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

O God! that one might read the book of fate,
And see the revolutions of the times
Make mountains level, and the continent
Weary of solid firmness, melt itself
Into the sea!

Now the good gods forbid
That our renowned Rome, whose gratitude
Towards her deserved children is enroll'd
In Jove's own book, like an unnatural dam
Should now eat up her own!

The king-becoming graces,
As justice, verity, temperance, stableness,
Bounty, perseverance, mercy, lowliness,
Devotion, patience, courage, fortitude,
I have no relish of them.

Macbeth (1605)

Care keeps his watch in every old man's eye,
And where care lodges, sleep will never lie;
But where unbruised youth with unstuff'd brain.
Doth couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign.

Romeo and Juliet (1597)

Everything that heard him play,
Even the billows of the sea,
Hung their heads, and then lay by;
In sweet music is such art:
Killing care and grief of heart
Fall asleep, or, hearing, die.

Henry VIII (1613)

Friendship is constant in all other things,
Save in the office and affairs of love:
Therefore, all hearts in love use their own tongues;
Let every eye negotiate for itself,
And trust no agent.

Why, then thou canst not break her to the lute?
Why, no; for she hath broke the lute to me.

Wrought he not well that painted it?
He wrought better that made the painter; and yet he's but a filthy piece of work.

Has this fellow no feeling of his business that he sings at grave-making?
Custom hath made it in him a property of easiness.

Was ever woman in this humour woo'd?
Was ever woman in this humour won?

Richard III (1591)

A dry jest, sir…. I have them at my fingers' end.

Come, my coach! Good-night, ladies.

For, you trow, nuncle,
The hedge-sparrow fed the cuckoo so long,
That it's had it head bit off by it young.
So, out went the candle, and we were left darkling.

Let none presume
To wear an undeserv'd dignity.
O, that estates, degrees and offices
Were not deriv'd corruptly, and that clear honour
Were purchas'd by the merit of the wearer!

Farewell the plumed troop, and the big wars,
That make ambition virtue! O, farewell!
Farewell the neighing steed, and the shrill trump,
The spirit-stirring drum, the ear-piercing fife.

Othello (1603)

Faith, there have been many great men that have flattered the people, who ne'er loved them; and there be many that they have loved, they know not wherefore; so that, if they love they know not why, they hate upon no better a ground.

This world is not for aye, nor 'tis not strange
That even our loves should with our fortunes change. -

Music do I hear?
Ha! ha! keep time: how sour sweet music is,
When time is broke and no proportion kept!

Richard II (1595)

Look, the gentle day
Before the wheels of Phoebus, round about
Dapples the drowsy east with spots of grey.

I would my son
Were in Arabia and thy tribe before him,
His good sword in his hand.

Attribution

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