Shakespeare Quotations on Marriage Get thee a good husband, and use him as he uses thee.

(All's Well That Ends Well 1.1.212-13) If men could be contented to be what they are, there were no fear in marriage. (All's Well That Ends Well 1.3.5 ) ! young man married is a man that"s marr"d. (All's Well That Ends Well 2.3.2#$) %en are !&ril when they woo, 'ecember when they wed( maids are %ay when they are maids, but the s)y changes when they are wi*es. (As You Like It .1.13+-2) ,he fittest time to corru&t a man"s wife is when she"s fallen out with her husband. (Coriolanus .3.3+-2) -ith mirth in funeral and with dirge in marriage. (Hamlet 1.2.13) ,he instances that second marriage mo*e !re base res&ects of thrift, but none of lo*e. (Hamlet 3.2.1.5-/) %arriage is a matter of more worth ,han to be dealt in by attorneyshi&. (1 Henry VI 5.5.5+-1) 0or what is wedloc) forced but a hell, !n age of discord and continual strife1 -hereas the contrary bringeth bliss, !nd is a &attern of celestial &eace. (1 Henry VI 5.5./3-/) 2asty marriage seldom &ro*eth well. (3 Henry VI .1.1#) 2anging and wi*ing goes by destiny. (The Merchant o Venice 2.#..5) In lo*e the hea*ens themsel*es do guide the state3 %oney buys lands, and wi*es are sold by fate. (The Merry Wi!es o Windsor 5.5.225-/) In time the sa*age bull doth bear the yo)e. (Much Ado A"out #othin$ 1.1.2 3- )

,hou art sad3 get thee a wife, get thee a wife4 (Much Ado A"out #othin$ 5. .12/) ,he curse of marriage ,hat we can call these delicate creatures ours !nd not their a&&etites4 (%thello 3.3.2$2-3) I ha*e thrust myself into this ma5e, 2a&ly to wi*e and thri*e as best I may. (The Tamin$ o the &hre' 1.2.5/-$) ,hy husband is thy lord, thy life, thy )ee&er, ,hy head, thy so*ereign3 one that cares for thee, !nd for thy maintenance commits his body ,o &ainful labour both by sea and land, ,o watch the night in storms, the day in cold, -hilst thou liest warm at home, secure and safe3 !nd cra*es no other tribute at thy hands 6ut lo*e, fair loo)s and true obedience3 ,oo little &ayment for so great a debt. (The Tamin$ o the &hre' 5.2.1 5-53) -ho woo"d in haste and means to wed at leisure. (The Tamin$ o the &hre' 3.2.12) ,his is a way to )ill a wife with )indness. (The Tamin$ o the &hre' .1.1#$) I will be master of what is mine own( 7he is my goods, my chattels3 she is my house, %y household stuff, my field, my barn, %y horse, my o8, my ass, my any thing. (The Tamin$ o the &hre' 3.2.22.-31) 0ools are as li)e husbands as &ilchards are to herrings, the husband"s the bigger. (T'el th #i$ht 3(1(3)*+) Shakespeare Wedding Readings 7ha)es&eare"s &oetry has long been a fa*orite choice at weddings in 9orth !merica and :uro&e. 7onnet 11/ is the most &o&ular because it s&ea)s to the theme of marriage directly, but 7onnet 1., hailed as the greatest lo*e &oem e*er written in :nglish, comes a close second. ;lease clic) on the sonnet lin)s for detailed e8&lanatory notes.

