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Explore 521 quotes from the following medium: Play

This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.

William Shakespeare

Hamlet

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Topic

Being true to oneself Authenticity Personal integrity

Speaker

Lord Polonius

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Hamlet

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragedy (play)

Statement Type

Advice

Language

English

Time

1616 1610s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Hamlet." Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. London: Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard, 1623, act 1, sc. 3.

Current Citation

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

The pen is mightier than the sword.

Edward Bulwer-Lytton

More information about this quote

Topic

Power of literature

Speaker

Cardinal Richelieu

Author

Edward Bulwer-Lytton

Source

Richelieu

Medium

Play

Genre

History play

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1839 1830s 19th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Bulwer-Lytton, Edward. Richelieu; Or the Conspiracy. 7 Mar. 1839, Theatre Royal, Covent Garden, London, England, UK, act 2, sc. 2.

There are many wonderful things, and nothing is more wonderful than man.

Sophocles

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Topic

Nature of man Man and animals

Author

Sophocles

Source

Antigone

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragic play Greek theater

Language

Greek

Time

441 BC 440s 5th century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Sophocles. Ἀντιγόνη [Antigone]. c. 441 BC, Festival of Dionysus, Athens, Greece.

Current Citation

Sophocles. "Antigone." The Oedipus Cycle: Oedipus Rex; Oedipus at Colonus; Antigone, translated by Dudley Fitts and Robert Fitzgerald. Mariner Books, 2002.

Heav'n has no Rage, like Love to Hatred turn'd,
Nor Hell a Fury, like a Woman scorn'd.

William Congreve

More information about this quote

Topic

Broken heart Men and women Women

Speaker

Queen Zara

Author

William Congreve

Source

The Mourning Bride

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragic play

Language

English

Time

1697 1690s 17th century

Authentication Score 0

Citation

Congreve, William. The Mourning Bride. 1697, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, England, UK, act 3, sc. 2.

To be or not to be—that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles
And, by opposing, end them. To die, to sleep—
No more—and by a sleep to say we end
The heartache and the thousand natural shocks
That flesh is heir to—’tis a consummation
Devoutly to be wished. To die, to sleep—
To sleep, perchance to dream. Ay, there’s the rub,
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause.

William Shakespeare

Hamlet

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Topic

Suicide The afterlife

Speaker

Hamlet

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Hamlet

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1616 1610s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Hamlet." Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. London: Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard, 1623, act 3, sc. 1.

Current Citation

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

Sigh no more, ladies, sigh no more,
Men were deceivers ever,
One foot in sea and one on shore,
To one thing constant never.

William Shakespeare

Much Ado About Nothing

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Topic

Flaws of men Nature of men Men and women Infidelity Relationships

Speaker

Balthasar

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Much Ado About Nothing

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1600 1600s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Much Ado About Nothing. London: Andrew Wise and William Aspley, 1600, act 2, sc. 3.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Much Ado About Nothing." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 2, sc. 3.

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: the beauty of the world, the paragon of animals-And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust?

William Shakespeare

Hamlet

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Topic

Man Human nature The human condition

Speaker

Hamlet

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Hamlet

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1616 1610s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Hamlet." Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. London: Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard, 1623, act 2, sc. 2.

Current Citation

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

You have deeply ventured;
But all must do so who would greatly win.

Lord Byron

More information about this quote

Topic

Taking risks Risk vs. reward Risk

Author

Lord Byron

Source

Marino Faliero, Doge of Venice

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragic play

Language

English

Time

1821 1820s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Lord Byron. Marino Faliero, Doge of Venice. London: John Murray, 1821, act 1, sc. 2.

Current Citation

Lord Byron. Marino Faliero, Doge of Venice. The Collected Poems of Lord Byron. Wordsworth, 1994, act 1, sc. 2.

Come what come may,
Time and the hour runs through the roughest day.

William Shakespeare

Macbeth

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Topic

Things get better

Speaker

Macbeth

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Macbeth

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1616 1610s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Macbeth." Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. London: Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard, 1623, act 1, sc. 3.

