I have nothing new to write about William Shakespeare, the 16th century genius who revolutionized the world of literature. Still popularly and admirably known as The Bard, Shakespeare has given the world, among many gems, certain slogans that are being used in everyday journalism almost to excess, even after four centuries. The fact of the matter is that while anyone is free to use their quotes, overuse often kills the true essence of the situation in which they were originally used. Here are three examples of those world famous phrases.
To be or not to be, that is the question
The most powerful soliloquy of “Hamlet” could have given the world of words the most commonly used phrase adapted for various settings. In fact, the use of this phrase has become so mundane that even for very small things, like if you must cook vegetables today, people tend to use this sentence as a representation of some kind of dilemma. The phrase was originally written around the moral question of life and death, about whether embracing death on the grounds of escaping the bitterness of life is the right thing to do. Therefore, it would probably be wise to reserve this quote for use in extremely critical decisions that are immensely difficult to make, rather than including it just to demonstrate your knowledge of popular quotes.
And you, Brutus?
Other variations of this famous “Julius Caesar” quote include “You too, Brutus?”, “Even you, Brutus?”, Etc. Although there are debates about the use of this statement as a work by other authors before Shakespeare, it is still Bard’s work that made the statement so well known and widely used. The original statement depicts the violent betrayal and betrayal that resulted in the death of a leader. However, in today’s journalism and also in day-to-day speeches, we find that this phrase is often used in scenarios that involve betrayals of the slightest importance. The strong emotion of betrayal evoked through this phrase does not always coincide with trivial activities in human social life.
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark
Another gem from “Hamlet”, although not as widely used as statement number one above, is still very popular. A representation of the first realization of serious situations and impending doom, this statement is not suitable to be used for scenarios that arise from barely affected conditions, such as heavy rain one night (that does not cause much damage). Although apt to describe turbulent political conditions, it could also potentially well be used to predict natural catastrophes, massive alteration of animal habitat, and other incidents on such a scale.
There are other generic Bard statements, for example “All the World’s a Stage” from the captivating play “The Merchant of Venice”, which are suitable for use in a wider range of settings. Even then, it’s best not to overdo them and save them for truly special occasions, in order to preserve their beauty.