<et me not to the marriage of true minds !dmit im&ediments. <o*e is not lo*e -hich alters when it alteration finds, =r bends with the remo*er to remo*e( = no4 it is an e*er-fi8ed mar) ,hat loo)s on tem&ests and is ne*er sha)en3 It is the star to e*ery wandering bar), -hose worth"s un)nown, although his height be ta)en. <o*e"s not ,ime"s fool, though rosy li&s and chee)s -ithin his bending sic)le"s com&ass come( <o*e alters not with his brief hours and wee)s, 6ut bears it out e*en to the edge of doom. If this be error and u&on me &ro*ed, I ne*er writ, nor no man e*er lo*ed. (7onnet 11/) 2e is the half &art of a blessed man, <eft to be finished by such as she3 !nd she a fair di*ided e8cellence, -hose fullness of &erfection lies in him. (>ing ?ohn, 2.1. $) %y bounty is as boundless as the sea, %y lo*e as dee&3 the more I gi*e to thee, ,he more I ha*e, for both are infinite. (@omeo and ?uliet, 2.2.13#- 1) 7hall I com&are thee to a summer"s day1 ,hou art more lo*ely and more tem&erate( @ough winds do sha)e the darling buds of %ay, !nd summer"s lease hath all too short a date( 7ometime too hot the eye of hea*en shines, !nd often is his gold com&le8ion dimm"d3 !nd e*ery fair from fair sometime declines, 6y chance or nature"s changing course untrimm"d3 6ut thy eternal summer shall not fade 9or lose &ossession of that fair thou owest3 9or shall 'eath brag thou wander"st in his shade, -hen in eternal lines to time thou growest( 7o long as men can breathe or eyes can see, 7o long li*es this and this gi*es life to thee. (7onnet 1.) =ne half of me is yours, the other half yours %ine own, I would say3 but if mine, then yours, !nd so all yours. (,he %erchant of Aenice, 3.2.1$-#)

! hea*en on earth I ha*e won by wooing thee. (!ll"s -ell ,hat :nds -ell, .2.$/) 'oubt thou the stars are fire3 'oubt that the sun doth mo*e3 'oubt truth to be a liar3 6ut ne*er doubt I lo*e. (2amlet, 2.2.123-/) ,he match -ere rich and honourable3 besides, the gentleman Is full of *irtue, bounty, worth and Bualities 6eseeming such a wife as your fair daughter (,he ,wo Gentlemen of Aerona, 3.1./ -$) 7uch is my lo*e, to thee I so belong, ,hat for thy right myself will bear all wrong. (7onnet ..) 6ut lo*e, first learned in a lady"s eyes, <i*es not alone immured in the brain3 6ut, with the motion of all elements, Courses as swift as thought in e*ery &ower, !nd gi*es to e*ery &ower a double &ower, !bo*e their functions and their offices. It adds a &recious seeing to the eye3 ! lo*er"s eyes will ga5e an eagle blind3 ! lo*er"s ear will hear the lowest sound, -hen the sus&icious head of theft is sto&&"d( <o*e"s feeling is more soft and sensible ,han are the tender horns of coc)l"d snails3 <o*e"s tongue &ro*es dainty 6acchus gross in taste( 0or *alour, is not <o*e a 2ercules, 7till climbing trees in the 2es&erides1 7ubtle as 7&hin83 as sweet and musical !s bright !&ollo"s lute, strung with his hair( !nd when <o*e s&ea)s, the *oice of all the gods %a)es hea*en drowsy with the harmony. 9e*er durst &oet touch a &en to write Dntil his in) were tem&er"d with <o*e"s sighs3 =, then his lines would ra*ish sa*age ears !nd &lant in tyrants mild humility. 0rom women"s eyes this doctrine I deri*e( ,hey s&ar)le still the right ;romethean fire3 ,hey are the boo)s, the arts, the academes, ,hat show, contain and nourish all the world(

:lse none at all in ought &ro*es e8cellent. (<o*e"s <abours <ost, .3.32$-55) 6ut earthlier ha&&y is the rose distill"d, ,han that which withering on the *irgin thorn Grows, li*es and dies in single blessedness. (! %idsummer 9ight"s 'ream, 1.1.$/-.) <o*e comforteth li)e sunshine after rain... <o*e"s gentle s&ring doth always fresh remain (Aenus and !donis) 2onour, riches, marriage-blessing, <ong continuance, and increasing, 2ourly Eoys be still u&on you4 ?uno sings her blessings u&on you. (,he ,em&est, .1.11$-2+) I lo*e thee so, that, maugre all thy &ride, 9or wit nor reason can my &assion hide. 'o not e8tort thy reasons from this clause, 0or that I woo, thou therefore hast no cause 6ut rather reason thus with reason fetter, <o*e sought is good, but gi*en unsought better. (,welfth 9ight, 3.1.151-/) 0or thy sweet lo*e remember"d such wealth brings ,hat then I scorn to change my state with )ings. (7onnet 2#) !ll days are nights to see till I see thee, !nd nights bright days when dreams do show thee me. (7onnet 3)

