Origin of Once More Unto the Breach This phrase appears in Act-III, Scene-I of Shakespeare’s play, Henry V. The scene begins in the middle of the blockade of Harfleur, as King Henry’s army has blown up some French fortifications. He…
Tag: shakespeare
My Kingdom for a Horse
Origin of My Kingdom for a Horse This famous phrase originally occurred in Act-V, Scene-IV of William Shakespeare’s play, Richard III. Here, King Richard III yells out loudly this famous phrase, “A horse, a horse! My kingdom for a horse!”…
Neither a Borrower Nor a Lender Be
Origin of Neither a Borrower Nor a Lender Be This is a famous phrase said by Polonius in Act-I, Scene-III of William Shakespeare’s play, Hamlet. The character Polonius counsels his son Laertes before he embarks on his visit to Paris.…
All the World’s a Stage
Origin of All the World’s a Stage Like several other phrases, this phrase was coined by William Shakespeare. Jacques has spoken this famous phrase in Act-II, Scene-VII of the play As You Like It. He says, “All the world’s a…
Alas, Poor Yorick!
Origin of Alas, Poor Yorick! This phrase occurs in Hamlet, a popular play by William Shakespeare. The main character Hamlet says this phrase when he is with Horatio, speaking to the gravedigger. He looks around the dead bodies and finds…
A Rose by any Other Name
Origin of A Rose by Any Other Name The real origin of this phrase is unknown, but it is said that it was coined by William Shakespeare. In Act-II, Scene-II of Shakespeare’s play, Romeo and Juliet, Juliet says this phrase…
A Pound of Flesh
Origin of Pound of Flesh The origin of this phrase is taken from William Shakespeare’s play, Merchant of Venice. The character Portia says this line on the insistence of Shylock, the Jew, for the payment of Antonio’s flesh, which is…
Fair is Foul, Foul is Fair
Origin of Fair is Foul, Foul is Fair This phrase pervades Shakespeare’s entire play, Macbeth, reminding the audience they need to look deeper in order to understand the thoughts and actions of the characters. Though it first appears in the…
Frailty, Thy Name is Woman
Origin of Frailty, Thy Name is Woman Hamlet, the hero of Shakespeare’s masterpiece Hamlet, utters this famous phrase in Act 1, Scene II. In fact, he is recalling the beautiful memories of his mother and deceased father. He mourns the…
Wherefore Art Thou Romeo
Origin of Wherefore Art Thou Romeo This phrase is filled with the emotional agony of the speaker, Juliet, in William Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet. Juliet says: “O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo Deny thy father and refuse thy…
To Thine Own Self Be True
Origin of To Thine Own Self Be True This phrase is one of the countless famous quotes coined by William Shakespeare. In Act 1, Scene III of the famous play, Hamlet, Polonius says: “This above all: to thine own self…
The Fault, Dear Brutus
Origin of The Fault, Dear Brutus Cassius, a Roman nobleman, uttered this phrase when he was talking to his friend, Brutus, in Shakespeare’s play Julius Caesar. The phrase goes, “The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars / But…
Et Tu, Brute?
Origin of Et Tu, Brute “Et Tu, Brute?” are perhaps the most popular three words ever written, uttered in literature, and then quoted in different contexts. This phrase also comes from the genius of Shakespeare. It occurs in his play,…
Brevity is the Soul of Wit
Origin of Brevity is the Soul of Wit It is one of the countless phrases coined by William Shakespeare. It appears in his play, Hamlet, in the second act, where Polonius says, “Since brevity is the soul of wit /…
10 Memorable Uses of Apostrophe by Shakespeare
What is an Apostrophe? Apostrophe is one of the more elusive literary devices and presents students with difficulty in identifying its usage. Not to be confused with the punctuation mark of the same name, apostrophe is a rhetorical device used…
