I'll never be such a gosling to obey instinct, but stand as if a man were author of himself and knew no other kin

I'll never be such a gosling to obey instinct, but stand as if a man were author of himself and knew no other kin

In the world of William Shakespeare, the idea of free will and individual agency is a recurring theme in many of his plays and sonnets. The quote “I'll never be such a gosling to obey instinct, but stand as if a man were author of himself and knew no other kin” speaks to the idea of rejecting the notion of blindly following one's instincts and instead asserting one's own autonomy and independence.