Shakespeare Quotations on Love 2ere is our collection of 7ha)es&eare"s most ins&ired and romantic &assages on lo*e and de*otion, &erfect for Aalentine"s 'ay or anytime you want to delight your lo*ed one with some un&aralleled &assionate &oetry. %y bounty is as boundless as the sea, %y lo*e as dee&3 the more I gi*e to thee, ,he more I ha*e, for both are infinite. (@omeo and ?uliet, 2.2)

<o*e is a smo)e raised with the fume of sighs3 6eing &urged, a fire s&ar)ling in lo*ers" eyes3 6eing *e8"d a sea nourish"d with lo*ers" tears( -hat is it else1 a madness most discreet, ! cho)ing gall and a &reser*ing sweet. (@omeo and ?uliet, 1.1) ,his bud of lo*e, by summer"s ri&ening breath, %ay &ro*e a beauteous flower when ne8t we meet. (@omeo and ?uliet, 2.2) 2ear my soul s&ea)( ,he *ery instant that I saw you, did %y heart fly to your ser*ice. (,he ,em&est, 3.1) ,hings base and *ile, folding no Buantity, <o*e can trans&ose to form and dignity( <o*e loo)s not with the eyes, but with the mind3 !nd therefore is wing"d Cu&id &ainted blind( 9or hath <o*e"s mind of any Eudgement taste3 -ings and no eyes figure unheedy haste( !nd therefore is <o*e said to be a child, 6ecause in choice he is so oft beguiled. (! %idsummer 9ight"s 'ream, 1.1) !s lo*e is full of unbefitting strains, !ll wanton as a child, s)i&&ing and *ain, 0orm"d by the eye and therefore, li)e the eye, 0ull of strange sha&es, of habits and of forms, Aarying in subEects as the eye doth roll ,o e*ery *aried obEect in his glance (<o*e"s <abour"s <ost, 5.2) 7o lo*ing to my mother, ,hat he might not beteem the winds of hea*en, Aisit her face" too roughly. (2amlet, 1.2) If thou remember"st not the slightest folly ,hat e*er lo*e did ma)e thee run into, ,hou hast not lo*ed. (!s Fou <i)e It, 2. ) -ho e*er lo*ed that lo*ed not at first sight1 (!s Fou <i)e It, 3.5)

<et me not to the marriage of true minds !dmit im&ediments. <o*e is not lo*e -hich alters when it alteration finds, =r bends with the remo*er to remo*e( = no4 it is an e*er-fi8ed mar) ,hat loo)s on tem&ests and is ne*er sha)en3 It is the star to e*ery wandering bar), -hose worth"s un)nown, although his height be ta)en. <o*e"s not ,ime"s fool, though rosy li&s and chee)s -ithin his bending sic)le"s com&ass come( <o*e alters not with his brief hours and wee)s, 6ut bears it out e*en to the edge of doom. If this be error and u&on me &ro*ed, I ne*er writ, nor no man e*er lo*ed. (7onnet 11/) :ternity was in our li&s and eyes, 6liss in our brows" bent3 none our &arts so &oor 6ut was a race of hea*en. (!ntony and Cleo&atra, 1.3) 'oubt thou the stars are fire3 'oubt that the sun doth mo*e3 'oubt truth to be a liar3 6ut ne*er doubt I lo*e. (2amlet, 2.2) -hen <o*e s&ea)s, the *oice of all the gods %a)es hea*en drowsy with the harmony. (<o*e"s <abour"s <ost, .3) 2a*e I caught thee, my hea*enly Eewel1 -hy, now let me die, for I ha*e li*ed long enough. (,he %erry -i*es of -indsor, 3.3) 7uch is my lo*e, to thee I so belong, ,hat for thy right myself will bear all wrong. (7onnet ..) 6ut lo*e, first learned in a lady"s eyes, <i*es not alone immured in the brain3 6ut, with the motion of all elements, Courses as swift as thought in e*ery &ower, !nd gi*es to e*ery &ower a double &ower, !bo*e their functions and their offices. (<o*e"s <abours <ost, .3)

