William Shakespeare Quotes

1564–1616 England

William Shakespeare (26 April 1564 (baptised) – 23 April 1616) was an English poet, playwright, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.

England
Actors
Playwrights
Poets

Also known as: Shakespeare, Shakespeare, William, Shakespearean, Shakspeare

Random William Shakespeare quote

2,353 quotes

True hope is swift, and flies with swallow's wings:
Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings.

Richard III (1591)

You souls of geese,
That bear the shapes of men, how have you run
From slaves that apes would beat!

They are fairies; he that speaks to them shall die:
I'll wink and couch: no man their works must eye.

To fear the foe, since fear oppresseth strength,
Gives in your weakness strength unto your foe.

Richard II (1595)

A jest's prosperity lies in the ear
Of him that hears it, never in the tongue
Of him that makes it.

I know thou'rt full of love and honesty,
And weigh'st thy words before thou givest them breath.

Othello (1603)

Bow, stubborn knees; and, heart, with strings of steel,
Be soft as sinews of the new-born babe.

It is the very error of the moon:
She comes more nearer earth than she was wont,
And makes men mad.

I do love
My country's good with a respect more tender,
More holy and profound, than mine own life.

But since the affairs of men rest still incertain,
Let's reason with the worst that may befall.

Julius Cæsar (1599)

I am disgrac'd, impeach'd and baffled here,—
Pierc'd to the soul with slander's venom'd spear.

Richard II (1595)

I hate ingratitude more in a man,
Than lying, vainness, babbling, drunkenness,
Or any taint of vice.

Come, gentlemen, we sit too long on trifles,
And waste the time, which looks for other revels.

Since brevity is the soul of wit,
And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,
I will be brief.

The private wound is deepest: O time most accurs'd
'Mongst all foes that a friend should be the worst.

Under your good correction, I have seen,
When, after execution judgment hath
Repented o'er his doom.

Measure for Measure (1603)

To say the truth, so Judas kiss'd his master,
And cried "all hail!" whereas he meant all harm.

New customs,
Though they be never so ridiculous,
Nay, let 'em be unmanly, yet are followed.

Henry VIII (1613)

* In this point
All his tricks founder, and he brings his physic
After his patient's death.

Henry VIII (1613)

Some guard these traitors to the block of death;
Treason's true bed and yielder up of breath.

Attribution

Quotes and notes from Wikiquote: William Shakespeare (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0.