Since I’ve got them all right in front of me I thought it’d be fun to highlight some real, legitimate Shakespeare lines that could be used to pick someone up at the bar. No joke here, no twisty punch lines. I’m looking at a lengthy list of Shakespeare quotes and it struck me that some sound like pickup lines. You’ll have to write back and tell me if any of these worked!
- I would not wish any companion in the world but you.
- Your heart’s desires be with you!
- The very instant that I saw you did my heart fly to your service.
- When you do dance, I wish you a wave o’ the sea, that you might ever do nothing but that. Probably only useful after chasing down someone who’s just come off the dancefloor.
- Who ever loved that loved not at first sight? Yeah, I’ve heard you want to be careful starting out with the L word.
- If love be rough with you, be rough with love; Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down. Especially useful when your target gives off that “recently broke up with somebody” vibe.
"Did I ever love til now? Forswear it sight, for I never saw true beauty until this night."
"I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest."
— Beatrice
I don't know how well this one would play if the person knows what it really means–or if they don't, having them ask you to explain it to them. It certainly might elicit a question or two.
"If love be rough with you, be rough with love; Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down."
Essentially, you're asking someone to engage in amorous activity with you simply for the sake of satiating a physical desire–yours, theirs, or both. Love has little–if anything–to do with it. It might work as well as "Let's just do IT" Mercutio could probably tell us how well it works, if we could ask him.
'Come woo me, woo me, for I am in a holiday humour and like enough to consent'
"I have not from your eyes that gentleness and show of love as I was wont to have."
If you think it's not a pickup line, you haven't seen David Collings in the role. 😛
"Who ever loved, that loved not at first sight?" is a Kit Marlowe poem. Shakespeare quoted his friend.
If thou has sinned, teach me. TGV
Let me take you a button hole lower. LLL