Status: Not by Shakespeare
This is another one of those quotes that seems to have come up someplace and wandered around a bit until someone put “Shakespeare once said…” in front of it and it stuck. I can find nothing even close to this quote in Shakespeare’s works (hint, Shakespeare only ever used the word “alphabet” once, in Titus Andronicus), nor did I particularly expect to. It sounds more like something off a Hallmark card.
Still searching for an original source, but hopes are not high. A quote this long is typically written many different ways, which makes Googling for a true original difficult.
If you ask me, that sounds like Mister Rodgers. Not Shakespeare.
Thank you so much an old friend just texted this to my Partner and I. He said it was from Shakespeare and of course you have proven it is not. He is kind of a smartie pants probably thinking that quote did come from Shakespeare and now I know it did not because I got written proof here. This is so great, I don’t know if I am going to tell him or not or wait for right moment to use it. Thanks for clearing this all up for me. I love it.
It’s a great quote wherever it came from.
Why is it, Cashman, so important for us to put down, and correct an old smarty pants friend…the alphabet?
Just saying, Jean, both Mister Rogers and Shakespeare have made important contributions, using similar alphabets.
Treasure the source. Love both, integrate the old and the new and the unknown yet to arise (the poetry). I also love researching and knowing sources. I believe all of us should dig deeper. Knowing has its place, but shouldn’t be used as a weapon.
Academic debate should further understanding and evolution of the culture and not be a competition but a collaborative endeavor. Please take my comments as my initial attempt to put Healing the Soul of America into practice. The country needs more intelligence, reading, scholarship, listening, compassion and more conversation. Thank you Shakespearegeek for the site and community platform. Blessings.
It probably originated in India, where the word “alphabet” is misused to mean “letter”.