麻豆APP

30 of Shakespeare’s Most Famous Quotes

Before 1564, William Shakespeare was born in the little settlement of Stratford-upon-Avon, which is located in the northwest of London. His mother, Mary Arden, was from a wealthy Catholic family, and his father, a farmer who worked many jobs, was the third of eight children.

Shakespeare is said to have once studied English and Latin at a grammar school in Stanford, however, it was unclear whether he completed his schooling. Shakespeare started a prosperous acting and writing career in London between 1585 and 1592. He eventually became a co-owner of a theatre group called the Lord Chamberlain鈥檚 Men, which would subsequently become known as the King鈥檚 Men.

Shakespeare is regarded as one of the greatest writers in the English language. He created some of the greatest plays and poems ever written, and they are being read today.

Shakespeare, the most renowned playwright in history, is known for his passionate, wise, and even sarcastic quotes. Some William Shakespeare quotations are renowned for their beauty, while others are famous for their universal truths and wisdom.

1. ‘The Quality  of Mercy is not Strained’

Photo by on

This quote is from William Shakespeare’s play. The play was 鈥淭he Merchant of Venice.鈥� Between 1596 and 1599, the play was written. Portia spoke the quote in Act 4, Scene 1. The quote was said during the famous 鈥楺uality of Mercy ‘speech. In this speech, Portia argued for the goodness of mercy and its significance in interpersonal relationships and the administration of justice.

2.鈥淭here is Nothing Either Good or Bad, but Thinking Makes it so鈥�

‘There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so’  is one of the wise quotes from William Shakespeare’s plays. This quote is spoken by the character Hamlet. It was in Act 2, Scene 2. William Shakespeare wrote the play in the early 17^th century.

3.鈥淭o be or Not to be鈥攖hat is the Question鈥�

Photo by on

This famous quote was stated in one of the Williams Shakespeare plays, the Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1. The opening sentence of Prince Hamlet鈥檚 soliloquy in the Danish tragedy has received a lot of attention in contemporary pop culture.

The quote is long and it reads like this; 鈥淭o be or not to be鈥攖hat is the question; Whether 鈥檛is nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And, by opposing, end them.鈥�

Of course, 鈥渢he question鈥� can be generally applied to a variety of circumstances, but the speech鈥檚 inception was part of a profoundly philosophical internal discussion on the advantages and disadvantages of human existence.

4.鈥淎ll that Glitters is not Gold鈥�

Photo by on

This quote can be found in William Shakespeare鈥檚 play, 鈥淭he Merchant of Venice鈥�. The remark, which was penned on a scroll in a play from the 16^th century, basically says that sometimes one should not believe what one sees. Shakespeare used the out-of-date euphemism for 鈥済濒颈迟迟别谤蝉鈥� called 鈥済濒颈蝉迟别谤蝉.鈥�

5.鈥淐owards Die many Times before their Deaths; The valiant Never Taste of Death but Once鈥�

These lines are from William Shakespeare鈥檚 play 鈥淛ulius Caesar.鈥�In the play, the Roman emperor downplays his wife Calpurnia鈥檚 worries that he would soon pass away by using death as a metaphor. Many people relate to the exhortation to act bravely in the present rather than 鈥渄ying inside,鈥� so to speak, while squandering one鈥檚 life in anticipation of a certain death.

6. 鈥淭he Robbed that Smiles, Steals something from the Thief鈥�

The quote  is from William Shakespeare鈥檚 play 鈥淥迟丑别濒濒辞.鈥� It was written in the early 17^th century. The words of the Duke of Venice serve as a bit of guidance to heed when you are wronged. He argued that when someone doesn鈥檛 express their anger, it takes away the wrongdoer鈥檚 sense of fulfillment.

