Words we still use from Shakespeare!

This week marks both the death and supposed birth of the greatest writer of the English language, William Shakespeare.  He was born in 1564 and died in 1616 and whilst much about him is sometimes doubted such as his birthday, sexuality or even actual identity; what can’t be questioned is the fact that he gave the world some of the finest works of fictional literature.

His works remain classics to this day though we are used to hearing his beautiful prose spoken by actors in the very finest Queens English, originally of course they would have been performed by actors speaking a West-Midlands and almost Brummie accent.  For those overseas readers who don’t know what a Birmingham accent sounds like, this is about as far from the accent of Sir Patrick Stewart or Sir Ian McKellen as imaginable and something like having someone from New York speak with a very deep Texan drawl.

Though I won’t go into his various plays, his life or the huge influence he has had on later writers and even musicians in this post, what I’d like to share are some of the dozens and dozens of words and phrases which he invented or at least was the first to write-down that we still use today on a daily basis.

As Shakespeare would say, don’t get in a pickle, this isn’t too much of a good thing and though I got some of this list from this weeks Independent Newspaper, I haven’t eaten them out of house and home.

– “For goodness sake” – Henry VIII

– “Neither here not there” – Othello

– “Arch Villain” – Timon of Athens

– “Mum’s the word” – Henry VI, Part II

– “Eaten out of house and home” – Henry IV, Part II

– “Rant” – Hamlet

– “Hot blooded” – King Lear

– “Knock knock! Who’s there?” – Macbeth

– “All’s well that ends well” – All’s Well That Ends Well

– “With bated breath” – The Merchant of Venice

– “A wild goose chase” – Romeo and Juliet

– “Assassination” – Macbeth

– “Too much of a good thing” – As You Like It

– “A heart of gold” – Henry V

– “Such stuff as dreams are made on” – The Tempest

– “Fashionable” – Troilus and Cressida

– “What the dickens” – The Merry Wives of Windsor

– “Puking” – As You Like It

– “New Fangled” – Love’s Labour’s Lost

– “Lie low” – Much Ado About Nothing

– “Dead as a doornail” – Henry VI, Part II

– “Not slept one wink” – Cymbeline

– “Foregone conclusion” – Othello

– “The world’s mine oyster” – The Merry Wives of Windsor

– “Obscene” – Love’s Labour’s Lost

– “Swagger” – Henry V

– “Uncomfortable” – Romeo and Juliet

– “Bedazzled” – The Taming of the Shrew

– “In stitches” – Twelfth Night

– “Belongings” – Measure for Measure

– “Addiction” – Othello

– “Eventful” – As You Like It

– “Eyeball” – The Tempest

– “Naked truth” – Love’s Labour’s Lost

– “Faint-hearted” – Henry VI, Part I

– “Manager” – A Midsummer Night’s Dream

– “Send him packing” – Henry IV

– “Vanish into thin air” – Othello

– “Swagger” – Henry V

– “Own flesh and blood” – Hamlet

– “Truth will out” – The Merchant of Venice

– “Zany” – Love’s Labour’s Lost

– “Inaudible” – Alls Well That Ends Well

– “Give the devil his due” – Henry IV, Part I

– “Pageantry” – Pericles – Prince of Tyre

– “There’s method in my madness” – Hamlet

– “Salad days” – Antony and Cleopatra

– “Wear your heart on your sleeve” – Othello

– “Spotless reputation” – Richard II

– “Cold Blooded” – King John

– “Full circle” – King Lear

– “There’s the rub” – Hamlet

– “All of a sudden” – The Taming of the Shrew

– “Come what, come may” – Macbeth

To mark the 450th anniversary of the birth of William Shakespeare, a number of special events will be held both in his home town of Stratford Upon Avon, the U.K. and across the world. I am going there on Thursday so look forward to visiting all things Bard related again.