Do you want to impress people with some fancy literary quote, but can't be bothered to read a bunch of old books? Quotes from Shakespeare, perhaps? No worries. A quick Google search will reveal a ton of famous Shakespeare quotes. I collated my own Top 20, in no particular order. You're welcome.
01.
To be or not to be, that is the question.
(Hamlet)
By far the most famous line in Shakespeare. Hamlet ponders the pros and cons of suicide. Is suicide a brave or a cowardly thing to do? What should one do when life is just too unbearable? That's a toughie. Deep stuff.
02.
There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.
(Hamlet)
A reminder that the world is far more complex than we might occasionally think. It's important to acknowledge our ignorance.
03.
We know what we are, but know not what we may be.
(Hamlet)
A reminder that we can always better ourselves.
04.
There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.
(Hamlet)
I'm not sure I fully understand that, but I sense there's some deep philosophical truth there. I have to give it some thought.
05.
Parting is such sweet sorrow.
(Romeo and Juliet)
While parting is sad (as Italians say, partire è un po' morire, parting is a bit like dying), it's sweet in the anticipation of reunion, in the excitement of the next encounter.
06.
If you prick us, do we not bleed?
If you tickle us, do we not laugh?
If you poison us, do we not die?
(The Merchant of Venice)
In those lines, Shylock the Jew argues that Jews are no less human than Christians. A plea against prejudice. Given that antisemitism was rampant in those days, that passage was ahead of its time. (Although, in the play, Shakespeare still portrays Shylock as mean, cunning and greedy, the stereotypical Jew. The public loved that. It wants something to hate. Sadly, that's how people bond.)
07.
All the world's 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.
(As You Like It)
In this famous passage Shakespeare compares life to theatre.
08.
Life’s but a walking shadow.
[...]
It is a tale told by an idiot,
Full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.
(Macbeth)
Macbeth has just learned that his wife, Lady Macbeth, has died. A depressing statement full of nihilism and despair.
09.
The robbed that smiles steals something from the thief.
(Othello)
We should always try to put on a brave face when we are wronged. It removes a sense of satisfaction from the wrongdoer.
10.
Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown.
(Henry IV)
Or, as Spider-Man has taught us, with great power comes great responsibility.
11.
Cowards die many times before their deaths.
The valiant never taste of death but once.
(Julius Caesar)
12.
Men at some time are masters of their fates.
The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.
(Julius Caesar)
It reminds us to take responsibility for our actions, rather than blame fate or divine will.
13.
The evil that men do lives after them.
The good is oft interred with their bones.
(Julius Caesar)
Meaning that people will be remembered more for their bad deeds than the good ones. I'm not sure that's true, but it's a beautiful quote.
14.
Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.
(All's Well That Ends Well)
That's just good advice.
15.
How sharper than a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child!
(King Lear)
When my mum is a bit annoyed with me or my brother (or both), she jokingly likes to quote that line, but in Italian and slightly paraphrased:
Più crudele del morso del serpente è un figlio ingrato.
(More cruel than a snake's bite is an ungrateful son.)
16.
Nothing will come of nothing.
(King Lear)
That seems a pretty obvious statement, but I like it.
17.
Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind.
(A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
As shallow as I may appear, I'm well aware that it's not about the looks, it's all about the personality. As people say, personality goes a long way.
18.
Lord, what fools these mortals be!
(A Midsummer Night’s Dream)
You just have to watch the news or read the paper to feel that way.
19.
Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows.
(The Tempest)
Tragic circumstances can bring together people who otherwise have very little in common.
20.
We are such stuff as dreams are made on,
And our little life is rounded with a sleep.
(The Tempest)
A moving reflection on the brevity and wonder of life.
Man, was Shakespeare good or what? He must've been from another planet.
