I have nothing new to write about William Shakespeare, the 16th century genius who revolutionized the world of literature. Still popular and admirably known as The Bard, Shakespeare has given the world, among many gems, certain catchphrases that are almost overused in everyday journalism, even after four centuries. The crux of the matter is that while anyone is free to use his quotes, overuse often kills the very essence of the situation in which they were originally used. Here are three examples of those world famous phrases.

To be or not to be, that is the question

The most powerful soliloquy of “Hamlet” could have given the world of words the most used phrase adapted to various settings. In fact, the use of this sentence has become so mundane that even for very small things, like should you cook vegetables today, people tend to use this sentence as a representation of some kind of dilemma. The phrase was originally written around the moral question of life and death, about whether embracing death in order to escape the bitterness of life is the right thing to do. Therefore, it would probably be wise to reserve this quote for use in extremely critical decisions that are immensely difficult to make, rather than include it just to demonstrate your knowledge of popular quotes.

And you, Brutus?

Other variations on this famous “Julius Caesar” quote include “You too, Brutus?”, “Even you, Brutus?”, and so on. Although there are debates about the use of this statement as the work of other authors before Shakespeare, it is still the Bard’s work that made the statement so well known and widely used. The original statement represents violent betrayal and betrayal resulting in the death of a leader. However, in today’s journalism and also in day-to-day speeches, we find that this phrase is often used in scenarios involving betrayals of the slightest importance. The strong emotion of betrayal that is evoked through this sentence does not always coincide with the trivial activities in human social life.

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark

Another “Hamlet” gem, though not as widely used as the number one statement above, is still very popular. A representation of the first realization of dire situations and imminent fatalities, this statement is not suitable for use in scenarios arising from barely affected conditions, such as heavy rain one night (which does not cause much damage). Although apt to describe turbulent political conditions, it could also be used to predict natural catastrophes, a massive upheaval of animal habitat, and other incidents of such a scale.

There are other generic statements of the bard, for example “All the world is a stage” from the captivating play “The Merchant of Venice”, which are suitable for use in a wider range of settings. Even then, it is better not to overdo it and reserve them for truly special occasions, in order to preserve the beauty of it.