Shakespeare quotations quiz

[John F]

http://www.theguardian.com/stage/quiz/2 ... sions-play

[lennygoran]

http://www.theguardian.com/stage/quiz/2 ... sions-play

Thank goodness the answers were provided! Regards, Len

[jbuck919]

I got seven out of ten, which John F probably bested. (Now don't hold out on how well you did yourself, John ) Shakespeare, who is responsible single-handedly for perhaps half of modern English, which would have changed much more since his time but for him, actually invented some of those common sayings, but he also used ones that were already proverbial in his time.

So, without looking it up, from what plays come the phrases "my salad days" and "my heart of hearts"? In what play does he mention tobacco?

[lennygoran]

So, without looking it up

That let's me out. Regards, Len

[jbuck919]

So, without looking it up

That let's me out. Regards, Len

I can't wait all weekend for our other Shakespeare person John F to chime in, so here goes: Salad days, which apparently refers to the green freshness in a salad, is spoken by Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra. Heart of heart is spoken in a gratuitous but wondrous speech by Hamlet to his male friend Horatio, who is obviously in love with him, a fact tolerated by Hamlet but not exactly reciprocated. In spite of the fact that he had an unbelievably immense vocabulary and that tobacco was already popular in the England of his time, Shakespeare never uses the word or makes any reference to smoking.

Since my dear soul was mistress of her choice
And could of men distinguish her election
Sh'hath sealed thee for herself, for thou hast been—
As one in suffering all that suffers nothing—
A man that Fortune’s buffets and rewards
Hast ta'en with equal thanks. And blessed are those
Whose blood and judgment are so well commingled,
That they are not a pipe for Fortune’s finger
To sound what stop she please. Give me that man
That is not passion’s slave, and I will wear him
In my heart’s core, ay, in my heart of heart,
As I do thee.

[John F]

I got seven right, but more from informed inference than actually identifying the context. The person in a CompuServe forum who posted the link said she got seven right too. Seems to be par for the course.