Shakespeare Quotes: Educating Your Wit

*Our language has continued to evolve over the years. Since Romeo & Juliet was written over 400 yrs. ago, it is safe to assume that some of the words used in the play are: a) completely foreign, b) nonexistent in today’s society, or c) hold a different meaning depending upon the context. Remember that in order to entertain his audience and create a sense of rhythm or flow, Shakespeare used poetry or a poetic format in his plays. Another assumption regarding Shakespeare is that the subject matter along with the language is quite refined or sophisticated. Not so! Shakespeare was, if anything, a realist. At times, he could be quite bawdy and/or humorous. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the following quotes and see for yourself.

DIRECTIONS: Read the following quotes that were taken from a variety of Shakespeare’s plays. In the space provided, write either the topic of the quote, rephrase the quote, or explain the quote in your own words.

  1. “More of your conversation would infect my brain.” [Coriolanus II. 1. (93-94)] & “Why should she live to fill the world with words?” [Henry VI, part 3 V. 5. (43)]
  1. “I never knew so young a body with so old a head.” [The Merchant of Venice IV. 1. (160-161)]
  1. “I had rather be married to a death’s-head with a bone in his mouth.” [The Merchant of Venice I. 2. (49-50)}
  1. “Is his head worth a hat? Or his chin worth a beard?” [As You Like It III. 2. (202-203)]
  1. “He has not so much brain as ear-wax.” [Troilus & Cressida V. 1. (51-52)]
  1. “Every day that comes comes to decay a day’s work in him.” [Cymbeline I. 6. (56-57)]
  1. “His kisses are Judas’s own children.” [As You Like It III. 4. (7-8)]
  1. “Thou thing of no bowels thou!” [Troilus & Cressida II. 1. (52)]
  1. “Such boil’d stuff as well might poison poison.” [Cymbeline I. 7. (125-126)]
  1. “She does abuse to our ears.” [All’s Well That Ends Well V. 3. (288)]
  1. “His breath stinks with eating toasted cheese.” [Henry VI, part 2 IV. 7. (10-11)
  1. “Your horrid image doth unfix my hair.” [Macbeth I. 3. (135)]
  1. “Three times was his nose discharg’d against me; he stands there like a mortar-piece to blow us.”

[Henry VIII V. 3. (43-45)]

14. “This knave’s tongue begins to double.” [Henry VI, part 2 II. 3. (89)]

15. “His forward voice, now, is to speak well of his friends; his backward voice is to utter foul speeches and to detract.” [The Tempest II. 2. (91-94)]

16. “Your face is not worth sun-burning.” [Henry V V. 2. (150)]

17. “Make less thy body hence, and more thy grace.” [Henry IV, part 2 V. 5. (52)]

18. “You are the scarecrow that affrights our children so.” [Henry VI, part 1 I. 4. (42)]

19. “His brain is as dry as the remainder biscuit after a voyage.” [As You Like It II. 7. (38-40)]

20. “Thou disease of a friend.” [Timon of Athens III. 1. (53)]

Worth a homework pass

  1. “You are not worth the dust which the rude wind blows in your face.” [King Lear IV. 2. (30-31)]
  1. “I find the ass in compound with the major part of your syllables.” [Coriolanus II. 1. (57-58)]
  1. “If she lives till doomsday she’ll burn a week longer than the whole world.” [The Comedy of Errors III. 2. (97-98)]
  1. “You are an index and prologue to the history of lust and foul thoughts.” [Othello II. 1. (254-255)]

ANSWER KEY:

  1. Windbaggery; full of hot air; useless info
  2. Stodginess; boring; pedantic
  3. Undesirable; ugly
  4. Insignificant
  5. Want-wits; stupid; unintelligent
  6. Sloth; lazy
  7. Disloyalty; betrayal
  8. Cowardice; “chicken”
  9. Bad cook; food is terrible
  10. Caterwauling; annoying voice
  11. Foul emanations; bad breath; foul odors
  12. Undesirable; ugly; the physically striking
  13. Impolite sounds; bad manners; sneezing on someone
  14. Deceit; disloyalty; betrayal
  15. Impolite sounds; foul emanations; bad manners; “farting”
  16. Undesirable; ugly
  17. Clumsy; overweight
  18. Undesirable; ugly; the physically striking
  19. Want-wits; stupid; unintelligent
  20. Disloyalty; betrayal

EXTRA CREDIT:

  1. Insignificant
  2. Windbaggery; full of hot air; useless info; talking nonsense/stupid
  3. oiliness; lack of hygiene
  4. lasciviousness; prone to adulterous behavior or tendencies; lewd; lustful