150 William Shakespeare Quotes on Life & Love

William Shakespeare quotes have transcended centuries, weaving their way into our daily conversations and thoughts.

The Bard’s profound insights on life and love resonate with audiences far beyond the Elizabethan era, offering timeless wisdom that continues to inspire and challenge us today.

From passionate declarations of affection to poignant reflections on the human experience, his words mirror our own lives, revealing truths that remain as relevant now. In this collection of 150 William Shakespeare quotes, we intricate dance between love’s ecstasy and life’s trials.

Who is William Shakespeare?

William Shakespeare, often heralded as one of the greatest playwrights and poets in the English language, was born on April 23, 1564, in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. The son of John Shakespeare, a glove maker and politician, and Mary Arden from a local landowning family, William grew up in a modest but culturally rich environment.

Shakespeare’s marriage to Anne Hathaway at the age of 18 has sparked considerable intrigue among scholars. Their union produced three children: Susanna, followed by twins Hamnet and Judith.

He received an education at the King’s New School in Stratford, where he likely studied Latin grammar and literature subjects that would profoundly influence his later works. His life during the late 16th to early 17th centuries coincided with an exhilarating period of cultural rebirth known as the Elizabethan era.

His extensive body of work includes iconic plays such as Hamlet, Othello, and Romeo and Juliet, alongside his celebrated sonnets that delve into themes of love, beauty, time, and mortality. His monumental contributions to literature and society at large remain enigmatic about his life; he disappeared from historical records during the so-called lost years between 1585 to 1592.

He passed away on April 23, 1616, exactly 52 years after his birth, and left behind a legacy that would shape English literature for centuries to come.

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Best William Shakespeare Quotes

His words capture the complexity of human emotions, from love and ambition to despair and joy, revealing profound truths about our shared experiences. 

When examining themes of love and longing in his plays, one might find how Shakespeare articulates the nuances of relationships with unparalleled eloquence.

• “To be, or not to be, that is the question.”
• “There is no darkness but ignorance.”
• “I am not bound to please thee with my answer.”
• “I wish my horse had the speed of your tongue.”
• “There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.”
• “Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.”
• “Some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.’’
• “Listen to many, speak to a few.”
• “When words are scarce they are seldom spent in vain.”
• “Things without all remedy should be without regard: what’s done is done.”
• “You can’t lose a game if you don’t play the game.”

William Shakespeare’s Quotes on Love

His words frequently convey the idea that love transcends social boundaries, illustrating how passion can flourish in even the most challenging circumstances. 

Through his characters, he emphasizes that love is often intertwined with fate, suggesting an inevitability that binds lovers together against all odds. 

• “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.”
• “Speak low, if you speak love.”
• “Doubt thou the stars are fire, Doubt that the sun doth move. Doubt truth to be a liar, But never doubt I love.”
• “The course of true love never did run smooth.”
• “They do not love that do not show their love.”
• “Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs.”
• “As soon go kindle fire with snow, as seek to quench the fire of love with words.”
• “He that loves to be flattered is worthy o’ the flatterer.”
• “Love sought is good, but given unsought, is better.”
• “The love of heaven makes one heavenly.”
• “Don’t waste your love on somebody, who doesn’t value it.”
• “Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps.”
• “Do not swear by the moon, for she changes constantly. then your love would also change.”

Romantic William Shakespeare Quotes on Love

His romantic verses delve deep into the ebbs and flows of passion, revealing a profound understanding of both ecstatic love and heart-wrenching longing.

His quotes reflect on themes such as sacrifice and devotion, encouraging readers to consider how love can transform us while also testing our resolve. 

• “‘What’s in a name? A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.’”
• “For which of my bad parts didst thou first fall in love with me?”
• “‘I do love nothing in the world so well as you: is not that strange?’
• “Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.”
• “Who could refrain that had a heart to love and in that heart courage to make love known?”
• “Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks, shall win my love.”
• “See how she leans her cheek upon her hand. O, that I were a glove upon that hand, That I might touch that cheek!”
• “If love be rough with you, be rough with love; Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down.”
• “‘I know no ways to mince it in love, but directly to say ‘I love you”.
• “‘I am one who loved not wisely but too well.’”
• “‘I pray you, do not fall in love with me, For I am falser than vows made in wine.’”
• “‘Her passions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure love.’”
• “‘She loved me for the dangers I had passed, And I loved her that she did pity them’
• “‘A heart to love, and in that heart, Courage, to make’s love known.’
• “‘Alas, that love, so gentle in his view, Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof’.”
• “‘His unkindness may defeat my life, But never taint my love’.”
• “‘I know a lady in Venice would have walked barefoot to Palestine for a touch of his nether lip’.”
• “‘You have witchcraft in your lips’”
• “I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest.”
• “Parting is such sweet sorrow that I shall say goodnight till it be morrow.”

