Shakespeare and Me - Quotes Quotes and More Quotes
Shakespeare is known for having some of the most frequently quoted work. Whether we were forced to learn quotes like I was for my A Level English Literature course, or we just say things that we don’t realise are quotes at all, we have adopted Shakespeare into our lives as a great author and poet. Yet I feel that we are taught to learn the same old quotes over and over; the “to be or not to be” and “Romeo Romeo where for art thou Romeo”’s. Shakespeare’s language is so rich and vibrant that there is almost a quote for every situation you may find yourself in. For this post I really want to shine a light onto some of the lesser known quotes, give them a little bit of context and maybe even dive into a little bit of the use of language.
Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin as self-neglecting
Henry V - The Dauphin Act 2 Scene 4
This is set when the men of the King of France are heading off to battle with the English. The Dauphin, the kings son, is suggesting in this quote that the King should stand his ground and that he should not be timid when facing the oncoming battle with the English. In this context, self love could be seen as the act of winning this and reclaiming the lands that are supposedly his, whilst self neglecting would be to lose the lands he already has to King Henry. Additionally what Shakespeare is doing here is really characterising The Dauphin during this one simple line. He is shown to be caring of his own self and that can be seen as being self indulgent which has been once or twice before called the root of all evil because humans become self idolatry. This goes against the ideas presented in the bible that “you shall have no other God before me” and “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.” This would have been well known by the people attending Shakespeare’s play, which would simply highlight the fact that The Dauphin is the central instigator of the conflict throughout Henry V.
Forty Thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum
Hamlet - Hamlet Act 5 Scene 1
This is by far one of my favourite Shakespeare quotes of all time. Hamlet has come across Ophelia’s grave during her funeral where he fights with Laertes, declaring this line to him after they have been pulled apart. Up until this moment the audience are left confused as to their relationship as Hamlet draws her close and then pushes her aside as he dissolves into madness trying to discover if it was indeed his uncle who murdered his father. This outburst however is what really draws Claudius, his uncle, and Gertrude, his mother, who decide that he is in fact mad. What I love so much about this quotation is that is is using a hyperbole in such a way that if you read it out of context you can still determine the tone in which it would be said. It’s one of the ways in which Shakespeare really heightens the tension throughout this ending act as Ophelia’s death is what puts a definite break in Laertes and Hamlet’s relationship. They are never truly friendly throughout but this is where their conflict becomes more serious and eventually deadly. I think this quotation is beautiful and it’s one I remember so clearly for it’s pure sense of agony.
I wonder that you will still be talking, Signor Benedick, Nobody marks you
What, my dear Lady Disdain! Are you yet living?
Much Ado About Nothing - Beatrice and Benedick Act 1 Scene 1
There’s something marvellous about this being the first real meeting between Beatrice and Benedick that we see. Beatrice is essentially telling Benedick that he may as well stop talking because no one is listing to him and he replies simply by noting that she isn’t dead yet. It’s humorous as these two characters play off each other exceedingly well. They bicker and make jokes at the others expense but it is all to cover up their feelings for one another. It’s actually incredibly hard to pick out one line in particular from this play as every line is humorous or well written and I particularly enjoy the dialogue between Beatrice and Benedick purely for the undertones of love throughout the hate. Also by calling her Lady Disdain, Benedick is really saying that is feels he may not be worthy of her whilst knowing that she dislikes him greatly. It’s a harsh joke to make, that she is contemptible and therefore wholly unlovable, and yet we know that this is just the way in which they interact.
If you were men, as men you are in show, you would not use a gentle lady so to vow, and swear, and superpraise my parts, where I am sure you hate me with your hearts.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Helena Act 3 Scene 2
What I love about this quote is just how defiant Helena is. She’s really standing up for how Lysander and Demetrius are treating her in this scene. She knows that she is second to Hermia, particularly in Demetrius’ eyes, and yet he is complimenting her as if she is Hermia. What Helena is saying here is that they are taking advantage of her good nature to make promises and praise her beauty when she knows that they do not love her. What Hermia is saying here speaks for many women across all nations and I for one have felt this way before, particularly in regard to feeling that I am being duped because I know someone doesn’t quite love me. Not quite in the same sense as this, for Demetrius has been given the eye drops by Oberon. This quote can be used as a contemporary quote for all sorts of man based issues.
Bear welcome in your eye, your hand, your tongue. Look like th’innocent flower, but be the serpent under’t.
Macbeth - Lady Macbeth Act 1 Scene 5
Lady Macbeth is instructing Macbeth on what he must do when he meets the king. What she is saying is that he should be kind and endearing yet under that pretence he should be aware of his end goal. I love this quote because of the imagery of the flower and the serpent. This is something that Shakespeare uses often in his plays. The serpent links to the biblical imagery of the serpent that leads Eve to sin. At the time of the original production, people would all be knowledgable of the bible and its teachings which makes this image even more vivid as the audience are aware of the eventual sinning of Macbeth.
Shakespeare’s language has always been something that we’ve used regularly, meaningfully or not, and these are just a few of the lesser known quotes that I have found and really loved. Most of these can be used, if you really want to show off, in your every day life because who doesn’t want to tell someone that “nobody marks you”? or advocate “self-love” for it is “not so vile a sin as self-neglecting”?
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