The man, the Bard, the literary legend – How much of our language do we owe to William Shakespeare?

The Bard, Stratford-upon-Avon’s hometown hero, is a celebrity both past and present – not bad for a guy who’s been dead for over 400 years! Modern-day influencers are sure to be suffering with ‘the green-eyed monster of jealousy’ with not just the longevity of Shakespeare’s influence and impact, but on the multiple arenas in which he shaped, one of which being the words and phrases that we express on a daily basis! Influencer status – mastered!

“Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.” As a marketing agency, we like to listen and help clients to bring their vision for their business to life. And in keeping with the fast-paced nature of marketing, language evolves at such a fast rate; it’s essential that we keep up with the changes and trends to make our marketing strategies relevant and relatable. But sometimes we can fall back on much older phrases that have surpassed the test of time in order to create an impactful message. And as we’re just down the road from the Bard’s old stomping ground, it would be rude not to!

 

7 Shakespeare quotes we still use to this day

We may be familiar with some of the most famous Shakespeare quotes – “to be or not to be”, “Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?”, “A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!” and “all the world’s a stage”, to name but a few. But the walking dictionary that is William Shakespeare has the last cheeky chuckle while we use his coined phrases to describe the most common, maybe even mundane parts of our day…

 

“It’s Greek to me” – Julius Caesar, Act 1, Scene 2

Delivered by the character Casca while among other Roman senators, it’s initially delivered as a comedic line due to the bilingual abilities of many Roman citizens of the day. Casca’s claim that he can’t make sense of things, knowing that he likely had full knowledge of the Greek language, is meant as a cheeky aside for audiences to enjoy.

For our modern-day application, we may find ourselves looking at that long list of technical jargon on a long set of instructions or in an awkward conversation where the other participant is spewing out flowery language that we haven’t got the foggiest idea what it means? The arms fling to the air in exasperation, and you hear yourself calling out: “It’s all Greek to me!” It simply doesn’t make sense, but with the help of Shakespeare, now we have a way to voice our frustration.

 

“Lacklustre” – As You Like It

This quick-witted comedy is peppered with many eloquent quips and back-and-forth banter, but did you know that “lacklustre” was first attested to this play?

The word describes dullness and is delivered when an individual is yearning to see brightness in the situation or object they’re referring to. And by today’s standards, whenever our expectations of something aren’t met, the “lacklustre” feeling carries an undertone of striving to improve, to better the experience we had. Food for thought indeed – cheers for that Will!

 

“Break the ice” – Taming of the Shrew, Act 1, Scene 2

An intended metaphor then as well as now. The character Tranio first uses it as a social gesture when in a discussion about wooing the ice-cold Katherine, the domineering protagonist in the play.

Today, it’s the phrase that all introverts dread to hear when put in a group activity with strangers… “Time for the icebreaker activity!” Oh boy… Regardless of your aptitude for socialisation, William Shakespeare has been bridging those social gaps and giving team leaders the inspiration to unite people for around 425 years!

 

“Leapfrog” – Henry V, Act 5, Scene 2

A seemingly strange context in which we first find this coined word from Shakespeare. It’s first expressed when the victorious King Henry V is trying to woo his wife-to-be, Katherine.

“If I could win a lady at leapfrog, or by vaulting into my saddle with my armour on my back…”

Henry’s line carries the ambitious essence of ‘leapfrogging’, wherein he still feels that despite being the victor, he still needs to prove his worth to his bride by ‘leapfrogging’ the competition in battle. From a marketing perspective, the ambitious nature of this term resonates strongly. We’re always looking to build upon our strategies to produce the best work for our clients, allowing them and us to leapfrog our way over competitors.

 

“Wild goose chase” – Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 4

We see this expressive phrase first exclaimed by Mercutio as he struggles to overcome Romeo in a battle of linguistic wit.

“Nay, if thy wits run the wild-goose chase, I have done, for thou hast more of the wild-goose in one of thy wits than, I am sure, I have in my whole five”

Like Mercutio, we’ve all been there, rushing around trying to get a grasp of the concept or object that’s so infuriatingly out of touch. When reminiscing about the kerfuffle later on with friends and family, it can very easily be described as a wild goose chase. Although one can but wonder what geese ever did to William Shakespeare for him to cast them in such a light?…

 

“I have not slept one wink” – Cymbeline, Act 3, Scene 4

This is a phrase that’s actually cropped up in a number of Shakespeare’s works, including Cymbeline, Macbeth and The Taming of the Shrew. The phrase has been used to describe a character simply getting very little or no sleep at all or, depending on the context, has done something dastardly to cause their own insomnia…

While it’s probable that we slept longer for the duration of a ‘wink’, the phrase continues its dramatic emphasis, and in the fast-paced nature of the 21st century, it’s a phrase that we likely can relate to and utter at some point, maybe some more frequently than others!

 

“To thine own self be true” when it comes to expressing yourself through language

Would you believe that only scratches the surface of Shakespeare’s rich repertoire? Words are not to be underestimated; they are a significant form of expression and the insightful imagery that Shakespeare’s phrases evoke has truly stood the test of time. It’s a “foregone conclusion”, Shakespeare was truly an undisputed genius of the written and spoken word.

Do you know of any more everyday Shakespearean language or have a favourite quote from a play or poem? Or do you have any more fun facts about the most influential figure in Warwickshire? Let us know!