William Shakespeare’s Quotes on Life

His exploration of the human condition sheds light on the complexities we all face, capturing the essence of joy, sorrow, ambition, and love. 

Each character he crafted serves as a mirror to our own experiences, inviting us to confront both our vulnerabilities and strengths. 

• “The web of our life is of a mingled yarn, good and ill together.”
• “I bear a charmed life.”
• “And a man’s life’s no more than to say ‘One’”
• “Let life be short: else shame will be too long.”
• “The time of life is short; to spend that shortness basely were too long.”
• “Mine honour is my life; both grow in one:”
• “When we are born, we cry that we are come to this great stage of fools.”
• “Take honour from me, and my life is done”
• “You cannot, sir, take from me any thing that I will more willingly part withal: except my life, except my life, except my life.”
• “Life every man holds dear; but the dear man holds honor far more precious dear than life.”
• “We are such stuff as dreams are made on; and our little life is rounded with a sleep.
• “Life is as tedious as twice-told tale, vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man.”
• “All that glisters is not gold; Often have you heard that told: Many a man his life hath sold. But my outside to behold: Gilded tombs do worms enfold.”
• “So wise so young, they say, never do live long.”
• “This life, which had been the tomb of his virtue and of his honour, is but a walking shadow; a poor player, that struts and frets his hour upon the stage, and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.

William Shakespeare’s Quotes on Time

His insights resonate deeply today, reminding us that while we often perceive time as a rigid structure, it is also profoundly influenced by our emotions and experiences. 

The duality of time both as an ally in achievement and an inevitable force leading to decay is woven throughout his plays, prompting readers to consider how they measure their own lives against this universal passage.

• “Time and the hour run through the roughest day.”
• “Better three hours too soon than a minute too late.”
• “There are many events in the womb of time, which will be delivered.”
• “I wasted time, and now doth time waste me.”
• “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, his acts being seven ages.”

William Shakespeare’s Quotes on Death

His quotes on this universal theme reveal an understanding that death transcends mere finality; it serves as a poignant lens through which we examine life’s fleeting moments and relationships. 

Shakespeare often juxtaposes the inevitability of death with the aspirations and desires that define our humanity, prompting readers to reflect on how they navigate their mortality.

• “By medicine life may be prolonged, yet death will seize the doctor too.”
• “Death is a fearful thing.”
• “Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste of death but once.”
• “The stroke of death is as a lover’s pinch, which hurts and is desired.”
• “When I said I would die a bachelor, I did not think I should live till I were married.”

William Shakespeare’s Quotes on Self

The essence of identity and introspection can be seen through characters who grapple with their inner demons showcasing the complexities of human nature. 

In plays like Hamlet and Othello, we encounter individuals in a constant dialogue with their selves, reflecting on ambition, jealousy, and moral dilemmas. 

This reflective process not only underscores the struggles of each character but also invites readers to engage in their self-examination.

• “Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin, as self-neglecting.”
• “God has given you one face, and you make yourself another.”
• “Heat not a furnace for your foe so hot that it do singe yourself.”
• “A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.”
• “It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.”
• “If we are true to ourselves, we can not be false to anyone.”
• “Let me be that I am and seek not to alter me.”
• “We know what we are, but know not what we may be.”
• “Go to you bosom: Knock there, and ask your heart what it doth know.”

Short William Shakespeare Quotes

Short William Shakespeare quotes pack a powerful punch into the human experience in just a few words. Each line serves as a mirror reflecting our emotions, relationships, and dilemmas. 

Consider the simplicity of All the World’s stage, which invites us to contemplate our roles in life’s grand performance, nudging us toward self-awareness and prompting reflections on identity.

• “All’s well that ends well.”
• “What’s done can’t be undone.”
• “False face must hide what the false heart doth know.”
• “Having nothing, nothing can he lose.”
• “Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.”
• “Give thy thoughts no tongue.”
• “No, I will be the pattern of all patience; I will say nothing.”
• “Go wisely and slowly. Those who rush stumble and fall.”
• “Where every something, being blent together turns to a wild of nothing.”
• “Be great in act, as you have been in thought.”
• “Boldness be my friend.”
• “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.”
• “Nothing can come of nothing.”
• “’Tis one thing to be tempted, another thing to fall.”
• “Suit the action to the word, the word to the action.”

