"Beware The Ides Of March" And Other Famous Shakespearean Quotes (PHOTOS, POLL)

"Beware the ides of March," a soothsayer tells Caesar in Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar." The Ides of March, which takes place on March 15, is known as the day that Caesar was killed, and the ominous phrase has, at this point, worked its way into the common lexicon.

But it's not the only Shakespearean saying that everyone seems to know. Certain phrases in Shakespeare plays have become so common in the English language that people don't always know that they're even from Shakespeare. Below are some of the bard's most famous lines. Let us know your favorites!

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"Beware the ides of March"

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From "Julius Caesar": Caesar is warned to "beware the ides of March," the day that he will be killed.

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From "Julius Caesar": Caesar is warned to "beware the ides of March," the day that he will be killed.

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Comments

[Grada3784]

10:59 PM on 03/16/2010

And why not:
The course of true love never did run smooth. From a Midsummer's Night Dream.

Or
It was Greek to me./He thinks too much. From Julius Caesar

These easily could have made the list.

[wm1066]

03:08 PM on 03/16/2010

I heard a theory that the people of England didn't actually talk like they did in the plays but people watched the plays so that they could speak better and used the phrases in their daily talks. And they talked slower in the plays so people could have the time to understand them. Today actors will say the lines so quick people don't get the gist of whats being said. Some of the plays went on for more then one night to tell the story.

[hotandcold]

03:39 PM on 03/16/2010

I had the pleasure to tour the reproduction of the theater Shakespeare performed his plays in. The repro was built about 100 yards from where it originally stood. The film "Shakespeare In Love" was filmed on site there. Had an excellent tour guide with lots of interesting trivia:
The actors would stop the play when the wealthy patrons would arrive fashionably late, then they would explain what had transpired during the play before they got there. When the patrons were sufficiently up to date the play would resume.
Also the stage had three levels. Below stage was considered to be He11. The stage proper would be considered Earth and anything up above ground was considered to be Heaven.
The floor of the theater was a mixture of hazelnut shells, hay and dirt. This was to absorb bodily fluids of the poorest patrons who paid a penny for the privillege of standing throughout the entire play (cramming 3,000 people into a very small area) and there were no bathroom facilities on the premises. The most expensive seats were the ones on the highest tiers because the smell wasn't as bad up there. The dog days of summer were the worst. Uck.

[wm1066]

06:08 PM on 03/16/2010

Thanks for the story, I think I heard about the "condition" of the floor when I was in school.

[naschkatze]

09:57 PM on 03/16/2010

I saw All's Well That Ends Well at the Globe reconstruction in London and had a seat in the galleries. We were literally sitting on two by fours so even the more expensive seats were not luxurious. We did get to look down on the groundlings as they huddled in the light rain. Anyone going to England should make an effort to attend.

[hotandcold]

03:41 PM on 03/16/2010

The floor of the theater NOT the stage itself. Wanted to clarify that. Should ave done so in the first post. sorry...

[3fingerbrown]

01:08 PM on 03/16/2010

Scanning the political headlines on this site frequently reminds me of lines from Shakespeare. Today, for instance:

"John McCain And Sarah Palin To Reunite, Campaign" = "How ill white hairs become a fool and jester." (Henry IV)

"Top General: 'The Time Has Come' To Repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell" = "I wonder men dare trust themselves with men." (King Lear)

"Karl Rove, Still Lying on TV About Iraq" = "Out, vile jelly!" (King Lear)

"J.D. Hayworth Doubles Down On Men Marrying Horses" = "A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse (and a quiet evening at home)!" (Richard III)

[Chakras]

06:43 PM on 03/16/2010

Nice :-)

[WYHKTai-Tai]

12:55 AM on 03/17/2010

OH! Fanned for "A Horse, A Horse..."

LOL!

[naschkatze]

12:52 PM on 03/16/2010

We had a fat English teacher in high school who would make us cringe every time with "Would that this too too solid flesh would melt".

[Chakras]

06:44 PM on 03/16/2010

Ha, ha! I can recall the same and my teacher's pet phrase was "there but for the grace of God go I"

[WYHKTai-Tai]

07:20 AM on 03/16/2010

I don't know why, but the one I've always loves was

"...For I am mad, but North by North-West. When the wind is Southerly, I can tell a hawk from a handsaw."

I worked on 4 different Hamlet productions in college theatre. Love the Bard.

[rbloom]

02:40 AM on 03/16/2010

"I kiss the wall's hole, not your lips at all."

This doesn't come up much in casual conversation, but it's still a favorite of mine.

[Steamboater]

08:23 AM on 03/16/2010

As long as you don't kiss an a*shole, you'll do just fine.

[RangeMoor]

01:26 AM on 03/16/2010

"Mischief thou art afoot." My favourite. :-)

[rbloom]

02:42 AM on 03/16/2010

Interesting. I've always identified mischief with a different appendage...

[LMPE]

11:59 PM on 03/15/2010

Having played Julius Caesar in a school production of Shakespeare's plays back in middle school (and yes, it was the scene where the Roman emperor gets murdered), I understand the Bard's quotes.

One of the neatest riffs on Shakespeare is the 1959 Bugs Bunny cartoon "A Witch's Tangled Hare", in which Shakespeare is watching as Witch Hazel chases Bugs in what looks like Renaissance-era Scotland. 2B or not 2B indeed.

[Renee Hargrove]

11:57 PM on 03/15/2010

Romeo doesn't say "a rose by anything name would smell as sweet"; Juliet says it. It's in her speech near the beginning of Act II sc ii.

[Josh Sezer]

11:48 PM on 03/15/2010

"To be or not to be." Is said when Hamlet is pondering weather he should kill himself or not.

[Pyfagorus]

10:06 PM on 03/15/2010

It's fun to try and think of novel and movie titles that come from Shakespeare lines.

The Winter of Our Discontent, Outrageous Fortune, What Dreams May Come, Something Wicked This Way Comes, The Sound and the Fury, Infinite Jest...

[Pyfagorus]

10:22 PM on 03/15/2010

Okay, it's not that much fun. But it's something you can do if you're really, really bored.

[wadenelson1]

10:04 PM on 03/15/2010

"All that glisters???"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUXCaXSTmns

Dan Seals, Sweetheart of the Rodeo...

[Hazelnut]

09:58 PM on 03/15/2010

How about "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark", which a lot of times is shortened to "Something's rotten in Denmark". Also, "Sweets to the sweet". Both from Hamlet.
I took an English Literature course in high school, one of the most fun classes I had. Initially I was intimidated at the idea of studying Shakespeare, but we had the most awesome teacher. He loved Shakespeare and his enthusiasm was contagious. He also had a way of making those old characters, speaking out of date language, real and relevant. One of the first things he did was what HP is doing with this article: Introduce us to how much Shakespeare we already knew. Hats off to amazing teachers!

[okornot]

09:21 PM on 03/15/2010

today's my birthday

[Pyfagorus]

09:55 PM on 03/15/2010

The Two Gentlemen of Verona? Richard III? I give up.

[naschkatze]

09:56 PM on 03/15/2010

You sound so forlorn that you're breaking my heart. HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

[Earl]

08:32 PM on 03/15/2010

What? Hey ho a rat! Dead for a ducat, dead!