6 Famous Quotations from Shakespeare
Lesson on Shakespeare
Today we have a lesson on Shakespeare. This is a way of introducing you to some of
Shakespeare's plays. I'm giving a quotation from each one to illustrate what Shakespeare's
language looks like. Some are tragedies, some are comedies, one is a history play. The style is
very different from modern English.
Hamlet
Hamlet was written between 1599 and 1601 in the Elizabethan period when Queen Elizabeth I
was on the throne. This quotation comes from Act 1, Scene 5 of Hamlet:
"The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king."
King Lear
Quotes are also from King Lear and A Midsummer Night's Dream. King Lear is not happy at all
when things have gone badly wrong. He's divided up his kingdom and his daughters are treating
him badly. He thinks the world that we live in is a great stage of fools. Shakespeare uses the
word "stage" in a metaphorical way:
"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."
A Midsummer Night's Dream
This quotation comes from Act 1, Scene 5 of A Midsummer Night's Dream:
"The course of true love never did run smooth."
Shakespeare's Plays
Shakespeare's plays are a mix of tragedy and comedy. Even the so-called comedies have serious
stories in them. For example, The Merchant of Venice is considered a comedy but has a serious
plot. However, some plays are more comedic, like Much Ado About Nothing, while others, like
Richard III, are more tragic.
Shakespeare also wrote many history plays, loosely based on English history. Historians now
believe that he may not have been as villainous as he was made out to be by his detractors.
Interestingly, Shakespeare's plays often have intriguing titles that hint at their content.
One of Shakespeare's most famous quotes comes from a play where a king is willing to give up
his kingdom for a horse. This quote is from Act 5, Scene 4 of a play written in 1592-93.
Lesson on Shakespeare
Today we have a lesson on Shakespeare. This is a way of introducing you to some of
Shakespeare's plays. I'm giving a quotation from each one to illustrate what Shakespeare's
language looks like. Some are tragedies, some are comedies, one is a history play. The style is
very different from modern English.
Hamlet
Hamlet was written between 1599 and 1601 in the Elizabethan period when Queen Elizabeth I
was on the throne. This quotation comes from Act 1, Scene 5 of Hamlet:
"The play's the thing wherein I'll catch the conscience of the king."
King Lear
Quotes are also from King Lear and A Midsummer Night's Dream. King Lear is not happy at all
when things have gone badly wrong. He's divided up his kingdom and his daughters are treating
him badly. He thinks the world that we live in is a great stage of fools. Shakespeare uses the
word "stage" in a metaphorical way:
"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."
A Midsummer Night's Dream
This quotation comes from Act 1, Scene 5 of A Midsummer Night's Dream:
"The course of true love never did run smooth."
Shakespeare's Plays
Shakespeare's plays are a mix of tragedy and comedy. Even the so-called comedies have serious
stories in them. For example, The Merchant of Venice is considered a comedy but has a serious
plot. However, some plays are more comedic, like Much Ado About Nothing, while others, like
Richard III, are more tragic.
Shakespeare also wrote many history plays, loosely based on English history. Historians now
believe that he may not have been as villainous as he was made out to be by his detractors.
Interestingly, Shakespeare's plays often have intriguing titles that hint at their content.
One of Shakespeare's most famous quotes comes from a play where a king is willing to give up
his kingdom for a horse. This quote is from Act 5, Scene 4 of a play written in 1592-93.
