Merchant Of Venice Quotes

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

  William Shakespeare

  Positive, Kindness, Naughty

  William Shakespeare (1936). “The Merchant of Venice”, p.46, CUP Archive

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• I hold the world but as the world, Gratiano; A stage where every man must play a part, And mine is a sad one.

  William Shakespeare

  Men, Play, Venice

  'The Merchant of Venice' (1596-8) act 1, sc. 1, l. 77

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• If I can catch him once upon the hip, I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.

  William Shakespeare

  Revenge, Shylock, Bears

  'The Merchant of Venice' (1596-8) act 1, sc. 3, l. [42]

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• Now, infidel, I have you on the hip!

  William Shakespeare

  Infidelity, Hips, Merchants

  William Shakespeare (1869). “The Merchant of Venice”, p.90

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• So may the outward shows be least themselves: The world is still deceived with ornament. In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt, But, being seasoned with a gracious voice, Obscures the show of evil? In religion, What damned error, but some sober brow Will bless it and approve it with a text, Hiding the grossness with fair ornament? There is no vice so simple but assumes Some mark of virtue on his outward parts.

  William Shakespeare

  Simple, Errors, Law

  'The Merchant of Venice' (1596-8) act 3, sc. 2, l. 73

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• Bassanio: Do all men kill all the things they do not love? Shylock: Hates any man the thing he would not kill? Bassanio: Every offence is not a hate at first.

  William Shakespeare

  Hate, Men, Venice

  William Shakespeare, Roma Gill (2001). “The Merchant of Venice”, p.69, Barron's Educational Series

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• Gratiano speaks an infinite deal of nothing, more than any man in all Venice. His reasons are as two grains of wheat hid in two bushels of chaff: you shall seek all day ere you find them, and when you have them, they are not worth the search.

  William Shakespeare

  Men, Two, Venice

  'The Merchant of Venice' (1596-8) act 1, sc. 1, l. 114

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• How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank! Here will we sit, and let the sounds of music Creep in our ears; soft stillness and the night Become the touches of sweet harmony. Sit, Jessica: look, how the floor of heaven Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold; There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st But in his motion like an angel sings, Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubins. Such harmony is in immortal souls; But whilst this muddy vesture of decay Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it.

  William Shakespeare

  Sweet, Sleep, Angel

  'The Merchant of Venice' (1596-8) act 5, sc. 1, l. 54

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• By my soul I swear, there is no power in the tongue of man to alter me.

  William Shakespeare

  Men, Soul, Tongue

  William Shakespeare, William Harness, William Gilmore Simms (1842). “The Complete Works of William Shakspeare”, p.205

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• All things that are, are with more spirit chased than enjoyed.

  William Shakespeare

  Spirit, Anticipation, All Things

  William Shakespeare (1805). “The Comedy of the Merchant of Venice ...”, p.92

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• So shines a good deed... in a weary world.

  Gene Wilder

  Thank You, Veterans Day, Helping Others

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• In sooth I know not why I am so sad. It wearies me, you say it wearies you; But how I caught it, found it, or came by it, What stuff 'tis made of, whereof it is born, I am to learn.

  William Shakespeare

  Venice, Stuff, Born

  'The Merchant of Venice' (1596-8) act 1, sc. 1, l. 1

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• These blessed candles of the night.

  William Shakespeare

  Blessed, Night, Candle

  'The Merchant of Venice' (1596-8) act 5, sc. 1, l. 220

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• The moon shines bright. In such a night as this. When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees and they did make no noise, in such a night.

  William Shakespeare

  Sweet, Kissing, Moon

  'The Merchant of Venice' (1596-8) act 5, sc. 1, l. 1

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• My meaning in saying he is a good man, is to have you understand me that he is sufficient.

  William Shakespeare

  Memorable, Men, Good Man

  William Shakespeare, Edmond Malone, James Boswell, Mr. Theobald (Lewis), Samuel Johnson (1821). “The Plays and Poems of William Shakspeare: With the Corrections and Illustrations of Various Commentators”, p.24

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• Hanging and wiving goes by destiny.

  William Shakespeare

  Marriage, Destiny

  1596-7 Nerissa.TheMerchant ofVenice, act 2, sc.9, l.81-2.

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• There's not the smallest orb which thou behold'st But in his motion like an angel sings.

  William Shakespeare

  Inspiration, Angel, Orbs

  1596-7 Lorenzo to Jessica.TheMerchant ofVenice, act 5, sc.1, l.58-61.

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• In law, what plea so tainted and corrupts, but being seasoned with a gracious voice obscures the show of evil.

  William Shakespeare

  Law, Voice, Venice

  'The Merchant of Venice' (1596-8) act 3, sc. 2, l. 73

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• If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not
  As to thy friends; for when did friendship take
  A breed for barren metal of his friend?

  William Shakespeare

  Real, Shylock, Barren

  1596-7 Antonio to Shylock.TheMerchant ofVenice, act1, sc.3, l.130-3.

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• It is a good divine that follows his own instructions.

  William Shakespeare

  Following Instructions, Advice, Palaces

  'The Merchant of Venice' (1596-8) act 1, sc. 2, l. [13]

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• Affection, mistress of passion, sways it to the mood of what it likes or loathes.

  William Shakespeare

  Passion, Venice, Mistress

  William Shakespeare (1842). “The Comedies, Histories, Tragedies, and Poems of William Shakspere”, p.323

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• I may neither choose who I would, nor refuse who I dislike; so is the will of a living daughter curbed by the will of a dead father.

  William Shakespeare

  Daughter, Father, May

  William Shakespeare (2016). “The New Oxford Shakespeare: Modern Critical Edition: The Complete Works”, p.1216, Oxford University Press

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• Now is the winter of our discontent.

  William Shakespeare

  Summer, Winter, Most Memorable

  'Richard III' (1591) act 1, sc. 1, l. 1

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• I beseech you,
  Wrest once the law to your authority:
  To do a great right, do a little wrong.

  William Shakespeare

  Law, Justice, Littles

  'The Merchant of Venice' (1596-8) act 4, sc. 1, l. [215]

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• There are a sort of men, whose visages
  Do cream and mantle, like a standing pond;
  And do a willful stillness entertain,
  With purpose to be dressed in an opinion
  Of wisdom, gravity profound conceit;
  As who should say, I am sir Oracle,
  And when I ope my lips, let no dog bark!

  William Shakespeare

  Wisdom, Dog, Men

  'The Merchant of Venice' (1596-8) act 1, sc. 1, l. 88

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