William Shakespeare is considered one of the greatest playwrights and poets in the English language. He lived in the 16th and 17th centuries and his works have been widely studied, performed, and adapted throughout the world. Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets are full of wisdom, humor, and insight into the human condition. Many of his quotes have become famous and are still widely quoted today. Whether you’re a literature lover or just looking for inspiration, Shakespeare’s words are timeless and relevant to every generation. From Romeo and Juliet’s declaration of love to Hamlet’s musings on life and death, Shakespeare’s quotes offer a wealth of insight and wisdom that continues to captivate and inspire.
“To be, or not to be, that is the question.” – Hamlet
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” – As You Like It
“Goodnight, goodnight! Parting is such sweet sorrow.” – Romeo and Juliet
“This above all: to thine own self be true.” – Hamlet
“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves.” – Julius Caesar
“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.” – Julius Caesar
“There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” – Hamlet
“All that glitters is not gold.” – The Merchant of Venice
“To err is human, to forgive divine.” – The Tempest
“The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.” – Julius Caesar
“But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?” – Romeo and Juliet
“To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day.” – Macbeth
“Double, double, toil and trouble; Fire burn and cauldron bubble.” – Macbeth
“The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” – Hamlet
“All the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances.” – As You Like It
“If music be the food of love, play on.” – Twelfth Night
“The quality of mercy is not strained, It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven.” – The Merchant of Venice
“There’s nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” – Hamlet
“How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child.” – King Lear
“He jests at scars that never felt a wound.” – Romeo and Juliet
“We know what we are, but not what we may be.” – Hamlet
“The eyes are the windows to the soul.” – Hamlet
“The empty vessel makes the loudest sound.” – Twelfth Night
“There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.” – Hamlet
“Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.” – Twelfth Night
“Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety.” – Antony and Cleopatra
“Life is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” – Macbeth
“And though she be but little, she is fierce.” – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
“There is nothing either good or bad, but by comparison.” – Twelfth Night
“The evil that men do lives after them; The good is oft interred with their bones.” – Julius Caesar
“The world is your oyster.” – The Merry Wives of Windsor
“We are such stuff as dreams are made on.” – The Tempest
“The very first thing you must do to ensure your own happiness is to ensure the happiness of others.” – The Merchant of Venice
“Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.” – Twelfth Night
“A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!” – Richard III
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” – As You Like It
“When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” – 1 Corinthians
“Though she be but little, she is fierce.” – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
“There’s not a more wretched life than the life of an actor.” – Timon of Athens
“Wisely, and slow. They stumble that run fast.” – Romeo and Juliet
“I would challenge you to a battle of wits, but I see you are unarmed.” – Love’s Labour’s Lost
“Men at some time are masters of their fates.” – Julius Caesar
“Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we oft might win, by fearing to attempt.” – Measure for Measure
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” – Pride and Prejudice
“The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.” – Henry VI, Part 2
“When I was young, I was as true as steel.” – Winter’s Tale
“There is nothing in this world constant, but inconstancy.” – Love’s Labour’s Lost
“Though this be madness, yet there is method in it.” – Hamlet
“Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow.” – Romeo and Juliet
“Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.” – All’s Well That Ends Well
“The robin-redbreast in a cage puts all heaven in a rage.” – Richard II
“To be brave is to love someone unconditionally, without expecting anything in return.” – Margaret Mitchell
“The sound and the fury signify nothing.” – Macbeth
“I have not slept one wink.” – The Winter’s Tale
“A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” – Romeo and Juliet
“It is not in the stars to settle our destiny, but in ourselves.” – Julius Caesar
“Discretion is the better part of valour.” – Henry IV, Part 1
“The course of true love never did run smooth.” – A Midsummer Night’s Dream
“To thine own self be true.” – Hamlet
“Better to be lowly born and range with humble larks than to possess a gaudy summer bird and sing not a note.” – Antony and Cleopatra
“The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.” – As You Like It