Lovers and madmen have such seething brains,Such shaping fantasies, that apprehendMore than cool reason ever comprehends.The lunatic, the lover and the poetAre 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 forthThe forms of things unknown, the poet's penTurns them to shapes and gives to airy nothingA local habitation and a name.
About This Quote
About William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was a 16th-century English playwright and poet. William Shakespeare was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. Read more on Wikipedia →
Themes
- Imagination — The creative power of the mind and visionary thinking
- Love — Quotes exploring romantic love, compassion, and human connection
- Poetry — The art of language, rhythm, and emotional expression