William Shakespeare is the most widely read of all Authors and the popularity of the works of Shakespeare, in English speaking countries, is second only to the Bible. He intrigues other authors. It is, therefore, not surprising that there are many quotes and quotations about William Shakespeare by his peers.
Quotes about William Shakespeare "an up-start Crow"
His fellow actors and dramatists also had a word or two to say about him - so we have included quotes from his peers! This probably started with the infamous quote about William Shakespeare by Robert Greene who criticised the Bard in his deathbed autobiographical Groatsworth of Wit (September 3, 1592 ) The quote is "for there is an up-start Crow, beautified with our feathers, that with his Tygers hart wrapt in a Players hyde, supposes he is as well able to bombast out a blanke verse as the best of you: and being an absolute Johannes fac totum, is in his owne conceit the onely Shake-scene in a countrey." About three months after Green's death his editor, Henry Chettle, made a public apology to Shake-speare! Not all quotes, like the Robert Greene Groatsworth of Wit about the great Bard are complimentary.
Quotes about William Shakespeare - the Identity problem
The debates surrounding the mysteries of life and works of William Shakespear have raged on for centuries. Was he the author? Who else could have written his works? The famous author James Barrie gave us one of the most witty quotes about the identity problem
"I know not, sir, whether Bacon wrote the works of Shakespeare, but if he did not it seems to me that he missed the opportunity of his life."
Quotes about William Shakespeare by Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900)
The following quotes about William Shake-speare by Oscar Wilde have such an amusing 'ring of truth' that no apology is given for singling them out!
"Now we sit through Shakespeare in order to recognize the quotations."
"Are the commentators on "Hamlet" really mad, or only pretending to be?"
Famous quotes about William Shakespeare
The following selection of famous quotes about William Shakepeare are generally taken from poets and authors. Some quotes are critical and others complimentary. The controversy surrounding the Bard continues...
The remarkable thing about Shakespeare is that he is really very good - in spite of all the people who say he is very good.
Robert Graves Quote (1895 - 1985)
A quibble is to Shakespear what luminous vapours are to the traveller: he follows it at all adventures; it is sure to lead him out of his way and sure to engulf him in the mire.
Ben Jonson Quote (1573 - 1637)
My Shakespear, rise! I will not lodge thee by Chaucer, or Spenser, or bid Beaumont lie A little further, to make thee a room.
Ben Jonson Quote (1573 - 1637)
Sweet Swan of Avon!
Ben Jonson Quote (1573 - 1637)
He was not of an age, but for all time!
Ben Jonson Quote (1573 - 1637)
I have of late had the same thought - for things which I do half at Random are afterwards confirmed by my judgment in a dozen features of Propriety. Is it too daring to fancy Shakespeare this Presider?
John Keats Quote (1795 - 1821), "Letter to B.R. Haydon, May 1817"
When I read Shakespeare I am struck with wonder
That such trivial people should muse and thunder
In such lovely language.
D. H. Lawrence Quote (1885 - 1930)
Or sweetest Shakespear, Fancy's child,
Warble his native wood-notes wild.
John Milton Quote (1608 - 1674), "L'Allegro"
What needs my Shakespeare for his honour’d bones,
The labour of an age in piled stones,
Or that his hallow’d relics should be hid
Under a star-y-pointing pyramid?
Dear son of memory, great heir of fame,
What need’st thou such weak witness of thy name?
John Milton Quote (1608 - 1674), "Epitaph on Shakespeare"
And so sepulchered in such pomp dost lie,
That kings for such a tomb would wish to die.
John Milton Quote (1608 - 1674), "Epitaph"
And one wild Shakespear, following Nature's lights,
Is worth whole planets, filled with Stagyrites.
Thomas More Quote (1779 - 1852), "The Sceptic"
Shakespeare - The nearest thing in incarnation to the eye of God.
Laurence Olivier Quote (1907 - 1989)
Wonderful women! Have you ever thought how much we all, and women especially, owe to Shakespear for his vindication of women in these fearless, high-spirited, resolute and intelligent heroines?
Dame Ellen Terry Quote (1848 - 1928)
One of the greatest geniuses that ever existed,
Shakespear, undoubtedly wanted taste.
Horace Walpole Quote (1717 - 1797), "Letter to Wren, 1764"
Scorn not the Sonnet; Critic, you have frowned,
Mindless of its just honours; with this key
Shake-speare unlocked his heart.
William Wordsworth Quote (1770 - 1850), "Miscellaneous Sonnets"
There Shakespeare, on whose forehead climb
The crowns o’ the world; oh, eyes sublime
With tears and laughter for all time!
Elizabeth Barrett Browning Quote (1806 - 1861), "A Vision of Poets"
With this same key
Shake-speare unlocked his heart' once more!
Did Shakespeare? If so, the less Shake-speare he!
Robert Browning Quote (1812 - 1899), "House"
And yet, very literally, it is a priceless thing..
Thomas Carlyle Quote (1795 - 1881) "Heroes, Hero-Worship and the Heroic in History"
If called to define Shakespeare's faculty, I should say superiority of intellect, and think I had included all under that.
Thomas Carlyle Quote (1795 - 1881) "Heroes, Hero-Worship and the Heroic in History"
The souls most fed with Shakespeare's flame
Still sat unconquered in a ring,
Remembering him like anything.
G. K. Chesterton (1874 - 1936) "The Shakespeare Memorial"
Our myriad-minded Shakespear.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge Quote (1772 - 1834), "Biography. Chap. xv"
He was the man who of all modern, and perhaps ancient poets, had the largest and most comprehensive soul.
John Dryden Quote (1631 - 1700), "Essay of Dramatic Poesy"
He is the very Janus of poets; he wears almost everywhere two faces; and you have scarce begun to admire the one, ere you despise the other.
John Dryden Quote (1631 - 1700), "Essay on Dramatic Poetry of the Last Age"
But Shakespeare’s magic could not copied be;
Within that circle none durst walk but he.
John Dryden Quote (1631 - 1700) "Essay of Dramatic Poesy"
He was naturally learned; he needed not the spectacles of books to read nature. He looked inwards, and found her there.
John Dryden Quote (1631 - 1700) "Essay of Dramatic Poesy"
I am the owner of the sphere
Of the seven stars and the solar year,
Of Caesar's hand, and Plato's brain
Of Lord Christ's heart, and Shakespeare's strain.
Ralph Waldo Emerson Quote (1803 - 1882), "The Absorbing Soul"
Nor sequent centuries could hit
Orbit and sum of Shakespeare’s wit.
Ralph Waldo Emerson Quote (1803 - 1882), "May-Day and Other Pieces"
When Shakespeare is charged with debts to his authors, Landor replies, “Yet he was more original than his originals. He breathed upon dead bodies and brought them into life.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson Quote (1803 - 1882) "Letters and Social Aims"
Robert Graves The remarkable thing about Shakespear is that he really is very good, in spite of all the people who say he is very good.
Robert Graves Quote
"Hamlet" is a coarse and barbarous play . . . One might think the work is a product of a drunken savages imagination."
Voltaire Quote
"Shakespear is a drunken savage with some imagination whose plays please only in London and Canada"
Voltaire Quote (1694 - 1778)
"Are the commentators on "Hamlet" really mad, or only pretending to be.
Oscar Wilde Quote (1854 - 1900)
We hope that you have enjoyed our selection of famous quotes about the Bard!
Words from the Great Bard himself !
