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

This shows you are above
Your justicers; that these our nether crimes
So speedily can venge!

King Lear (1608)

Why, all delights are vain; but that most vain,
Which, with pain purchas'd, doth inherit pain.

Why, all delights are vain; and that most vain,
Which with pain purchas'd, doth inherit pain.

Now, ye familiar spirits, that are cull'd
Out of the powerful regions under earth,
Help me this once.

If that the earth could teem with woman's tears,
Each drop she falls would prove a crocodile.

Othello (1603)

The sundry contemplation of my travels, in which my often rumination wraps me in a most humorous sadness.

Women are soft, mild, pitiful and flexible;
Thou stern, obdurate, flinty, rough, remorseless.

That book in many's eyes doth share the glory,
That in gold clasps locks in the golden story.

Romeo and Juliet (1597)

May be he is not well:
Infirmity doth still neglect all office
Whereto our health is bound.

King Lear (1608)

'Tis too much proved—that with devotion's visage
And pious action we do sugar o'er
The devil himself.

There's some ill planet reigns;
I must be patient till the heavens look
With an aspect more favorable.

That instant shut
My woeful self up in a mourning house,
Raining the tears of lamentation.

Direct not him, whose way himself will choose;
'Tis breath thou lack'st, and that breath wilt thou lose.

Richard II (1595)

Oh, that deceit should steal such gentle shapes,
And with a virtuous vizard hide foul guile.

Richard III (1591)

How many ages hence
Shall this our lofty scene be acted over
In states unborn and accents yet unknown.

Julius Cæsar (1599)

He tires betimes that spurs too fast betimes;
With eager feeding food doth choke the feeder.

Richard II (1595)

Well, God give them wisdom that have it; and those that are fools, let them use their talents.

If you bethink yourself of any crime
Unreconcil'd as yet to heaven and grace,
Solicit for it straight.

Othello (1603)

O, it is excellent
To have a giant's strength, but it is tyrannous
To use it like a giant.

Measure for Measure (1603)

The selfsame sun that shines upon his court
Hides not his visage from our cottage, but
Looks on alike.

Attribution

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