1590s

Explore 163 quotes from the 1590s

Lowliness is young ambition’s ladder,
Whereto the climber-upward turns his face;
But, when he once attains the upmost round,
He then unto the ladder turns his back,
Looks in the clouds, scorning the base degrees
By which he did ascend.

William Shakespeare

Julius Caesar

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Topic

Despising one's origins Ambition

Speaker

Brutus

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Julius Caesar

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play) Tragedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1599 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Julius Caesar. The Lord Chamberlain's Men, 1599, Globe Theatre, London, England, UK, act 2, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Julius Caesar." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 2, sc. 1.

Commit
The oldest sins the newest kind of ways?

William Shakespeare

Henry IV, Part 2

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Topic

Sin

Speaker

King Henry the Fourth

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Henry IV, Part 2

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play)

Language

English

Time

1597 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Henry IV, Part 2. The Lord Chamberlain's Men, c. 1597, The Theatre, London, England, UK, act 4, sc. 2.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Second Part of Henry the Fourth." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 4, sc. 2.

The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blest:
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes.

William Shakespeare

The Merchant of Venice

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Topic

Mercy

Speaker

Portia

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

The Merchant of Venice

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play)

Statement Type

Paradox

Language

English

Time

1598 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. c. 1598, The Theatre, London, England, UK, act 4, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Merchant of Venice." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 4, sc. 1.

Away, you scullion, you rampallian, you fustilarian!
I’ll tickle your catastrophe.

William Shakespeare

Henry IV, Part 2

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Speaker

Falstaff's Page

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Henry IV, Part 2

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play)

Statement Type

Threat

Language

English

Time

1597 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Henry IV, Part 2. The Lord Chamberlain's Men, c. 1597, The Theatre, London, England, UK, act 2, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Second Part of Henry the Fourth." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 2, sc. 1.

Sorrow concealed, like an oven stopped,
Doth burn the heart to cinders where it is.

William Shakespeare

Titus Andronicus

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Topic

Suffering Sadness Therapy

Speaker

Marcus Andronicus

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Titus Andronicus

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1594 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Titus Andronicus. Sussex's Men, 1594, The Rose, London, England, UK, act 2, sc. 4.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Titus Andronicus." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 2, sc. 4.

Beauty itself doth of itself persuade
The eyes of men without an orator.

William Shakespeare

The Rape of Lucrece

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Topic

Power of beauty Beauty

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

The Rape of Lucrece

Medium

Poem

Genre

Narrative poem

Language

English

Time

1594 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. The Rape of Lucrece. London: Richard Field, 1594, I. 29.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Rape of Lucrece." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, I. 29.

There is some soul of goodness in things evil,
Would men observingly distill it out.

William Shakespeare

Henry V

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Topic

Good and evil Yin and yang

Speaker

King Henry V

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Henry V

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play)

Language

English

Time

1599 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Henry V. The Lord Chamberlain's Men, c. 1599, The Curtain, Shoreditch, London, England, UK, act 4, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Henry the Fifth." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 4, sc. 1.

Though men can cover crimes with bold stern looks,
Poor women's faces are their own faults' books.

William Shakespeare

The Rape of Lucrece

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Topic

Poker face Secrets Men and women

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

The Rape of Lucrece

Medium

Poem

Genre

Narrative poem

Language

English

Time

1594 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. The Rape of Lucrece. London: Richard Field, 1594, I. 1252.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Rape of Lucrece." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, I. 1252.

Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin
As self-neglecting.

William Shakespeare

Henry V

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Topic

Self-worth Self-hatred Self-care

Speaker

Dauphin

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Henry V

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play)

Language

English

Time

1599 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Henry V. The Lord Chamberlain's Men, c. 1599, The Curtain, Shoreditch, London, England, UK, act 2, sc. 4.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Henry the Fifth." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 2, sc. 4.

Truth will come to light.

William Shakespeare

The Merchant of Venice

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Topic

Truth will come out Truth Justice

Speaker

Launcelot

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

The Merchant of Venice

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1598 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. c. 1598, The Theatre, London, England, UK, act 2, sc. 2.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Merchant of Venice." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 2, sc. 2.

