Playwright

Explore 650 quotes by Playwrights

Though thou speakest truth,
Methinks thou speak'st not well.

William Shakespeare

Coriolanus

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Topic

Telling the truth Truth Eloquence

Speaker

Cominius

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Coriolanus

Medium

Play

Genre

Tragedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1616 1610s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. "Coriolanus." Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. London: Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard, 1623, act 1, sc. 6

Current Citation

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

When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes...
Haply I think on thee, and then my state,
Like to the lark at break of day arising
From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;
For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings
That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

William Shakespeare

Shakespeare's Sonnets

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Topic

Love

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Sonnet 29 Shakespeare's Sonnets

Medium

Sonnet Poem

Statement Type

Profession of love

Language

English

Time

1609 1600s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Shake-speares Sonnets. London: Thomas Thorpe, 1609, sonnet 29, I. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Sonnets." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, sonnet 29.

Yet the first bringer of unwelcome news
Hath but a losing office, and his tongue
Sounds ever after as a sullen bell
Remembered tolling a departing friend.

William Shakespeare

Henry IV, Part 2

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Topic

Bearer of bad news Bad news

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.

Now my love is thawed,
Which like a waxen image ’gainst a fire
Bears no impression of the thing it was.

William Shakespeare

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

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Topic

Fading love Love

Speaker

Proteus

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

The Two Gentlemen of Verona

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play)

Statement Type

Metaphor, analogy and simile

Language

English

Time

1616 1610s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Two Gentlemen of Verona." Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. London: Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard, 1623, act 2, sc. 4.

Current Citation

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

Ay, but to die, and go we know not where,
To lie in cold obstruction and to rot,
This sensible warm motion to become
A kneaded clod; and the delighted spirit
To bathe in fiery floods, or to reside
In thrilling region of thick-ribbed ice.

William Shakespeare

Measure for Measure

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Topic

The afterlife

Speaker

Claudio

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Measure for Measure

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1616 1610s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

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

Current Citation

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

The sense of death is most in apprehension,
And the poor beetle that we tread upon
In corporal sufferance finds a pang as great
As when a giant dies.

William Shakespeare

Measure for Measure

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Topic

Fear of death Death Man and animals

Speaker

Isabella

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Measure for Measure

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1616 1610s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

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

Current Citation

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

I'm just like my country
I'm young, scrappy and hungry
And I am not throwing away my shot.

Alexander Hamilton

Quoted in Hamilton, by Lin-Manuel Miranda

More information about this quote

Topic

Ambition

Speaker

Alexander Hamilton

Author

Lin-Manuel Miranda

Source

My Shot Hamilton

Medium

Song

Language

English

Time

2015 2010s 21st century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Miranda, Lin-Manuel. "My Shot." Hamilton. Performed by Lin-Manuel Miranda, Anthony Ramos, Daveed Diggs, Okieriete Onaodowan, and Leslie Odom, Jr. 2015, Richard Rodgers Theatre, New York City, NY, USA, act 1.

Thus sometimes hath the brightest day a cloud,
And after summer evermore succeeds
Barren winter, with his wrathful nipping cold;
So cares and joys abound, as seasons fleet.

William Shakespeare

Henry VI, Part 2

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Topic

Yin and yang

Speaker

Gloucester

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Henry VI, Part 2

Medium

Play

Genre

History (play)

Language

English

Time

1594 1590s 16th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Henry VI, Part 2. London: Thomas Millington, 1594, act 2, sc. 4.

Current Citation

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

Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied,
And vice sometime by action dignified.

William Shakespeare

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Topic

Virtue and vice Moral relativism

Speaker

Friar Laurence

Author

William Shakespeare

Genre

Tragedy (play)

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. 3.

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. 3.

But for mine own part, it was Greek to me.

William Shakespeare

Julius Caesar

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Topic

Gibberish

Speaker

Casca

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 1, 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 1, sc. 2.

We only die once, and for such a long time!

Molière

Read The Love-Tiff at Project Gutenberg

More information about this quote

Topic

Finality of death

Speaker

Mascarille

Author

Molière

Source

The Love-Tiff

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play) Comedy

Language

French

Time

1656 1650s 17th century

Authentication Score 2

Citation

Moliere. Le Depit Amoureux [The Love-Tiff]. 16 Dec. 1656, Beziers, France, act 5, sc. 4.

To crave for happiness in this world is simply to be possessed by a spirit of revolt. What right have we to happiness?

