“To be, or not to be, that is the question.” This is one of William Shakespeare’s most famous lines. But the vast number of other great quotes from the playwright could fill this blog 10 times over. So, as UK primary schools introduce children to the Bard as part of the annual Shakespeare Week, we asked teachers to share quotes that inspired them. Add yours below the line in the comments or via @GuardianTeach.
1. Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none: be able for thine enemy rather in power than use, and keep thy friend under thy own life’s key: be cheque’d for silence, but never tax’d for speech.
– Countess, act 1, scene 2, All’s Well That Ends Well
@GuardianTeach 'Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none.' William Shakespeare
— Braeburn Mombasa (@BraeburnMombasa) March 17, 2015
2. But gods, you give us faults so we’ll be human.
– Agrippa, act 5, scene 1, Anthony and Cleopatra
@GuardianTeach 'The gods do give us faults- tis that that makes us human' Antony and Cleopatra . #ShakespeareWeek
— PedagogicalPam (@PedagogicalPam) March 16, 2015
3. This above all things to thine own self be true.
– Polonius, act 1, scene 3, Hamlet
@GuardianTeach this above all things to thine own self be true #ShakespeareWeek
— thirstforknowledge (@bertshell) March 16, 2015
4. What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
– Juliet, act 2, scene 2, Romeo and Juliet
@GuardianTeach "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet"
— Bethan Davies (@BethanD61063878) March 17, 2015
5. Put out the light, and then put out the light!
– Othello, act 5, scene 2
@GuardianTeach #ShakespeareWeek "Put out the light and then put out the light" is unbearably sad #Othello
— Eltham Hill School (@ElthamHill) March 16, 2015
6. For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.
– Benvolio, act 3, scene 1, Romeo and Juliet
@GuardianTeach "For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring." Benvolio building tension & trying to keep peace.
— Miss_Greenacre (@e_greenacre) March 16, 2015
7. There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.
– Hamlet, act 2, scene 2
@GuardianTeach @ShakespeareWeek "there is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so" #Hamlet #ShakespeareWeek
— SianS (@violacariad) March 16, 2015
8. That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain.
– Hamlet, act 1, scene 5
@GuardianTeach "that one may smile and smile and be a villain" Hamlet #ShakespeareWeek
— Janet Phillips (@JanetPhillips_) March 16, 2015
9. Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more.
– Macbeth, act 5, scene 5
@GuardianTeach Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more.Macbeth
— Simon Gair (@SimonSgair) March 17, 2015
10. We are such stuff as dreams are made on; and our little life is rounded with a sleep.
– Prospero, act 4, scene 1, The Tempest
.@GuardianTeach "We are such stuff as dreams are made on, rounded with a little sleep" - The Tempest #ShakespeareWeek
— Edubag UK (@EdubagUK) March 17, 2015
11. If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge?
– Shylock, act 3, scene 1, The Merchant of Venice
@GuardianTeach "If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us.."
— Aughnagarron (@mrsibrady) March 17, 2015
12. The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars but in ourselves.
– Cassius, act 1, scene 2
@GuardianTeach It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves. William Shakespeare
— Jennifer Cole (@JColeTEACHER) March 17, 2015
