Lovers and madmen have such seething brains, Such shaping f… - William Shakespeare

" "
Lovers and madmen have such seething brains,
Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend
More than cool reason ever comprehends.
The lunatic, the lover and the poet
Are of imagination all compact:
One sees more devils than vast hell can hold,
That is, the madman: the lover, all as frantic,
Sees Helen's beauty in a brow of Egypt:
The poet's eye, in fine frenzy rolling,
Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven;
And as imagination bodies forth
The forms of things unknown, the poet's pen
Turns them to shapes and gives to airy nothing
A local habitation and a name.

William Shakespeare

This quote has a book source. Sign up to see titles and page references

imagination poetry words fantasy devils comprehension egypt love poet reason earth lover madmen lunatic helen

English

Collect this quote

About William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (26 April 1564 (baptised) – 23 April 1616) was an English poet, playwright, and actor, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist.

Biography information from Wikiquote

Also Known As

Also Known As: The Bard of Avon

Alternative Names: The Bard • Swan of Avon • Bard of Avon • Shakespeare • William Shakspere • Shakespere • Shakespear • Shakspeare • Shackspeare • Shakspere • William Shakspeare • William Shake‐speare • William Shak‐ſpeare • William Shake-speare • William Shak-ſpeare

All quotes from William Shakespeare Similar Quotes by other Originators

Shorter versions of this quote

One sees more devils than vast hell can hold

Originators like William Shakespeare:

Lord Byron John Dryden Walter Scott Ben Jonson John Donne

Additional quotes by William Shakespeare

The wildest hath not such a heart as you.
Run when you will, the story shall be changed:
Apollo flies, and Daphne holds the chase;
The dove pursues the griffin; the mild hind
Makes speed to catch the tiger; bootless speed,
When cowardice pursues and valour flies.

Death, that hath suck'd the honey of thy breath hath had no power yet upon thy beauty.

Against my will I am sent to bid you come in to dinner.

BENEDICK
Fair Beatrice, I thank you for your pains.

BEATRICE
I took no more pains for those thanks than you take
pains to thank me: if it had been painful, I would
not have come.

BENEDICK
You take pleasure then in the message?

BEATRICE
Yea, just so much as you may take upon a knife's
point ... You have no stomach,
signior: fare you well.

Exit

BENEDICK
Ha! 'Against my will I am sent to bid you come in
to dinner;' there's a double meaning in that...

Lovers and madmen have such seething brains, Such shaping fantasies, that apprehend More than cool reason ever comprehends. The lunatic, the lover an… - William Shakespeare

About William Shakespeare

Also Known As

Unlimited Quote Collections

Shorter versions of this quote

Additional quotes by William Shakespeare

Advanced Search Filters