Paul Robeson? William Shakespeare? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: A prominent actor once discussed William Shakespeare’s tragic character Othello and said the following: There could be no greater character to play. This statement has been attributed to Paul Robeson. Would you please explore this topic. Reply from Quote Investigator: Paul Robeson played the character Othello …
Category Archives: William Shakespeare
Quote Origin: Time Is Too Slow for Those Who Wait; Too Swift for Those Who Fear
William Shakespeare? Henry van Dyke? Alice Morse Earle? Katrina Trask? H. L. Mencken? Lady Jane Fellowes? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The following lines have been credited to the famous English playwright and poet William Shakespeare: Time is very slow for those who waitVery fast for those who are scaredVery long for those who lamentVery …
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Quote Origin: When You Are Young, You Have the Face Your Parents Gave You. After You Are Forty, You Have the Face You Deserve
George Orwell? Coco Chanel? Mae West? Ingrid Bergman? Albert Camus? Abraham Lincoln? Edwin M. Stanton? Lucius E. Chittenden? Albert Schweitzer? Maurice Chevalier? William H. Seward? Edward Lee Hawk? William Shakspeare? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: A person’s true character can be deduced by the careful study of the face according to believers in physiognomy. This …
Quote Origin: There Have Only Been Two Geniuses in the World — Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare
Tallulah Bankhead? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: The famous actress Tallulah Bankhead was an ardent baseball fan, and she was particularly impressed by the outstanding skills of the great athlete Willie Mays. Apparently, she stated that there have only been two authentic geniuses in history: Willie Mays and Willie Shakespeare I am not sure if …
Quote Origin: The Plays of Shakespeare Were Not Written by Shakespeare but by Another Man of the Same Name
Mark Twain? Oxford Student? Frenchman? Lewis Carroll? Schoolchild? G. K. Chesterton? Israel Zangwill? Charles Lamb? Benjamin Jowett? Aldous Huxley? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: Determining the accurate provenance of famous plays and poems can be a contentious topic. According to tradition the composer of the Iliad and Odyssey has been referred to as Homer, but …
Quote Origin: I Would Challenge You To a Battle of Wits, But I See You Are Unarmed
William Shakespeare? Mark Twain? Oscar Wilde? Winston Churchill? Abby Buchanan Longstreet? Frank Fay? Pierre de Roman? Joey Adams? Apocryphal? Question for Quote Investigator: There exists a collection of similar jokes based on word play and the terms: battle, armed, wit, and half-wit. Here are some examples: 1) I would challenge you to a battle of …
Quote Origin: The Purpose of Life Is to Discover Your Gift. The Meaning of Life Is to Give Your Gift Away
William Shakespeare? Pablo Picasso? David Viscott? Joy Golliver? Emilio Santini? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: A popular adage presents a fascinating answer to a perennial philosophical question about the significance of life: The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away. This statement is often attributed …
Quote Origin: When I Saw You I Fell in Love, and You Smiled Because You Knew
William Shakespeare? Arrigo Boito? Jeane Westin? Anonymous? Question for Quote Investigator: I have a question about a quotation depicting communication between lovers. The following words are often ascribed to William Shakespeare: When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew. Sometimes the play Romeo and Juliet is named as the …
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