• “Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.”
• “Ambition should be made of sterner stuff.”
• ‘To be, or not to be: that is the question’”
• “Lawless are they that make their wills their law.”
• “Expectation is the root of all heartache.”
• “Hell is empty and all the devils are here.”
• “Mind your speech a little lest you should mar your fortunes.”
• “You speak an infinite deal of nothing.”
• “Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.”
• “Words are easy, like the wind; faithful friends are hard to find.”
• “Things done well and with a care, exempt themselves from fear.”
• “Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind.”
• “Look like the innocent flower, but be the serpent under it.”
• “All things are ready, if our mind be so.”
• “Many a good hanging prevents a bad marriage.”

Shakespeare Quotes on Women

He often depicted women as powerful figures who defy societal norms and expectations, challenging the subservient archetype that was prevalent in Elizabethan society. 

His portrayals ranged from strong, independent characters like Portia and Lady Macbeth to tender yet resilient figures like Desdemona and Ophelia.

• “Women may fall when there’s no strength in men.”
• “Though she be but little, she is fierce.”
• “Teach not thy lip such scorn, for it was made For kissing, lady, not for such contempt.”
• “Most dangerous is that temptation that doth goad us on to sin in loving virtue.”
• “If I were to kiss you then go to hell, I would. So then I can brag with the devils I saw heaven without ever entering it.”
• “For she had eyes and chose me.”
• “‘Do you not know I am a woman? When I think, I must speak.’
• “Maids want nothing but husbands, and when they have them, they want everything.”
• “Men are April when they woo, December when they wed. Maids are May when they are maids, but the sky changes when they are wives.”
• “My tongue will tell the anger of my heart, or else my heart concealing it will break.”

William Shakespeare’s Quotes on Man

His exploration of male identity uncovers the complexity within characters who grapple with ambition, vulnerability, and morality. 

In his plays, men often navigate a landscape filled with societal pressures and personal conflicts, revealing a profound understanding of psychology that remains relevant today. 

• “Men in rage strike those that wish them best.”
• “Faith, there hath been many great men that have flattered the people who ne’er loved them.”
• “I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow, than a man swear he loves me.”
• “A man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age.”
• “Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, for wise men say it is the wisest course.”
• “But men are men; the best sometimes forget.”
• “O gentlemen, the time of life is short! To spend that shortness basely were too long, If life did ride upon a dial’s point, Still ending at the arrival of an hour.”
• “Come, gentlemen, I hope we shall drink down all unkindness.”
• “Men’s vows are women’s traitors!”
• “If to do were as easy as to know what were good to do, chapels had been churches, and poor men’s cottage princes’ palaces.”
• “What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and admirable, in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god.”

William Shakespeare’s Quotes on Happiness & Sadness

Through his characters, he illustrates how fleeting moments of joy can starkly contrast with deeper sorrow, revealing the complexities within our own lives. 

The beauty of Shakespeare’s quotes lies not just in their eloquence but in their ability to resonate across centuries. 

• “My crown is called content, a crown that seldom kings enjoy.”
• “How bitter a thing it is to look into happiness through another man’s eyes.”
• “With mirth and laughter let old wrinkles come.”
• “Things won are done, joy’s soul lies in the doing.”
• “Poor and content is rich, and rich enough.”
• “Lay aside life-harming heaviness, And entertain a cheerful disposition.”
• “When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions.”

William Shakespeare’s Quotes on Character

His quotes based on human’s character are stated below:

• “No legacy is so rich as honesty.”
• “I like not fair terms and a villain’s mind.”
• “How poor are they that have not patience! What wound did ever heal but by degrees?”
• “For I can raise no money by vile means.”
• “Our peace shall stand as firm as rocky mountains.”
• “My pride fell with my fortunes.”
• “Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall.”
• “Sweet mercy is nobility’s true badge.”
• “The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.”
• “Virtue is bold, and goodness never fearful.”
• “I must be cruel, only to be kind.”
• “The very substance of the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream.”
• “To do a great right do a little wrong.”
• “In a false quarrel there is no true valor.”

Conclusion

In exploring the rich tapestry of human experience through 150 William Shakespeare quotes, we gain profound insights into both life and love. His timeless words resonate with universal truths, capturing the complexities of emotions and relationships across centuries.

If you’re seeking inspiration or a deeper understanding of the human condition, these William Shakespeare quotes serve as a powerful reminder of the playwright’s unparalleled ability to articulate our innermost thoughts and feelings.

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