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Literary notes about Repent (AI summary)

The word "repent" takes on a multifaceted role in literature, conveying themes of remorse, moral reckoning, and sometimes even resignation. In some works, it serves as a stern admonition or command to forsake sinful behavior, as seen in its authoritative use in religious texts ([1], [2]) and epic narratives ([3]). In other contexts, characters express deep personal regret or unexpected sorrow regarding their decisions, much like the lingering melancholy in the reflections of Casanova ([4], [5]) and Shakespeare's portrayals of personal disillusionment ([6], [7]). Meanwhile, its usage in more lighthearted or ironic settings, such as in satirical observations of harsh judgments ([8]), underscores the diversity of its connotations. Overall, whether as a call to moral action or a lament for missed opportunities, "repent" enriches the narrative by deepening the complexity of characters' inner lives.
  1. Will not you then fear me, saith the Lord: and will you not repent at my presence?
    — from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete
  2. If it shall do evil in my sight, that it obey not my voice: I will repent of the good that I have spoken to do unto it.
    — from The Bible, Douay-Rheims, Complete
  3. Repent, and they shall never raze thy skin.
    — from The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe
  4. We have made up our minds, and if we repent we have plenty of time before us.”
    — from The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Complete by Giacomo Casanova
  5. I began to repent having demanded all, and wished I had been contented with a little.
    — from The Memoirs of Jacques Casanova de Seingalt, 1725-1798. Complete by Giacomo Casanova
  6. Must I repent, I cannot do it better than in gyves, Desir'd more than constrain'd.
    — from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare
  7. No: I do repent The tedious minutes I with her have spent.
    — from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare
  8. But I’ll amerce you with so strong a fine That you shall all repent the loss of mine.
    — from The Complete Works of William Shakespeare by William Shakespeare

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