Current Citation

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

Nothing emboldens sin so much as mercy.

William Shakespeare

Timon of Athens

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Topic

Perverse incentives Sin Mercy

Speaker

First Senator

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Timon of Athens

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragedy (play)

Statement Type

Paradox

Language

English

Time

1616 1610s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Timon of Athens." Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. London: Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard, 1623, act 3, sc. 5.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Timon of Athens." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 3, sc. 5.

One lives but once in this world.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Clavigo

More information about this quote

Topic

Preciousness of life Nature of life

Speaker

Carlos

Author

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Source

Clavigo

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragedy (play) Tragedy

Language

German

Time

1774 1770s 18th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Goethe, Johann Wolfgang. Clavigo. Leipzig: In der Weygand'schen Buchhandlung, 1774, act 1, sc. 1.

See what a ready tongue suspicion hath!

William Shakespeare

Henry IV, Part 2

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Topic

Suspicion Accusations

Speaker

Northumberland

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 1, 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 1, sc. 1.

Eat no onions nor garlic, for we are to utter sweet breath.

William Shakespeare

A Midsummer Night's Dream

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Topic

Bad breath Food

Speaker

Bottom

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play)

Statement Type

Advice

Language

English

Time

1599 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. A Midsummer Night's Dream. The Lord Chamberlain's Men, c. 1599, The Theatre, London, England, UK, act 4, sc. 2.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "A Midsummer Night's Dream." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act. 4, sc. 2.

Hell is other people.

Jean-Paul Sartre

More information about this quote

Topic

Hell Misanthropy

Speaker

Garcin

Author

Jean-Paul Sartre

Source

No Exit

Medium

Play

Language

French

Time

1944 1940s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Sartre, Jean Paul. Huis-clos [No Exit]. May 1944, Théâtre du Vieux-Colombier, Paris, France, act 1, sc. 5.

Current Citation

Sarte, Jean Paul. "No Exit." No Exit and Three Other Plays. Vintage, 1989, act 1, sc. 5.

Cowards die many times before their deaths;
The valiant never taste of death but once.

William Shakespeare

Julius Caesar

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Topic

Courage Cowardice Death

Speaker

Caesar

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. 2.

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. 2.

No guest is so welcome in a friend's house that he will not become a nuisance after three days.

Plautus

More information about this quote

Topic

Wearing out one's welcome Hospitality Guests and visitors

Speaker

Pleusicles

Author

Plautus

Source

Miles Gloriosus

Medium

Play

Language

Latin

Time

200 BC 200s BC 3rd century BC

Era

Classical antiquity

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Plautus. Miles Gloriosus. c. 206 BC, Rome, Italy, act 3, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Plautus. Miles Gloriosus, edited by Mason Hammond, Arthur W. Mack, and Walter Moskalew. Harvard University Press, 1997, act 3, sc. 1.

There lives not three good men unhanged in England, and one of them is fat and grows old.

William Shakespeare

Henry IV, Part 1

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Topic

England

Speaker

Falstaff

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 2, sc. 4.

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, 2015, act 2, sc. 4.

He’s loved of the distracted multitude,
Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes.

William Shakespeare

Hamlet

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Topic

The masses Public opinion

Speaker

King Claudius

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Hamlet

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1616 1610s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Hamlet." Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. London: Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard, 1623, act 4, sc. 3.

Current Citation

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

I am not in the roll of common men.

William Shakespeare

Henry IV, Part 1

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Topic

Arrogance Self-assurance

Speaker

Glendower

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Henry IV, Part 1

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play)

Statement Type

Boast

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 3, 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, 2015act 3, sc. 1.

What pity is it,
That we can die but once, to serve our country!

Joseph Addison

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More information about this quote

Topic

Serving one's country Citizen and state Patriotism

Author

Joseph Addison

Source

Cato

Medium

Play

Language

English

Time

1713 1700s 18th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Addison, Joseph. Cato. 14 April 1713, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, England, UK, act 4, sc. 1, l. 258.