“We know what we are, but not what we may be.”
William Shakespeare’s words have a remarkable way of capturing the complexities of human nature. His profound insights into the human soul continue to resonate, offering timeless wisdom on life, love, honor, and the essence of who we are. In this collection, we gathered 15 William Shakespeare quotes that dive deep into the core of human nature, revealing the eternal truths that define our existence, our choices, and the paths we tread.
William Shakespeare Quotes About Life
- “We know what we are, but not what we may be.” – Hamlet (Ophelia)
- “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players.” – As You Like It (Jaques)
- “I had rather have a fool to make me merry than experience to make me sad.” – As You Like It (Rosalind)
- “The fault…is not in our stars, but in ourselves.” – Julius Caesar (Cassius)
- “Listen to many, speak to a few.” – Hamlet (Polonius)
- “My crown is called content, a crown that seldom kings enjoy.” – Henry VI, Part 3 (King Henry VI)
- “Let’s go hand in hand, not one before another.” – The Comedy of Errors (Dromio of Ephesus)
- “A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool.” – As You Like It (Touchstone)
- “Though this be madness, yet there is method in’t.” – Hamlet (Polonius)
- “We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep.” – The Tempest
- “When our actions do not, our fears do make us traitors.” – Macbeth (Lady Macduff)
- “Better three hours too soon than a minute late.” – The Merry Wives of Windsor (Ford)
- “Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin, as self-neglecting.” – Henry V
- “The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.” – The Merchant of Venice (Antonio)
- “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” – Henry IV, Part 2 (King Henry IV)
- “Suspicion always haunts the guilty mind.” – Henry VI, Part 3 (Gloucester, later Richard III)
William Shakespeare Quotes On Love
- “I do love nothing in the world so well as you—is not that strange?” – Much Ado About Nothing
- “Who ever loved, that loved not at first sight?” – As You Like It (Phoebe)
- “Love sought is good, but given unsought, is better.” – Twelfth Night (Olivia)
- “Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.” – All’s Well That Ends Well (Countess)
- “Love comforteth like sunshine after rain.” – Venus and Adonis
- “For where thou art, there is the world itself, with every several pleasure in the world; and where though art not, desolation.” – Henry VI, Part 2 (Suffolk)
- “Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs.” – Romeo and Juliet (Romeo)
- “The course of true love never did run smooth.” – A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Lysander)
- “Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind.” – A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Helena)
- “The lunatic, the lover, and the poet, are of imagination all compact.” – A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Theseus)
Shakespeare Quotes On Honor
- “No legacy is so rich as honesty.” – All’s Well That Ends Well
- ‘There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” – Hamlet (Hamlet)
- “It’s not enough to speak, but to speak true.” – A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Quince
- “Be great in act, as you have been in thought.” – King John (Pandulph)
- “Life every man holds dear; but the brave man holds honor far more precious-dear than life.” – Troilus and Cressida (Hector)
- “Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.” – Twelfth Night (Malvolio, reading a letter)
- “Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall.” – Measure for Measure (Escalus)
- “’Tis not enough to help the feeble up, But to support him after.” – Timon of Athens
- “Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once.” – Julius Caesar (Caesar)
Conclusion
This collection of William Shakespeare quotes about humanity, touching upon life’s uncertainties, love’s trials, and the essence of integrity, demonstrates his unparalleled grasp of our inner worlds. Shakespeare’s wisdom, centuries old, continues to illuminate the core of what it means to be human.