7ee how she leans her chee) u&on her hand. = that I were a glo*e u&on that hand, ,hat I might touch that chee). (@omeo and ?uliet, 2.2) =ne half of me is yours, the other half yours %ine own, I would say3 but if mine, then yours, !nd so all yours. (,he %erchant of Aenice, 3.2) ,he sight of lo*ers feedeth those in lo*e. (!s Fou <i)e It, 3. ) I lo*e thee so, that, maugre all thy &ride, 9or wit nor reason can my &assion hide. 'o not e8tort thy reasons from this clause, 0or that I woo, thou therefore hast no cause 6ut rather reason thus with reason fetter, <o*e sought is good, but gi*en unsought better. (,welfth 9ight, 3.1) 6ut lo*e is blind, and lo*ers cannot see ,he &retty follies that themsel*es commit3 0or, if they could, Cu&id himself would blush. (,he %erchant of Aenice, 2./) 9e*er durst &oet touch a &en to write Dntil his in) were tem&er"d with <o*e"s sighs3 (,welfth 9ight, .3) ,his is the *ery ecstacy of lo*e( -hose *iolent &ro&erty fore does itself, !nd leads the will to des&erate underta)ings, !s oft as any &assion under hea*en, ,hat does afflict our natures. (2amlet, 2.1) ,he &ri5e of all too &recious you. (7onnet ./) 7hall I com&are thee to a summer"s day1 ,hou art more lo*ely and more tem&erate( @ough winds do sha)e the darling buds of %ay, !nd summer"s lease hath all too short a date( 7ometime too hot the eye of hea*en shines, !nd often is his gold com&le8ion dimm"d3 !nd e*ery fair from fair sometime declines,

6y chance or nature"s changing course untrimm"d3 6ut thy eternal summer shall not fade 9or lose &ossession of that fair thou owest3 9or shall 'eath brag thou wander"st in his shade, -hen in eternal lines to time thou growest( 7o long as men can breathe or eyes can see, 7o long li*es this and this gi*es life to thee. (7onnet 1.) -hat made me lo*e thee1 let that &ersuade thee there"s something e8traordinary in thee. I cannot( but I lo*e thee3 none but thee3 and thou deser*est it. (,he %erry -i*es of -indsor, 3.3) 0or thy sweet lo*e remember"d such wealth brings ,hat then I scorn to change my state with )ings. (7onnet 2#) !ll days are nights to see till I see thee, !nd nights bright days when dreams do show thee me. (7onnet 3) ! lean chee), -- a blue eye, and sun)en, -- an unBuestionable s&irit, -- a beard neglected(-- ,hen your hose should be ungartered, your bonnet unhanded, your slee*e unbuttoned, your shoe untied, and e*ery thing about you demonstrating a careless desolation. (!s Fou <i)e It, 3.2) 6ut, mistress, )now yourself( down on your )nees, !nd than) hea*en, fasting, for a good man"s lo*e. (!s Fou <i)e It, 3.5) <o*e is a s&irit all com&act of fire. (Aenus and !donis, 151) 7he ne*er told her lo*e, 6ut let concealment, li)e a worm i"th" bud, 0eed on her damas) chee). 7he &ined in thought, !nd with a green and yellow melancholy 7he sat li)e ;atience on a monument, 7miling at grief. -as not this lo*e indeed1 (,welfth 9ight, 2. ) 2e says, he lo*es my daughter3 I thin) so too3 for ne*er ga5"d the moon D&on the water, as he"ll stand and read, !s "twere, my daughter"s eyes( and, to be &lain,

I thin), there is not half a )iss to choose, -ho lo*es another best. (,he -inter"s ,ale, .3) <o*e is merely a madness( and, I tell you, deser*es as as well a dar) house and a whi&, as madmen do( and the reason why they are not so &unished and cured, is, that the lunacy is so ordinary, that the whi&&ers are in lo*e too. (!s Fou <i)e It, 3.2) GGGGGGG