Parting is such sweet sorrow.
Meaning
The phrase describes the complex feeling of sadness at saying goodbye combined with a pleasant anticipation of a future reunion.
Origin
This iconic line leaps from William Shakespeare's 1597 tragedy, Romeo and Juliet. Uttered by Juliet as she bids farewell to Romeo from her balcony, it perfectly encapsulates the anguish of separation intertwined with the joyous hope of their next meeting. The lovers, forced apart by their feuding families, find their goodbyes steeped in a paradox: sorrow at leaving, but sweetness in the certainty of their love and future reunion. This exquisite oxymoron cemented itself into the English lexicon, becoming the quintessential expression for the bittersweet ache of farewell.
Examples
- After a wonderful holiday, leaving the island was such sweet sorrow as they looked forward to planning their next adventure.
- Their final university graduation party was filled with a sense of parting is such sweet sorrow, knowing new chapters awaited them all.