7. ‘Uneasy Lies the Head that Wears a Crown”

This quote was written in the early 17^th century. It is from William Shakespeare鈥檚 play 鈥淗enry IV, Part 2.鈥� The line from the title King Henry IV highlights the significant challenges of leaders who are burdened with great duties and difficult decisions. It is occasionally rewritten with the term 鈥渉eavy is鈥� instead of 鈥渦neasy lies.鈥�

8.鈥淏ut love is blind, and lovers cannot see. The pretty follies that themselves commit鈥�

Image by from

It comes from William Shakespeare鈥檚 鈥淭he Merchant of Venice.鈥� It illustrates the idea that love sometimes leads individuals to ignore or forgive the faults and shortcomings of the people they love. Shakespeare admired the term so much that it is used in Henry V and The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Do you love poems inspire? Here are some of them that will

9.鈥淚f Music be the Food of Love, Play on鈥�

Certainly! That well-known phrase comes from Shakespeare鈥檚 鈥淭welfth Night鈥� play. Duke Orsino said it as the play鈥檚 first line of dialogue. Because he thought that music may amplify the feelings connected to love, he expressed his desire for music to be played nonstop.

10.鈥淟ove all, Trust a Few, do Wrong to None”

, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

That Shakespearean quotation is lovely. It exhorts us to have a kind heart, exercise caution while placing our faith in people, and refrain from harming others. It鈥檚 critical to love and keep your heart open, while only putting your faith in people who are acting with sincerity. However, we still need to be respectful of people we do not trust.

11.’Brevity is the Soul of wit ‘

In William Shakespeare鈥檚 play 鈥淗补尘濒别迟,鈥� the adage 鈥淏revity is the soul of wit鈥� is unquestionably well-known. It suggests that being concise and to the point conveys wisdom and wit.

12. 鈥淭his above all: to Thine Own Self be true, And it must follow, as the Night the Day, Thou canst not then be false to any man鈥�

The quote is from William Shakespeare鈥檚 play, Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 3. The remark, which was uttered by Polonius as a type of pep talk, was also taken from the foundational play. It has endured through the ages because of its universal message of upholding one鈥檚 morals in the face of conflict.

William was one of the famous Playwrights, discover others here

13.鈥淛esters do oft Prove Prophets 鈥�

, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Another famous Shakespeare quote, this time from the play 鈥淜ing Lear,鈥� is 鈥淛esters do oft prove prophets.鈥� In regal settings, jesters were frequently the only people who dared to express their opinions in front of a king by disguising them in jest or by choosing topics that would likely cause them to become emotional. King Lear was only told the truth in an unafraid manner by the fool.

14. 鈥淢en at Some Time are Masters of their Fates鈥�

, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

This quote is from William Shakespeare’s play “Julius Caesar.” The quote is long and it reads; “Men at some time are masters of their fates. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, But in ourselves, that we are underlings.鈥�

With the help of this speech, Cassius in the play persuades Brutus to take part in the plot to kill his friend Caesar. Cassius鈥� point was that people have some control over their futures and that they are not always predetermined by a higher force.

15. 鈥淎ll the World鈥檚 a Stage, And all the Men and Women Merely Players鈥�

That鈥檚 a famous quote from William Shakespeare鈥檚 quote is from 鈥淎s You Like鈥� Play. The play is a 17th-century comedy and the quote is long and reads;

鈥淎ll the world鈥檚 a stage, And all the men and women merely players: They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages.鈥�

It argues that humans take on different roles during life鈥檚 many stages and that life fundamentally follows a script.

16. 鈥� Good night, Good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow鈥�

Image by Bruce Lam from

This quote can be found in the Romea and Juliet play. These words, uttered by Juliet after the famous balcony scene, express the conflicting emotions that come with leaving a loved one. The expectation of the sweetness of reunion is mingled with the pain of separation.

17.鈥� Be not Afraid of Greatness. Some are Born Great, Some Achieve Greatness, and some have Greatness Thrust Upon 鈥榚m鈥�

William Shakespeare wrote this quote in one of his plays known as 鈥楾welfth Night鈥�Malvolio reads from a letter Maria wrote in the play when he utters this remark. This quote is frequently cited by motivational speakers in the present day.

18.鈥� There are more Things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are Dreamt of in your Philosophy鈥�

The phrase “There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy” is from William Shakespeare’s play “Hamlet.” Act 1, Scene 5, when Hamlet is speaking to his buddy Horatio.

