No writer is more celebrated than William Shakespeare. His plays and poems transformed literature, culture, and even the English language itself. Such a man should leave this life by writing his own […]
Shakespeare’s Final Blessing and Curse
How to Write 100,000,000,000,000 Poems
A sonnet is a one-stanza, 14-line poem, written in iambic pentameter. William Shakespeare wrote 154 sonnets, all of which are required reading for students of great literature. Shakespeare may be the most […]
A Most-Notable Bevy of Scurvy-Laden Shakespearean Insults
When it comes to upper body strength, athletic ability, and eyesight, this writer was born in the shallow end of the gene pool. Since scrawny, awkward kids with thick glasses are prime […]
Some of the Best Things that Didn’t Get Said
One of the most effective ways to illustrate a point is to use a profound quote from a great historical figure. While there is no shortage of such gems, there are a […]
Words That No Longer Mean What They Used To
Everyone reading this is a girl. You lived much of your life in the Matrix. You’re really not all that fantastic; in fact, you’re really quite awful. Even before you were born, […]
Did a Missing Constitutional Amendment Take Away the Citizenship of All Lawyers?
“The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers!” (Henry VI, Part 2, Act IV, Scene 2). When William Shakespeare wrote those infamous words about lawyers in 1591, he parodied the […]
Doggie Hamlet Brought to You By Your Tax Dollars
“There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy.” (“Hamlet”, Act I, Scene 5) When Shakespeare wrote those immortal words, one wonders if even he […]
Could an Infinite Number of Monkeys Really Reproduce the Works of Shakespeare?
It has been said that if you give enough monkeys enough time to peck away at typewriters, they will eventually, through random chance, reproduce the works of William Shakespeare. That’s an interesting […]
Is Shakespeare Mentioned in the Bible?
The Publishers’ Circular of January 11, 1902, contained a brief article that triggered a renewed interest in the most-read English author and the best-selling book of all time. It triggered a debate […]
Shakespeare’s Role in a Real-Life Birdemic
No one who has ever watched Birdemic: Shock and Terror would ever equate the name of William Shakespeare with the movie. The film, widely regarded as one of the worst movies ever made, […]
Words Created by William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was unquestionably one of the greatest influencers of English literature. He was also an unequaled contributor to the English language itself. Many of the words you have used in the […]
Adams and Jefferson Take a Piece of Shakespeare With Them
In March of 1786, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson traveled to England as diplomats of the newly-independent United States of America. While there, they engaged in a little sightseeing — and a […]
A Little Latin Could Get Your Neck Out of a Noose
Originally posted on English-Language Thoughts:
I had the increasingly rare pleasure of learning a new expression today: neck-verse. I was reading the prologue of the book 1599: A Year in the Life…
Where Did the Knock Knock Joke Start? Verily, the Answer May Surprise Thee
William Shakespeare did more than write the most famous plays and sonnets in English literature and contribute more than 1,700 words to the English language. He can also claim credit for inventing […]
From the Hand of the Bard
Some of the most beautiful and inspiring words in the English language have come from the hand of William Shakespeare. 422 words were added to English by his fertile and creative mind. […]
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