Henrik Ibsen

Ghosts

More information about this quote

Topic

Seeking happiness Happiness

Speaker

Pastor Manders

Author

Henrik Ibsen

Source

Ghosts

Medium

Play

Language

Norwegian

Time

1881 1880s 19th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Ibsen, Henrik. Gengangere [Ghosts]. Kobenhavn: Gyldendalske Boghandel, 1881, act 1.

Current Citation

Ibsen, Henrik. "Ghosts." A Doll's House and Other Plays, translated by Deborah Dawkin and Erik Skuggevik. Penguin Classics, 2016, act 1.

There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart's desire. The other is to get it.

George Bernard Shaw

Man and Superman

More information about this quote

Topic

Getting what you want Tragic view of life

Speaker

Mendoza

Author

George Bernard Shaw

Source

Man and Superman

Medium

Play

Genre

Drama (play)

Language

English

Time

1903 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Shaw, George Bernard. "Man and Superman." Man and Superman, John Bull's Other Island, and Major Barbara. Oxford University Press, 2021, act 4. Originally published by Archibald and Constable Co., Ltd., 1903.

Women upset everything. When you let them into your life, you find that the woman is driving at one thing and you're driving at another.

George Bernard Shaw

Pygmalion

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Topic

Women Gender relations Men and women

Speaker

Henry Higgins

Author

George Bernard Shaw

Source

Pygmalion

Medium

Play

Language

English

Time

1913 1910s 20th century

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shaw, George Bernard. Pygmalion. 16 Oct. 1913, Hofburg Theatre, Vienna, Germany, act. 2.

Current Citation

Shaw, George Bernard. Pygmalion. Penguin, 2005, act 2.

Mendacity is a system that we live in. Liquor is one way out and death's the other.

Tennessee Williams

More information about this quote

Topic

Alcohol as balm Death as a blessing The human condition

Speaker

Brick

Author

Tennessee Williams

Source

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Medium

Play

Genre

Drama (play) Drama Southern Gothic

Language

English

Time

1955 1950s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Original Citation

Williams, Tennessee. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Directed by Elia Kazan. Performed by Barbara Bel Geddes and Burl Ives and Ben Gazzara. 24 Mar. 1955, Morosco Theatre, New York City, New York, USA, act 2.

Current Citation

Williams, Tennessee. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. New Directions, 2004, act 2.

Time rushes toward us with its hospital tray of infinitely varied narcotics, even while it is preparing us for its inevitably fatal operation.

Tennessee Williams

The Timeless World of a Play

More information about this quote

Topic

Relentlessness of time

Author

Tennessee Williams

Source

The Timeless World of a Play The New York Times

Medium

Essay

Language

English

Time

1951 1950s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Williams, Tennessee. "The Timeless World of a Play." The New York Times, 14 Mar. 1951.

When two people are under the influence of the most violent, most insane, most delusive, and most transient of passions, they are required to swear that they will remain in that excited, abnormal, and exhausting condition continuously until death do them part.

George Bernard Shaw

More information about this quote

Topic

Marriage

Author

George Bernard Shaw

Source

Getting Married: For Better For Worse The Doctor's Dilemma, Getting Married, and The Shewing-up of Blanco Posnet

Medium

Play

Genre

Comedy (play)

Language

English

Time

1908 1900s 20th century

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Shaw, George Bernard. "Getting Married: For Better For Worse." The Doctor's Dilemma, Getting Married, and The Shewing-up of Blanco Posnet. Brentano's/Constable & Co., 1908, preface.

Men prize the thing ungained more than it is.

William Shakespeare

Troilus and Cressida

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Topic

Acquisitiveness

Speaker

Cressida

Author

William Shakespeare

Source

Troilus and Cressida

Medium

Play

Genre

Problem play

Language

English

Time

1603 1600s 17th century

Era

European Renaissance

Authentication Score 2

Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. Troilus and Cressida. The Lord Chamberlain's Men, c. 1603, The Globe Theatre, London, England, UK, act 1, sc. 2.

Current Citation

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

The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose!

William Shakespeare

The Merchant of Venice

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Topic

Justifications and rationales The devil

Speaker

Antonio

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 1, sc. 3.

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 1, sc. 3.

Things past redress are now with me past care.

William Shakespeare

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Topic

Letting go of the past Letting go

Speaker

Duke of York

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 2, sc. 3.

Current Citation

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