What's in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other word would smell as sweet.

William Shakespeare

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Topic

Roses Flowers Names

Speaker

Juliet Capulet

Author

William Shakespeare

Genre

Tragedy (play)

Statement Type

Question

Language

English

Time

1597 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Romeo and Juliet. London: John Danter, 1597, act 2, sc. 2

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Romeo and Juliet." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 2, sc. 2.

Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind;
The thief doth fear each bush an officer.

William Shakespeare

Henry VI, Part 3

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Topic

Guilty conscience Paranoia Conscience

Speaker

Richard Plantagenet

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Henry VI, Part 3

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play)

Language

English

Time

1595 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Henry the Sixth, Part 3. London: Thomas Millington, 1595, act 5, sc. 6.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Third Part of Henry the Sixth." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 5, sc. 6.

Short time seems long in sorrow's sharp sustaining.

William Shakespeare

The Rape of Lucrece

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Topic

Suffering Sadness Perception of time Time

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

The Rape of Lucrece

Medium

Poem

Genre

Narrative poem

Language

English

Time

1594 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. The Rape of Lucrece. London: Richard Field, 1594, I. 1573.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Rape of Lucrece." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, I. 1573.

If all the year were playing holidays,
To sport would be as tedious as to work.

William Shakespeare

Henry IV, Part 1

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Topic

Work-life balance Work Vacation Leisure

Speaker

Prince Hal

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Henry IV, Part 1

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play)

Language

English

Time

1597 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Henry IV, Part 1. The Lord Chamberlain's Men, c. 1597, The Theatre, London, England, UK, act 1, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The First Part of Henry the Fourth." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015 act 1, sc. 1.

Mine honor is my life; both grow in one.
Take honor from me and my life is done.

William Shakespeare

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Topic

Honor

Speaker

Thomas Mowbray

Author

William Shakespeare

Genre

History (play)

Language

English

Time

1595 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Richard II. 9 Dec. 1595, The house of Edward Hoby, Westminster, London, England, UK, act 1, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Richard the Second." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 1, sc. 1.

Against love's fire fear's frost hath dissolution.

William Shakespeare

The Rape of Lucrece

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Topic

Power of love Love and fear Fear Love

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

The Rape of Lucrece

Medium

Poem

Genre

Narrative poem

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1594 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. The Rape of Lucrece. London: Richard Field, 1594, I. 355.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Rape of Lucrece." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, I. 355.

To do a great right, do a little wrong.

William Shakespeare

The Merchant of Venice

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Topic

End justifies the means

Speaker

Bassanio

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

The Merchant of Venice

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play)

Statement Type

Paradox

Language

English

Time

1598 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. c. 1598, The Theatre, London, England, UK, act 4, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Merchant of Venice." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 4, sc. 1.

Let me embrace the sour adversaries,
For wise men say it is the wisest course.

William Shakespeare

Henry VI, Part 3

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Topic

Learning from adversity Life lessons Adversity

Speaker

King Henry VI

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Henry VI, Part 3

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play)

Language

English

Time

1595 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Henry the Sixth, Part 3. London: Thomas Millington, 1595, act 3, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Third Part of Henry the Sixth." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 3, sc. 1.

He is well paid that is well satisfied.

William Shakespeare

The Merchant of Venice

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Topic

Satisfaction Contentment

Speaker

Portia

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

The Merchant of Venice

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1598 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice. c. 1598, The Theatre, London, England, UK, act 4, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Merchant of Venice." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 4, sc. 1.

There shall be no love lost.

Ben Jonson

Every Man out of His Humour

More information about this quote

Topic

Dislike

Speaker

Sogliardo

Author

Ben Jonson

Source

Every Man out of His Humour

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play) Satire Comedy

Language

English

Time

1599 1590s 16th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Jonson, Ben. Every Man out of His Humour. Lord Chamberlain's Men, 1599, Globe Theatre, London, England, UK, act 2, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Jonson, Ben. "Every Man out of His Humour." Ben Jonson: Five Plays, edited by G. A. Wilkes. Oxford University Press, 2009, act 2, sc. 1.