Top 55 Inspiring Quotes From William Shakespeare's Life And His Plays You Should Read Once In Your Life

Understanding the Man Behind the Words

William Shakespeare, widely regarded as one of the greatest playwrights and poets in the English language, has left an indelible mark on literature. Beyond his brilliant works, Shakespeare’s life was a tapestry of triumphs and tribulations, offering myriad motivational lessons that resonate even in contemporary society. Delving into his life and words reveals not just the eloquence of his writing but also the profound insights he had about courage, ambition, and perseverance.

Lessons in Overcoming Adversity

Shakespeare's own life was not devoid of challenges. He faced the loss of a son, economic hardships, and the struggles of gaining recognition in a competitive environment. His work often reflects themes of struggle and triumph, portraying characters who face adversity with resilience. These narratives are a testament to the belief that overcoming obstacles is crucial for personal growth. As he wrote in *Henry V*, “We few, we happy few, we band of brothers,” emphasizing the strength that comes from unity in the face of hardship, a valuable lesson for anyone seeking motivation in challenging times.

Throughout his career, Shakespeare evolved significantly as a writer, reflecting the changes around him and the lessons he learned. This adaptability is a crucial element of personal and professional growth. The quote, “This above all: to thine own self be true,” serves as a reminder to remain authentic and embrace change. It speaks to the importance of self-awareness and continual self-improvement, key components in the pursuit of one’s aspirations.

Motivational Quotes That Inspire

1. " Be not afraid of greatness, some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them."

2. "Good company, good wine, good welcome can make good people."

3. "We are such stuff as dreams are made on, and our little life is rounded with a sleep."

4. "Art thou afeard to be the same in thine own act and valour as thou are in desire?"

5. " The world is grown so bad that wrens prey where eagles dare not perch."

6. " Love all, trust a few, do wrong to none: be able for thine enemy rather in power than use; and keep thy own life's key: be check'd for silence, but never tax'd for speech."

7. " The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool."

8. " This above all, to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man."

9. " Doubt thou the stars are fire, doubt that the sun doth move, doubt truth to be a liar, but never doubt I love."

10. " There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so."

11. If music be the food of love, play on, give me excess of it; that surfeiting. The appetite may sicken, and so die."

12. " The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars but in ourselves."

13. " It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves."

14. " All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages."

15. " I had rather be a toad and live upon the vapor of a dungeon than keep a corner in the thing I love for others' uses."

16. " Yet do thy worst, old time; despite the wrong, my love shall in my verse ever live young."

17. " Make thee another self for love of me, that beauty still may live in thine or thee."

18. " For there was never yet a philosopher that could endure the toothache patiently."

19. " Ah, kill me with your weapon, not with words."

20. " We know what we are, but know not what we may be."

21. " My bounty is as boundless as the sea, my love as deep; the more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite."

22. " Look how the floor of heaven is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold."

23. " I am in this earthly world, where to do harm is often laudable, to do good sometime accounted dangerous folly."

24. " Now put your shields before your hearts and fight/with hearts more proof than shields. Advance, my fellows!"

25. " Words are easy, like the wind; faithful friends are hard to find."

26. " Love is heavy and light, bright and dark, hot and cold, sick and healthy, asleep and awake, it's everything except what it is."

27. " Here comes a pair of very strange beasts, which in all tongues are called fools."

28. " My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me, That I must love a loathed enemy."

29. " Stars hide your fire; Let not light see my black and deep desires."

30. " I like this place, and willingly could waste my time in it."

31. " To weep is to make less the depth of grief."

32. " For never was a story of more woe than this of Juliet and her Romeo."

33. " Expectation is the root of all heartache."

34. " Presume not that I am the thing I was; For God doth know, so shall the world perceive, that I have turn,d away my former self; So will I those that kept me company."

35. " They do not love that do not show their love."

36. " Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak knits up the o'er wrought heart and bids it break."

37. " O my love, my wife! Death, that hath suck'd the honey of thy breath hath had no power yet upon thy beauty."

38. " Nothing in his life became him like leaving it."

39. "Young men's love then lies not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes."

40. " Conceal me what I am, and be my aid/ for such disguise as happy shall become/ the form of my intent."

41. " My affection hath an unknown bottom, like the Bay of Portugal."

42. " In such business Action is eloquence, and the eyes of th' ignorant more learned than the ears."

43. " Frame your mind to mirth and merriment which bars a thousand harms and lengthens life."

44. " Give thanks for what you are today and go on fighting for what you gone be tomorrow."

45. " Love that we cannot have is the one that lasts the longest, hurts the deepest, but feels the strongest."

46. " Don't judge a man's conscience by looking at his face cause he may have a bad heart."

47. " The truth you speak doth lack some gentleness and time to speak it in. You rub the sore When you should bring the plaster."

48. " This world's a city full of straying streets, and death's the market place where each one meets."

49. " How far that little candle throws his beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world."

50. " And yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep little company together nowadays."

51. " My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: words without thoughts never to heaven go."

52. " Affliction is enamoured of thy parts, and thou art wedded to calamity."

53. " Which dreams, indeed, are ambition, for the very substance of the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream."

54. " Honesty is the best policy. If I lose my honor, I lose myself."

55. " Strong reasons make strong actions."

In conclusion,

William Shakespeare’s works and life exemplify a journey filled with motivation and wisdom. His character-driven narratives and poignant quotes provide lifelong lessons on authenticity, resilience, and overcoming adversity. Indeed, engaging with Shakespeare’s insights fosters a richer understanding of what it means to strive for greatness amidst life’s inevitable challenges. By reflecting on his motivational quotes and life experiences, we can find encouragement to pursue our paths with vigor and determination.