight to pass away the time, Unless to spy my shadow in the sun,— R. III. i. 1.

And descant on mine own deformity. But, O, how vile an idol proves this god! Thou hast, Sebastian, done good feature shame. In nature there's no blemish but the mind; None can be call'd deform'd but the unkind: Virtue is beauty; but the beauteous evil Are empty trunks, o'er-flourish'd by the devil. T. N. iii.