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"He jests at scars that never felt a wound."
William Shakespeare (1564-1616), British dramatist, poet. Romeo, in Romeo and Juliet, act 2, sc. 1, l. 43 (1599).
Spoken of Mercutio, who mocked Romeo's love-lorn state, in "the balcony scene." |
"I'll not be made a soft and dull-eyed fool
To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield
To Christian intercessors."
William Shakespeare (1564-1616), British dramatist, poet. Shylock, in The Merchant of Venice, act 3, sc. 3, l. 14-6. |
"Wilt thou draw near the nature of the gods?
Draw near them then in being merciful.
Sweet mercy is nobility's true badge."
William Shakespeare (1564-1616), British dramatist, poet. Tamora, in Titus Andronicus, act 1, sc. 1, l. 117-19.
Begging Titus for mercy. |
"What angel wakes me from my flow'ry bed?"
William Shakespeare (1564-1616), British dramatist, poet. Titania, in A Midsummer Night's Dream, act 3, sc. 1.
Woken by Bottom's singing. |
"I see you what you are, you are too proud;
But if you were the devil, you are fair."
William Shakespeare (1564-1616), British dramatist, poet. Viola, in Twelfth Night, act 1, sc. 5, l. 250-1.
On Olivia; "if" means even if. |
"He is himself alone,
To answer all the city."
William Shakespeare (1564-1616), British dramatist, poet. 1st Soldier, in Coriolanus, act 1, sc. 4, l. 51-2.
On Caius Marcius, who has fought his way alone into the city of Corioli. |
"Come on, poor babe,
Some powerful spirit instruct the kites and ravens
To be thy nurses. Wolves and bears, they say,
Casting their savageness aside, have done
Like offices of pity."
William Shakespeare (1564-1616), British dramatist, poet. Antigonus, in The Winter's Tale, act 2, sc. 3, l. 185-9.
He obeys Leontes' command to deposit his baby daughter in a remote place. |
"Fortune is merry,
And in this mood will give us anything."
William Shakespeare (1564-1616), British dramatist, poet. Antony, in Julius Caesar, act 3, sc. 2, l. 266-7.
He has achieved his aim, to launch civil war. |
"I pray you, how many hath he killed and eaten in these wars? But how many hath he killed? For indeed, I promised to eat all of his killing."
William Shakespeare (1564-1616), British dramatist, poet. Beatrice, in Much Ado About Nothing, act 1, sc. 1, l. 42-5.
Mocking Benedick's achievement as a soldier. |
"My chief humor is for a tyrant. I could play Ercles rarely, or a part to tear a cat in, to make all split."
William Shakespeare (1564-1616), British dramatist, poet. Bottom, in A Midsummer Night's Dream, act 1, sc. 2, l. 29-30.
"Humor" means inclination; "Ercles" is Bottom's corruption of Hercules; to "tear a cat" on the stage is to rant and bluster. |
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William Shakespeare
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