Shakespeare used over 34,000 different words in his plays – some of which he invented himself. Not only does Shakespeare's legacy of brilliant plays remain timeless, but so do the numerous words and phrases that he coined through his creative use of language. Hamlet, one of Shakespeare's most revered works, contains many phrases and terms that you may normally use or have heard in popular music or read in contemporary literature. As spoken by Hamlet during his soliloquy in the nunnery scene, "To be, or not to be, that is the question" remains one of Shakespeare's most famous quotes.

Source: Hartford Stage