William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon" or simply "the Bard". His extant works, including collaborations, consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, 3 long narrative poems and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Shakespeare remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language, and his works continue to be studied and reinterpreted.

Quotes

Gardener, for telling me these news of woe, pray God the plants thou graft'st may never grow.
Though it be honest, it is never good to bring bad news: give to a gracious message an host of tongues; but let ill tidings tell themselves when they be felt.
Look on beauty, and you shall see 'tis purchased by the weight.
Beauty is but a vain and doubtful good;
A shining gloss that vadeth suddenly;
A flower that dies when first it 'gins to bud;
A brittle glass that's broken presently:
A doubtful good, a gloss, a glass, a flower,
Lost, vaded, broken, dead within the hour.
Show me a mistress that is passing fair, what doth her beauty serve but as a note where I may read who pass'd that passing fair?
Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold.
'Tis beauty that doth oft make women proud; but, God He knows, thy share thereof is small.
Those that she makes fair she scarce makes honest; and those that she makes honest she makes very ill-favouredly.
Sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds;
Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds.
O, she is rich in beauty, only poor that, when she dies, with beauty dies her store.
How much more doth beauty beauteous seem by that sweet ornament which truth doth give!
But screw your courage to the sticking-place, and we'll not fail.
How far your eyes may pierce, i cannot tell; striving to better, oft we mar what's well.
I am a man more sinn'd against than sinning.
Blow, blow, thou winter wind! Thou art not so unkind as Man's ingratitude.
Condemn the fault, and not the actor of it?
Trust not him that has once broken faith.
Vows were ever brokers to defiling.
When he is best, he is a little worse than a man; and when he is worst, he is a little better than a beast.
I am constant as the northern star, of whose true fix'd and resting quality there is no fellow in the firmament.

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