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William Shakespeare (baptised April 26, 1564 – died April 23, 1616)^[1] was an English poet and playwright widely regarded as the greatest writer of the English language, and as the world’s preeminent dramatist.^[2] He wrote approximately 38 plays and 154 sonnets, as well as a variety of other poems.^[3] Already a popular writer in his own lifetime, Shakespeare became increasingly celebrated after his death and his work adulated by numerous prominent cultural figures through the centuries.^[4] He is often considered to be England’s national poet^[5] and is sometimes referred to as the “Bard of Avon” (or simply “The Bard”)^[6] or the “Swan of Avon”.^[7]

Orthodox scholars believe Shakespeare produced most of his work between 1586 and 1612, although the exact dates and chronology of the plays attributed to him are under considerable debate, as is the authorship of the works attributed to him. He is counted among the very few playwrights who have excelled in both tragedy and comedy, and his plays combine popular appeal with complex characterisation, poetic grandeur and philosophical depth.

Shakespeare’s works have been translated into every major living language,^[8] and his plays are continually performed all around the world. In addition, Shakespeare is the most quoted writer in the literature and history of the English-speaking world,^[9] and many of his quotations and neologisms have passed into everyday usage in English and other languages. Over the years, many people have speculated about Shakespeare’s life, raising questions about his sexuality and religious affiliation.

(This introduction is taken from Wikipedia).

As mentioned above, Shakespeare is often referred to as ‘the Bard’ - meaning a song-writer or poet. In modern English, ‘bard’ also means nonsense - as in, ‘I’ve written some poems but my wife says they’re bard!’.

I thought I would introduce a few quotes from Shakespeare which have become common currency in English.

(1) “To be or not to be, that is the question.” (Hamlet, Act III, Scene I)

‘To be’ basically means ‘to exist’, so Shakespeare suggests that we have a choice whether or not to exist, which may be taken to mean that some people are alive but do not ‘exist’. It suggests that we have to perhaps ‘assert ourselves’ or ‘pursue what we love’ or ‘fight for our existence’. When Hamlet says this, he is considering whether it is better to just endure hardship and keep it inside us, or to fight against it actively.

(2) “This above all: to thine own self be true.” (Hamlet, Act I, Scene III)

‘Thine’ means ‘your’ - in modern English this is rendered as ‘Be true to yourself‘. This is a very common saying nowadays. It means that we should be honest about our nature, our desires and not distort our true nature for any reason. It also encapsulates the idea that we are all different and therefore have to make our own decisions.

(3) “Though this be madness, yet there is method in ‘t.” (Hamlet, Act II, Scene II)

In modern English, this has become ‘There is method in my/his/her madness‘. Madness suggests chaos, and method suggests order. Even though someone appears to be terribly dis-organized and untidy, there is in fact some order and reason in what they do. My room may be an absolute tip, but I know where everything is - so it is not as chaotic as it may appear. It may be difficult for other people to understand why I do what I do, but I have my reasons and my method.

(4) “When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions.” (Hamlet, Act IV, Scene V)

This is a classic bit of English pessimism, the heart of which is still very much alive today. A battalion is a large group of soldiers, so the idea is that unhappiness or misfortunes don’t appear one at a time, but come in a large group. Nowadays, people tend to say, ‘It never rains, but it pours.’, which has the same meaning. ‘It pours’ means ‘it rains heavily’. (So, for example, you might say ‘It’s pouring’, to mean that rain is falling heavily.)

(5) “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” (Hamlet, Act II, Scene II)

This is not a widely-used saying, though I like it and think it should be. The meaning is that things in themselves are not good or bad, it is only how we think about them that makes them good or bad. I think this kind of remark shows the classic timelessness of Shakespeare’s genius.

I may return to Shakespeare for some more quotes another time.