2,311 Famous Quotes by William Shakespeare
4/23/1564 - 4/23/1616
Also Known As:
Shakespeare
The Bard
Shaxper
Professions:
Information:
About William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His extant works, including some collaborations, consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, two epitaphs on a man named John Combe, one epitaph on Elias James, and several other poems. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright.
Shakespeare was born and brought up in Stratford-upon-Avon. At the age of 18, he married Anne Hathaway, with whom he had three children: Susanna, and twins Hamnet and Judith. Between 1585 and 1592, he began a successful career in London as an actor, writer, and part owner of a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain's Men, later known as the King's Men. He appears to have retired to Stratford around 1613 at age 49, where he died three years later. Few records of Shakespeare's private life survive, and there has been considerable speculation about such matters as his physical appearance, sexuality, religious beliefs, and whether the works attributed to him were written by others.
By the apostle Paul, shadows to-night
Have struck more terror to the soul of Richard
Than can the substance of ten thousand soldiers
Armed in proof and led by shallow Richmond.
Shadows
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: The Tragedy of King Richard the Third (King Richard at V, iii)
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He was indeed the glass
Wherein the noble youth did dress themselves.
Example
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: King Henry the Fourth, Part II (Lady Percy at II, iii)
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Therefore I say again
I utterly abhor, yea, from my soul
Refuse you for my judge, whom yet once more
I hold my most malicious for and think not
At all a friend to truth.
Judges
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: The Life of King Henry the Eighth (Katherine at II, iv)
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Heaven is above all yet; there sits a judge
That no king can corrupt.
Judges
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: The Life of King Henry the Eighth (Katherine at III, i)
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O, let her brother live:
Thieves for the robbery have authority
When judges steal themselves.
Judges
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: Measure for Measure (Angelo at II, ii)
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He who the sword of heaven will bear
Should be as holy as severe;
Pattern in himself to know,
Grace to stand, and virtue go;
More nor less to others paying
Than by self-offenses weighing.
Shame to him whose cruel striking
Kills for faults of his own liking.
Judges
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: Measure for Measure (Vincentio, the Duke at III, ii)
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It doth appear you are a worthy judge;
You know the law, your exposition
Hath been most sound.
Judges
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: The Merchant of Venice (Shylock at IV, i)
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O God! methinks it were a happy life
To be no better than a homely swain;
To sit upon a hill, as I do now,
To carve out dials, quaintly, point by point,
Thereby to see the minutes, how they run--
How many makes the hour full complete,
How many hours brings about the day,
How many days will finish up the year,
How many years a mortal man may live;
When this is known, then to divide the times--
So many hours must I tend my flock,
So many hours must I take my rest,
So many hours must I contemplate,
So many hours must I sport myself;
So many days my ewes have been with young,
So many weeks ere the poor fools will ean,
So many months ere I shall shear the fleece.
So minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, and years,
Passed over to the end they were created,
Would bring white hairs unto a quiet grave.
Ah, what a life were this!
Sun dial mottoes
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: King Henry the Sixth, Part III (King Henry at II, iii)
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Rebellion in this land shall lose his sway,
Meeting the check of such another day;
And since this business so fair is done,
Let us not leave till all our own be won.
Rebellion
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: King Henry the Fourth, Part I (King Henry at V, iv)
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Unthread the rude eye of rebellion,
And welcome home again discarded faith.
Rebellion
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: The Life and Death of King John (Melun at V, iv)
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Thou hast most traitorously corrupted the youth of the realm in
erecting a grammar school: and whereas, before, our forefathers
had no other books but the score and the tally, thou hast caused
printing to be used, and, contrary to the king, his crown and
dignity, thou hast built a paper mill.
Printing
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: King Henry the Sixth, Part II (Jack Cade at IV, vii)
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If but a dozen French
Were there in arms, they would be as a call
To train ten thousand English to their side,
Or as a little snow, tumbled about,
Anon becomes a mountain.
Snow
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: The Life and Death of King John (Pandulph at III, iv)
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O that I were a mockery king of snow,
Standing before the sun of Bolingbroke
To melt myself away in water drops!
Snow
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: The Tragedy of King Richard the Second (King Richard at IV, i)
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Lawn as white as driven snow,
Cyprus black as e'er was crow,
Gloves as sweet as damask roses,
Masks for faces and for noses,
Bugle bracelet, necklace amber,
Perfume for a lady's chamber,
Golden quoifs and stomachers
For my lads to give their dears,
Pins and poking-sticks of steel,
What maids lack from head to heel.
Snow
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: The Winter's Tale (Autolycus at IV, iv)
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Some book there is that she desires to see.
Which is it, girl, of these? Open them, boy.
But thou art deeper read and better skilled:
Come and take choice of all my library,
And so beguile thy sorrow, till the heavens
Reveal the damned contriver of this deed.
Libraries
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: Titus Andronicus (Titus at IV, i)
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Come, my coach! Good night, ladies, good night. Sweet ladies,
good night, good night.
Livery
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: Hamlet Prince of Denmark (Ophelia at IV, v)
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Nay, 'tis in a manner done already;
For many carriages he hath dispatched
To the seaside, and put his cause and quarrel
To the disposing of the cardinal;
With whom yourself, myself, and other lords,
If you think meet, this afternoon will post
To consummate this business happily.
Livery
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: The Life and Death of King John (Salisbury at V, vii)
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But come, I'll tell thee all my whole device
When I am in my coach, which stays for us
At the park gate; and therefore haste away,
For we must measure twenty miles to-day.
Livery
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: The Merchant of Venice (Portia at III, iv)
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For the poor wren
(The most diminutive of birds) will fight,
Her young ones in her nest, against the owl.
Wrens
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: Macbeth (Lady Macduff at IV, ii)
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Give me the cups,
And let the kettle to the trumpet speak,
The trumpet to the cannoneer without,
The cannons to the heavens, the heaven to earth,
'Now the king drinks to Hamlet.'
Toasts
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: Hamlet Prince of Denmark (Claudius, King of Denmark at V, ii)
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Hold, there is forty ducats. Let me have
A dram of poison, such soon-speeding gear
As will disperse itself through all the veins
That the life-weary taker may fall dead,
And that the trunk may be discharged of breath
As violently as hasty powder fired
Doth hurry from the fatal cannon's womb.
Poison
Quotes, by William Shakespeare , Source: Romeo and Juliet (Romeo at V, i)
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