In this situation, Hamlet is highlighting the limitations of human philosophy and comprehension by implying that there are many mysteries and phenomena in the world that are beyond human comprehension. This quotation is frequently used to illustrate the notion that the cosmos is full of marvels that are still undiscovered and inexplicable.

19.”Love sought is Good, but given Unsought is Better鈥�

Olivia鈥檚 comments from 鈥淭welfth Night鈥� focus on the delight of a love that comes as a surprise rather than a love that is yearned for.

 20.鈥淚f I lose Mine Honor, I lose Myself”

The play 鈥淎ntony and Cleopatra鈥� by William Shakespeare contains this quotation. In this play, Antony expressed concern that he might become too enamored with Cleopatra, pointing out how slavish love might degrade one鈥檚 honor.

 21.鈥� It鈥檚 not Enough to Speak, but to Speak True鈥�

, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The quote is from William Shakespeare鈥檚 play known as Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream. This collection of quotations emphasizes the value of the truth and warns against meaningless talk.

 22.鈥� If you can Look into the Seeds of Time, and say which Grain will Grow and which will not, Speak then to Me鈥�

, , via Wikimedia Commons

The play 鈥淢补肠产别迟丑鈥� by William Shakespeare contains this quotation. It suggests that if someone can correctly foresee the future and determine which behaviors will result in success or failure, they should be able to share their insights. It emphasizes the play鈥檚 subject of fate and destiny.

23. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 in a Name? That which we Call a Rose By any other Word would Smell as sweet鈥�

Photo by on

Romeo and Juliet play Act 2, Scene 2 is where this quote is found. It implies that a name is merely a label and that a thing鈥檚 essence, such as the scent of a rose, is unaffected by its name. It raises the idea that a person or thing鈥檚 true nature is not captured by their names or labels.

24.鈥淲e are such stuff As dreams are made on, and our little life Is rounded with a sleep鈥�

Shakespeare frequently had this famous phrase from one of his final plays. This phrase can be found in one of his plays known as 鈥�The Tempest, Act 4, Scene 1.鈥�

The quote considers how fragile and dreamy human existence is. Thus, it implies that our lives are like fleeting dreams and that everything is eventually bound by the final 鈥渟濒别别辫,鈥� which is frequently understood to be death.

25.鈥淭he lady Doth Protest too much, Methinks鈥�

, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

This quote can be found in the play of William Shakespeare known as Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 2. Gertrude, Queen Hamlet鈥檚 mother, made this statement to imply that the Player Queen鈥檚 deeds are extravagant or hollow and that she never believed a word of it. This critical remark about someone going beyond a denial no longer has a gender-specific connotation and can be used to refer to men as well.

26.鈥� The above all; To Thine Own Self be True鈥�

This quote was from the Hamlet play. This instruction from Polonius to his son Laertes emphasizes the value of staying loyal to oneself and upholding one鈥檚 integrity. It serves as a constant reminder to be true to one鈥檚 values and ideas.

27.鈥淔railty, thy Name is a Woman鈥�

鈥淔railty, thy name is woman鈥� is a well-known line from Hamlet鈥檚 first soliloquy in William Shakespeare鈥檚 Hamlet. It appears in Act I, Scene 2.

In this situation, the character Hamlet is criticizing what he sees as the fragility or frailty of women and expressing his disenchantment with them, especially his mother Gertrude.

28.鈥淔ull Fathom Five thy Father Lies鈥�

One of the most well-known lines from William Shakespeare鈥檚 The Tempest is, 鈥淔ull fathom five thy father lies.鈥� It was stated by the spirit Ariel in Act I, Scene 2. The quote suggests that a person鈥檚 father is buried beneath the surface at a depth of five fathoms, representing a watery grave.

29.鈥淕et thee to a nunnery鈥�

The idiom 鈥淕et thee to a nunnery鈥� is used to tell someone to leave or leave a situation. It is a well-known passage from Hamlet by William Shakespeare.

30 鈥淚t鈥檚 not in the stars to hold our destiny but ourselves鈥�

Shakespeare once said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 not in the stars to hold our destiny, but ourselves.鈥� This famous quotation refers to fate and destiny.