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William Shakespeare.

Is there a person in this world that has not heard that name?

Four centuries after his death, people still celebrate him as one of the best writers of all times.

He was born in 1564, and lived for 52 fruitful years, during which he left an inerasable mark on literary history.

The exact day when he was born is unknown, but at least we know that he was baptized on the 26th of April, so he must have been born at the beginning of the year.

When he was only 18, he got married and had three children.

However, no one knows much about his private life since not many records about it are available.

This has provoked people to question his identity and everything connected to it: his beliefs, his appearance, as well as something more intimate like his sexuality.

The quest for Shakespeare’s identity is at times called the greatest literary mystery of all time and it has provoked many debates throughout the years.

Maybe the most critical question when it comes to a literary context that has ever been asked is the Shakespeare authorship question.

Many people believe that the true Shakespeare was, in fact, a commoner, and the man that we attribute these literary works to was only a mask for the author who for some reason did not want to accept credit for what he wrote.

The reason that has fueled such beliefs is what we mentioned as scarce personal biography, which does not make any sense if you just think about his legendary status as a writer.

This question seems to provoke the public more than it provokes scholars, and Shakespeareologists dismiss these claims and do not put too much thought into it.

Although his identity is an exciting mystery (that even was the source of one Hollywood movie), we are more interested in all the contributions he made to the world of literature.

What is interesting about Shakespeare is that he is both a literary genius and highly commercial.

Shakespeare’s thoughts are widely quoted, sometimes even without people knowing where they are deriving from.

Speaking of which, in today’s post we will make a selection of some of the most powerful and memorable Shakespeare love quotes.

Sadly we do not know much about his life, so we cannot be certain about whether the thoughts we will quote are the author’s or they belong to his plays’ characters.

But, no matter who spoke them, they are revealing deep and perennial truths about the world, as well as about the nature of love.

Let’s start with a selection of the most famous quotes that this genius ever penned.

William Shakespeare Love Quotes – Top 10

That was a pretty fine collection, wasn’t it?

To be honest, it was a tough pick.

Thankfully, we are nowhere near done!

Shakespeare has penned so many plays during his career, that we have enough material to keep going.

He was such a big figure that a whole subject was created around his writings, called Shakespearology, that many modern universities offer in their syllabus. One would expect that since he has made up various words that we know use in our everyday language like addiction, or fashionable, as well as many more.

If you just read his plays, you will understand that this man was wise and he had something to say. He always examines unchanging and everlasting subjects such as love, hate and revenge.

But until you take a sip of the fine Shakespeare juices, he has spilled in his plays, enjoy yourself with some more quotes about love and all the truths surrounding it.

Quotes by William Shakespeare – Romeo and Juliet

My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me, that I must love a loathed enemy.

Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, That I shall say good night till it be morrow.

See how she leans her cheek upon her hand, O that I were a glove upon that hand that I might touch that cheek!

Under love’s heavy burden do I sink.

Is love a tender thing? it is too rough, Too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn.

O, swear not by the moon,  th’ inconstant moon, that monthly changes in her circle orb, lest that thy love prove likewise variable. Don’t swear by the moon.

Quotes by William Shakespeare – All’s Well When It Ends Well

But love that comes too late, like a remorseful pardon slowly carried, to the great sender turns a sour offence.

Quotes by William Shakespeare – A Midsummer’s Night Dream

My heart is true as steel.

And yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep little company together nowadays.

Cupid is a knavish lad, thus to make poor females mad.

This passion, and the death of a dear friend, would go near to make a man look sad.

I am amazed and know not what to say.

Good night, sweet friend: thy love ne’er alter, till thy sweet life end.

Quotes by William Shakespeare – Much Ado About Nothing

Some Cupid kills with arrows, some with traps.

Speak low, if you speak love.

That I neither feel how she should be loved nor know how she should be worthy is the opinion that fire cannot melt out of me. I will die in it at the stake.

Quotes by William Shakespeare – Hamlet

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

I loved Ophelia. Forty thousand brothers could not, with all their quantity of love, make up my sum.

Quotes by William Shakespeare – Twelfth Night

If music be the food of love, play on. 

Love sought is good, but giv’n unsought is better.

Quotes by William Shakespeare – As You Like It

All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.

Men have died from time to time, and worms have eaten them, but not for love.

We that are true lovers run into strange capers. But as all is mortal in nature, so is all nature in love mortal in folly.

No sooner met but they looked, no sooner looked but they loved, no sooner loved but they sighed, no sooner sighed but they asked one another the reason.

Quotes by William Shakespeare – Antony and Cleopatra

Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have Immortal longings in me.

Music, moody food of us that trade in love.

The stroke of death is as a lover’s pinch which hurts and is desired.

 There’s beggary in the love that can be reckoned.

Quotes by William Shakespeare – The Two Gentlemen of Verona

For he was more than over shoes in love.

They do not love that do not show their love.

Quotes by William Shakespeare – The Merchant of Venice

And swearing till my very roof was dry with oaths of love.

Quotes by William Shakespeare – Sonnets

Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds, or bends with the remover to remove.

In black ink my love may still shine bright.

The worst was this: my love was my decay.

Cupid laid by his brand and fell asleep.

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, but bears it out even to the edge of doom.

Final Notes

We are finishing this article with a feeling of unease – there are so many more quotes that are worth mentioning.

But, some of them are better understood when read in context.

Shakespeare’s plays have survived so long because they carry truths about the world that never change.

So, how about we give you a dare of some kind: read some of his plays and try to find quotable lines yourself?

I believe you will enjoy the task since it is impossible not to enjoy Shakespeare.

Emir Zecovic

Emir is the Head of Marketing at 12min. In his spare time, he loves to meditate and play soccer.