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Shakespeare is undoubtedly the greatest English writer in history, and it's no wonder that his works are frequently misquoted. Whether due to faulty recollections or the repetition of hearsay, many famous Shakespearean quotes are, in reality, distorted versions of his original words. This list will help to correct those misunderstandings.
1 Misquotes 1 – 5
1. From “The Life and Death of King John”
Misquote: “Gild the lily” Actual Quote: “To gild refined gold, to paint the lily”.
This is one of those odd misquotes in which the meaning remains essentially the same – though, clearly, Shakespeare’s actual quote is stronger due to the doubling up of the point.
2. From: “Macbeth”
Misquote: “Lead on, Macduff” Actual Quote: “Lay on, Macduff, and damned be him who first cries ‘Hold! enough!’”
The misquote here suggests that Macbeth wants Macduff to begin moving in to fight. The actual quote is more emphatic, and shows us that Macbeth wants Macduff to begin fighting immediately.
3. From: “Macbeth”
Misquote: “Bubble bubble, toil and trouble.” Actual Quote: “Double, double toil and trouble.”
It’s worth noting that a Disney film popularized the misquote with the line: “Bubble bubble toil and trouble, leave this island on the double.” This may have contributed to the widespread misconception today. The witches, however, were actually calling for “double” the trouble and toil.
4. From: “Hamlet”
Misquote: “Methinks the lady doth protest too much” Actual Quote: “The lady doth protest too much, methinks.”
This is another well-known misquote often attributed to Shakespeare. It's one of the most frequently heard distortions of his words.
5. Source: “Hamlet”
Misquote: “Alas, poor Yorick. I knew him well.” Actual Quote: “Alas, poor Yorick. I knew him, Horatio – a man of infinite jest, of most excellent imagination.”
2 Misquotes 6 – 10
6. Source: “Hamlet”
Common Misquote: “The rest is science” Actual Quote: “The rest is silence”
7. Source: “Romeo and Juliet”
Common Misquote: “A rose by any other name smells just as sweet.” Actual Quote: “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet.”
8. Source: “Richard III”
Common Misquote: “Now is the winter of our discontent.” Actual Quote: “Now is the winter of our discontent / Made glorious summer by this sun of York.”
This is not so much a misquote as it is a misapplication; without the second line, the quote implies “the winter of our discontent is occurring now,” but when the second line is included, the intended meaning becomes “the winter of our discontent has now turned into a glorious summer” – which is the opposite of the common interpretation.
9. Source: “Falstaff”
Common Misquote: “Discretion is the better part of valour.” Actual Quote: “The better part of valour is discretion.”
10. Source: “Hamlet”
Common Misquote: “To the manor born” Actual Quote: “but to my mind,—though I am native here and to the manner born,—it is a custom more honour’d in the breach than the observance.” (referring to drunken carousing).
While this may sound similar, the true meaning is quite different – in Hamlet, the phrase refers to being highly skilled, so much so that it seems as though you were born with that ability.
Bonus. Source: Romeo and Juliet
Quote: “Romeo, Romeo… Wherefore art thou Romeo?”
This isn’t a misquote (though some may incorrectly insert a comma after “thou”). The real confusion lies in the common misunderstanding of “wherefore” as “where.” In reality, “wherefore” means “why.” Juliet is questioning why Romeo is a Montague, an enemy of her family.
