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Top 10 Phrases
- 1. Phrases coined by Shakespeare MayLee World Lit: Block C
- 2. Background Information Shakespeare wasnever able to receive proper education at university, nor get mentored under an experienced artist, nor get married to the wealthy His career as a playwright heavily depended on royal patronage- another reason for his success Despite these limitations, Shakespeare went on to becoming considered as one of the greatest playwrights Along the way, many of his lines and sayings caught on and became very widespread
- 3. Why did itbecome popular? His plays were reproduced in large theaters- significantly and very frequently The people found a common ground for appreciating his work Attracted people from all types of backgrounds- plays in which everyone could enjoy and watch His works became popularized in schools and was taught as rhetoric His allusions and quotes were referred to in newspapers and in other forms of text
- 4. To be, ornot to be: that is the question. Play: Hamlet http://www.thevancouvermovers.ca/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/Man-With-Question-01.png Context: “To be or not to be: that is the question.” Hamlet asks himself whether the uncertainties of death outweighs the pain of life. Meaning: Is it better to be alive or dead? Modern-Day Use: “To be, or not to be: that is the question.”
- 5. Strange Bedfellows Play: TheTempest Context: Trinculo finds shelter in the house of a mysterious creature. He wonders if this mysterious creature is a man or a fish. Meaning: unlikely or unexpected alliances Modern-Day Use: Political leaders make strange bedfellows.
- 6. Cruel to bekind Play: Hamlet Context: “I must be cruel only to be kind.” Hamlet accidentally killed Polonius, and he is clueless of his how future is going to turn out. Meaning: To be helpful but viewed as being hurtful Modern-Day Use: Being cruel to be kind is good, but telling a girl that she looks fat in a dress is unacceptable.
- 7. Green-Eyed Monster Play: Othello Context: VillainIago makes Othello doubt his wife’s faithfulness. At the same time, he is also pretending to advise Othello, “O, beware, my lord, of jealousy! / It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock.” Meaning: To be envious or jealous Modern-Day Use: The green-eyed monster is the bane of all relationships.
- 8. In a Pickle Play:The Tempest Context: King Alonso asks Trinculo, his jester, “How camest thou in this pickle?" The drunk jester, who is in deep troublereplies, “"I have been in such a pickle since I saw you last..." Meaning: To be placed in an unwanted or difficult situation Modern-Day Use: She is in a pickle because she has none of her homework completed.
- 9. Love is Blind Play:The Merchant of Venice Context: Jessica, who is disguised as a boy, is embarrassed to see her beloved Lorenzo. However, she realizes that Lorenzo’s view of her will not change and says, “But love is blind and lovers cannot see...” Meaning: Two meanings- Though love helps the the flaws become overlooked, it may be blinding to serious situations Modern-Day Use: She believes love is blind; she is letting her boyfriend steal from her!
- 10. Wild Goose Chase Play: Romeoand Juliet Context: Mercutio compares his exchange of jokes with Romeo to a wild goose chase. During Shakespeare’s time, wild good chase was a famous cross-country horse race. Meaning: A complicated search or pointless pursuit. Modern-Day Use: She is on a wild goose chase looking for her lost daughter.
- 11. Wear My Hearton My Sleeves My Sleeves Play: Othello http://danienglish.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/heart-sleeve.jpg Context: Villain Iago, who is planning his betrayal to Othello says, “But I will wear my heart on my sleeves.” Meaning: To reveal feelings without hiding it Modern-Day Use: He wore his heart on his sleeves when he proposed to her.
- 12. There’s the Rub Play:Hamlet, during his famous “to be or not to be” soliloquy Context: “ay, there’s the rub.” The prince acknowledges that death will not bring a halt to his hardship; the dead may still be disturbed by dreams. Meaning: the problem or cause Modern-Day Use: There’s the rub- how are you going to earn enough money in time?
- 13. Salad Days Play: Antonyand Cleopatra Context: Cleopatra recalls her “salad days” when she was in a relationship with Caesar. Meaning: a person’s youth (pinnacle in life) Modern-Day Use: She was named prom queen in her salad days.
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