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Shakespeare’s influence on the English language
William Shakespeare contributed so much to English culture and language through his plays and sonnets yet his true impact is arguably felt in the phrases that we continue to use today.
Shakespeare is the greatest writer in the English language and wrote plays such as Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet and Othello. Those plays are still performed 400 years after his death and have been translated into dozens of languages.
While some of the plays may be difficult to follow (even for native speakers), expressions used in them are still used as naturally today as ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ in conversation.
If you have ever worried about the green-eyed monster, been eaten out of house and home or been led on a wild goose chase then you have just quoted a line from a Shakespeare play. Here are some of my favourites:
Heart of Gold
This, like many of Shakespeare’s expressions, was in use before it appeared in Henry V but the Bard brought it into popular use. You use it when talking about someone with a kind and giving personality.
“She has an absolute heart of gold; she has contributed so much to charity.”