“What’s mine is yours and what’s yours is mine.” (Measure for Measure, Act 5, Scene 1)

This line is general sounds so romantic, until you know the background of the line. After this when Isabella goes silent, you can see where she has no more say in the matter and it is so saddening and impactful to read.

“Truth is truth, to the end of reckoning” (Measure for Measure, Act 5, Scene 1)

I find it ironic that Isabella says this, yet she cannot speak her own truth.

“O, what May man within him mide, though ángel on the outward side!” (Measure for Measure, Act 3, Scene 1)

“There tempter or the tempest, who sins most?” (Measure for Measure, Act 2, Scene 2)

From this early in we can already see how Angelo had no remorse for others.

“It is excellent to have a giants strength, but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant.” (Measure for Measure, Act 2, Scene 2)

“Condemn the fault and not the actor of it.” (Measure for Measure, Act 1, Scene 2)

This line makes me think of people who many systems work against. We get angry when people fail or end up in bad places yet to nothing to help people in these same spots in the future to change the way their lives turn out. It’s a domino affect.

“Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall.” (Measure by Measure, Act 1, Scene 1)

“Our doubts are traitors, and make us lose the good we off night win, by fearing to attempt.” (Measure for Measure, Act 1, Scene 1)

All of Act 5 of Antony and Cleopatra is so symbolic and such a different and passionate ending to other plays of comparison.

“She shall be buried by her Antony, No grave upon earth shall clips in it a pair so famous.” (Antony and Cleopatra, Act 5, Scene 2)

This shows how even Caeser could see below the two were meant for each other. He was one of the people who did not want them together in life, but knew they should be together in death.

“The odds is gone and there is nothing left remarkable beneath the visiting moon.” (Antony and Cleopatra, Act 4, Scene 15)

“Age cannot either her, nor custom stale her indigente variety.” (Antony and Cleopatra, Act 2, Scene 2)

This had me reflecting on all the ways Cleopatra is seen. A lot of people respect her as they should, yet a lot also see her as simply a woman who they do not need to respect and I think that has to be with gender normalities of the time this play was written.

“O happy horse, to Heath the weight of Antony!”( Antony and Cleopatra, Act 1, Scene 5)

“Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch of the ranged empire fall: here is my space.” (Antony and Cleopatra, Act 1, Scene 1)

I think this is where the power dynamic and how drastic it is begins. They each hold so much power but also are willing to give it away for the other.

“A fellow of infinite jest.” (Hamlet, Act 5, Scene 1)

“The rest is silence.” (Hamlet, Act 5, Scene 2)

Sometimes in order to rest, you must first slow down.

“The lady doth protests too much, methinks.” (Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 2)

Even if it’s so meant in this way in this line, there is simply so much sexism in all of Shakespeare. Literally in each and every play.