William Shakespeare, often regarded as the greatest playwright in the English language, lived during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. His extensive body of work includes timeless plays such as “Hamlet,” “Romeo and Juliet,” and “Macbeth,” which explore themes of human nature, love, and power. Shakespeare’s mastery of language, complex characters, and dramatic narratives have earned him a lasting place in the literary canon. His influence extends beyond literature, shaping the English language and theatrical traditions.
Throughout history, many great minds have shaped our world, but few like William Shakespeare. Celebrated for his profound plays and poetic genius, Shakespeare’s influence transcends literature, leaving a lasting legacy of inspiration and human insight.
We have 100 of the best William Shakespeare quotes!
- “To be, or not to be, that is the question.” – William Shakespeare
- “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” – William Shakespeare
- “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” – William Shakespeare
- “The course of true love never did run smooth.” – William Shakespeare
- “To thine own self be true.” – William Shakespeare
- “Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.” – William Shakespeare
- “The better part of Valour, is Discretion.” – William Shakespeare
- “This above all: to thine own self be true.” – William Shakespeare
- “All that glitters is not gold.” – William Shakespeare
- “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” – William Shakespeare
- “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” – William Shakespeare
- “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.” – William Shakespeare
- “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” – William Shakespeare
- “Brevity is the soul of wit.” – William Shakespeare
- “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.” – William Shakespeare
- “A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.” – William Shakespeare
- “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” – William Shakespeare
- “Hell is empty and all the devils are here.” – William Shakespeare
- “We are such stuff as dreams are made on.” – William Shakespeare
- “Parting is such sweet sorrow.” – William Shakespeare
- “To die, to sleep—To sleep, perchance to dream.” – William Shakespeare
- “The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite.” – William Shakespeare
- “A little more than kin, and less than kind.” – William Shakespeare
- “The world is your oyster.” – William Shakespeare
- “When we are born, we cry that we are come to this great stage of fools.” – William Shakespeare
- “I’ll speak a prophecy: that the crown will find an heir.” – William Shakespeare
- “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” – William Shakespeare
- “The truth will out.” – William Shakespeare
- “The quality of mercy is not strained.” – William Shakespeare
- “It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” – William Shakespeare
- “What’s done is done.” – William Shakespeare
- “Nothing will come of nothing.” – William Shakespeare
- “Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have Immortal longings in me.” – William Shakespeare
- “My love is thine to teach.” – William Shakespeare
- “Though she be but little, she is fierce.” – William Shakespeare
- “In time we hate that which we often fear.” – William Shakespeare
- “Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind.” – William Shakespeare
- “What’s past is prologue.” – William Shakespeare
- “The lady is not for turning.” – William Shakespeare
- “If music be the food of love, play on.” – William Shakespeare
- “We know what we are, but know not what we may be.” – William Shakespeare
- “What’s done cannot be undone.” – William Shakespeare
- “I would not wish any companion in the world but you.” – William Shakespeare
- “Wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast.” – William Shakespeare
- “There is a tide in the affairs of men which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.” – William Shakespeare
- “There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” – William Shakespeare
- “Every man will have his day.” – William Shakespeare
- “Let us not burden our remembrances with a heaviness that’s gone.” – William Shakespeare
- “The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.” – William Shakespeare
- “When in doubt, be dramatic.” – William Shakespeare
- “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” – William Shakespeare
- “Things done well and with a care, exempt themselves from fear.” – William Shakespeare
- “What’s past is prologue.” – William Shakespeare
- “To weep is to make less the depth of grief.” – William Shakespeare
- “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” – William Shakespeare
- “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.” – William Shakespeare
- “A man can die but once.” – William Shakespeare
- “This above all: to thine own self be true.” – William Shakespeare
- “Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.” – William Shakespeare
- “Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.” – William Shakespeare
- “The better part of Valour, is Discretion.” – William Shakespeare
- “When we are born, we cry that we are come to this great stage of fools.” – William Shakespeare
- “To be, or not to be, that is the question.” – William Shakespeare
- “Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds.” – William Shakespeare
- “There is a tide in the affairs of men which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.” – William Shakespeare
- “The quality of mercy is not strained.” – William Shakespeare
- “If music be the food of love, play on.” – William Shakespeare
- “In time we hate that which we often fear.” – William Shakespeare
- “Parting is such sweet sorrow.” – William Shakespeare
- “The world is a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” – William Shakespeare
- “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” – William Shakespeare
- “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.” – William Shakespeare
- “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” – William Shakespeare
- “This above all: to thine own self be true.” – William Shakespeare
- “A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.” – William Shakespeare
- “The most noble gift of the world is truth.” – William Shakespeare
- “When in doubt, be dramatic.” – William Shakespeare
- “We are such stuff as dreams are made on.” – William Shakespeare
- “The better part of Valour, is Discretion.” – William Shakespeare
- “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” – William Shakespeare
- “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” – William Shakespeare
- “The truth will out.” – William Shakespeare
- “This above all: to thine own self be true.” – William Shakespeare
- “There is a tide in the affairs of men which taken at the flood, leads on to fortune.” – William Shakespeare
- “Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind.” – William Shakespeare
- “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” – William Shakespeare
- “The quality of mercy is not strained.” – William Shakespeare
- “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings.” – William Shakespeare
- “To be, or not to be, that is the question.” – William Shakespeare
- “The better part of Valour, is Discretion.” – William Shakespeare
- “There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” – William Shakespeare
- “What’s done is done.” – William Shakespeare
- “If music be the food of love, play on.” – William Shakespeare
- “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” – William Shakespeare
- “Parting is such sweet sorrow.” – William Shakespeare
- “The course of true love never did run smooth.” – William Shakespeare
- “Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind.” – William Shakespeare
- “The world is your oyster.” – William Shakespeare
- “We are such stuff as dreams are made on.” – William Shakespeare
- “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, that we are underlings – William Shakespeare

