Authors / William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare quotes

1564–1616 · English playwright and poet

The most quoted writer in English after the Bible — a big share of the Oxford Dictionary of Quotations is his. Every line is spoken by a character, often with irony, so context matters.

7 real · 2 not theirs

Really theirs

7 quotes traced to William Shakespeare's own work or a reliable witness.

Sourced

To be, or not to be: that is the question.

Source: Hamlet, Act III, Scene 1

Sourced

All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players.

Source: As You Like It, Act II, Scene 7 — Jaques

Sourced

The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.

Source: Julius Caesar, Act I, Scene 2 — Cassius

Sourced

This above all: to thine own self be true.

Polonius is a windbag; Shakespeare puts this wisdom in a fool's mouth.

Source: Hamlet, Act I, Scene 3 — Polonius

Sourced

There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.

Source: Hamlet, Act II, Scene 2

Sourced

Brevity is the soul of wit.

Source: Hamlet, Act II, Scene 2 — Polonius, in a very long speech

Sourced

Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.

Source: All's Well That Ends Well, Act I, Scene 1

Not theirs

2 famous lines credited to William Shakespeare that are misquoted, unsourced or belong to someone else.

Misquoted

Now is the winter of our discontent.

The real words: Cut off mid-sentence. Richard III continues: "…made glorious summer by this sun of York" — the winter is over.

Misquoted

Methinks the lady doth protest too much.

The real words: The line in Hamlet (III.2) is "The lady doth protest too much, methinks" — and "protest" meant "promise", not "object".