Shakespeare Quotes: 30 Best Lines on Life, Love, and Motivation


Pensador Editorial Team
Created and reviewed by our editors

William Shakespeare (1564–1616), often celebrated as the greatest English-speaking writer of all time, is renowned for his timeless works like Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, and A Midsummer Night's Dream. His quotes on life, love, and human nature have shaped the English language and continue to inspire readers worldwide.

From profound reflections to witty observations, Shakespeare's words remain as relevant today as they were in his time, offering wisdom and insight for every generation.

Shakespeare Quotes on Life

Presume not that I am the thing I was;
For God doth know, so shall the world perceive,
That I have turned away my former self;
So will I those who kept me company.

William Shakespeare - Henry IV, Part Two

The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.  William Shakespeare — As You Like It

The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.

William Shakespeare — As You Like It

Love all, trust a few,
Do wrong to none: be able for thine enemy
Rather in power than use; and keep your friend
Under your own life's key: be checked for silence,
But never tax'd for speech.

William Shakespeare - All's Well That Ends Well

We know what we are, but not what we may be.

William Shakespeare - Hamlet

To be, or not to be: that is the question

William Shakespeare - Hamlet

Shakespeare's way of looking at life is about how people change and grow over time. He thinks it's important to be humble and know your limits, to love and trust carefully, and to always do what's right. He also talks about how life can be confusing and hard sometimes, and how we all have to figure out what's indispensable to us. But he also believes in being kind and hopeful, showing that even small acts of goodness can make a big difference in the world.

Listen to many, speak to a few.

William Shakespeare, Hamlet

Conscience doth make cowards of us all.

William Shakespeare - Hamlet

How far that little candle throws its beams! So shines a good deed in a weary world.

William Shakespeare - The Merchant of Venice

Shakespeare Quotes on Love

Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind;
And therefore is wing'd Cupid painted blind.

William Shakespeare - A Midsummer Night's Dream

Love is heavy and light, bright and dark, hot and cold, sick and healthy, asleep and awake — it is everything except what it is! (Act 1, scene 1)  William Shakespeare - Romeo & Juliet

Love is heavy and light, bright and dark, hot and cold, sick and healthy, asleep and awake — it is everything except what it is! (Act 1, scene 1)

William Shakespeare - Romeo & Juliet

Doubt thou the stars are fire;
Doubt that the sun doth move;
Doubt truth to be a liar;
But never doubt I love.

William Shakespeare - Hamlet

My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
My love as deep; the more I give to you,
The more I have, for both are infinite.

William Shakespeare - Romeo and Juliet

The course of true love never did run smooth

William Shakespeare- A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Shakespeare's reflections on love paint a symphony of emotions, interweaving together the tragic and the tender. He perceives love not merely as a visual delight but as a harmonious blend of hearts and minds, resonating in the depths of our souls. Through his timeless prose, he unveils love's difficult dance, where each step reveals both the ecstasy of connection and the challenges of understanding. In his eloquence, Shakespeare urges us to cherish love where it finds a home, to nurture its boundless depths, and to marvel at its kaleidoscopic hues of joy and struggle. His words echo the eternal truth that love, like a radiant candle, illuminates the path through life's shadows, casting a gentle glow that transcends time and circumstance.

Don't waste your love on somebody, who doesn't value it.

William Shakespeare - Romeo and Juliet

Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

William Shakespeare- Romeo & Juliet

Shakespeare Quotes For Motivation

O, wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world,
That has such people in't!

William Shakespeare- The Tempest

There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.

William Shakespeare--Hamlet

This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man.  William Shakespeare — Hamlet

This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.

William Shakespeare — Hamlet

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,

William Shakespeare- Macbeth

Shakespeare's take on motivation shows the inherent talents of people while highlighting the significant impact of mindset on how we live. He highlights the importance of staying true to oneself, cautioning against being driven solely by ambition without finding deeper meaning. Shakespeare urges overcoming doubts and fears to pursue goals with courage, while also advising patience and thoughtful planning in navigating life's journey.

Our doubts are traitors,
and make us lose the good we oft might win,
by fearing to attempt.

William Shakespeare- Measure for Measure

Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast.

William Shakespeare- Romeo and Juliet

Shakespeare Quotes On Existence

All's well that ends well.

William Shakespeare- All's Well That Ends Well

What's done cannot be undone.

William Shakespeare- Macbeth

The breaking of so great a thing should make
A greater crack: the round world
Should have shook lions into civil streets,
And citizens to their dens.

William Shakespeare - Antony and Cleopatra

Be not afraid of greatness. Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and others have greatness thrust upon them.

William Shakespeare - Twelfth Night

The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.  William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves.

William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar

Hell is empty and all the devils are here.

William Shakespeare - The Tempest

Shakespeare's insights into existence reveal a deep understanding of life's complicated dynamics. He acknowledges that some things are beyond our control once they occur and that greatness can manifest in various ways, be it innate, through hard work, or as a result of unexpected circumstances. His works also delve into the challenges we face, the emotions we experience, and the importance of taking responsibility for our actions. Shakespeare's ideas highlight the constant flux of life, with its ups and downs, while also exploring themes of destiny, choice, and the intricate interplay of joy and adversity that define the human experience.

Give sorrowful words; the grief that does not speak knits up the o-er wrought heart and bids it break.

William Shakespeare, Macbeth

In time we hate that which we often fear.

William Shakespeare-Antony and Cleopatra

Men in rage strike those who wish them better.

William Shakespeare - Othello

Recommended for You

Pensador Editorial Team
Pensador has a team of writers, editors, experts, and enthusiasts to produce, organize, and review content.