Famous quotes from Twelfth Night

Shakespeare’s comedy Twelfth Night is filled with beautiful lines, including one of the most memorable opening lines from all of the plays. Below are some of the most well-known lines, in order of their appearance in the play.

If music be the food of love, play on.
— Orsino, Act 1, scene 1

What country, friends, is this?
— Viola, Act 1, scene 2

What great ones do the less will prattle of
— Captain, Act 1, scene 2

Many a good hanging prevents a bad marriage.
— Fool, Act 1, scene 5

Better a witty fool than a foolish wit.
— Fool, Act 1, scene 5

Make me a willow cabin at your gate
And call upon my soul within the house
— Viola, Act 1, scene 5

How now? Even so quickly may one catch the plague?
— Olivia, Act 1, scene 5

O Time, thou must untangle this, not I.
— Viola, Act 2, scene 2

What is love? ’Tis not hereafter.
Present mirth hath present laughter.
What’s to come is still unsure.
In delay there lies no plenty,
Then come kiss me, sweet and twenty.
Youth’s a stuff will not endure.
— Fool, Act 2, scene 3

Dost thou think, because thou art virtuous, there shall be no more cakes and ale?
— Sir Toby, Act 2, scene 3

I was once adored, too.
— Sir Andrew, Act 2, scene 3

We men may say more, swear more, but indeed
Our shows are more than will; for still we prove
Much in our vows but little in our love.
— Viola, Act 2, scene 4

I am all the daughters of my father’s house,
And all the brothers, too
— Viola, Act 2, scene 4

Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon ’em.
— Malvolio, Act 2, scene 5

Foolery, sir, does walk about the orb like the sun; it shines everywhere.
— Fool, Act 3, scene 1

Why, this is very midsummer madness!
— Olivia, Ace 3, scene 4

If this were played upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an improbable fiction.
— Fabian, Act 3, scene 4

And thus the whirligig of time brings in his revenges.
— Fool, Act 5, scene 1

I’ll be revenged on the whole pack of you!
— Malvolio, Act 5, scene 1