So today my friend and I were talking about the various Shakespeare plays we're reading in school, and I told him that in my English class we're currently doing Hamlet, and in my Literature class, we're doing King Lear. I mentioned that it was neat to be doing what are generally considered to be Shakespeare's two greatest plays.
He said that he thought Romeo & Juliet was probably held in higher regard, because it was quoted the most. I said that Hamlet is probably quoted even more, and that I never realized just how many turns-of-phrase evolved from lines in that one play until we started reading it.
He said "Like what?", so I said "Oh, you know..."
- To be or not to be
- Frailty, thy name is 'woman'
- Something is rotten in the state of Denmark
- There be method to my madness
- All your base are belong to us
At the last one he turns and says "Oh, really?". I just sort of looked at him for a few seconds until he realized and said "Oh...ha ha. Right.".
8)