William Shakespeare Group

Question:

tonykiely
tonykiely

Is, "more truth is said in jest" or something like it from Shakespeare. If it is, where?

A friend said these words, and attributed them to Shakespeare

Rate question:

Posted by tonykiely on Friday October 9, 2009 at 6:57 PM and tagged with a shakespeare quote, famous expressions from literature, william shakespeare.

Answers:

  1. mwestwood
    mwestwood Teacher
    Community / Jr. College

    eNotes Editor

    While your friend may have missed the originator of this thought, he is accurate in that Shakespeare expressed the import of the expression.  Many a word of truth is spoken in jest is an expression that goes back farther in time to Geoffrey Chaucer who, around 1390, wrote the Canterbury Tales.  In the "Cook's Tale." the line is as follows:

    Be nat wrooth, my lord, though that I pleye.  Ful ofte in game a sooth [truth] I have herd seye!

    In Middle English: "But yet, I pray thee, be not wroth for game (don't be angry with my jesting)

    A man may say full sooth (truth) in game and play.

    Later, William Shakespeare expressed this idea in a manner closer to our contemporary version in King Lear (1608):

    Jesters do oft prove prophets. (V,iii,73)

     

    Sources:
    http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/many-a-true-word.html

    Rate answer:

    Posted by mwestwood on Friday October 9, 2009 at 7:46 PM

  2. kiwi
    kiwi Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

     William Shakespeare was responsible for the line 'Jesters do oft prove prophets,' in King Lear. This was said by Regan in Act V scene iii. She has been poisoned by her sister Goneril.  The sisters' show cruel and selfish motivations as they fight over Edmund.

    There is a tradition in drama of the 'wise fool' and Shakespeare utilised this.  It is likely that this concept is where your friend drew his/her idea from. The fool in King Lear is astute and honest with his king - one of the few characters who does demonstrate nobility and loyalty in the play. The character of Feste in 'Twelfth Night' displays similar qualities.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/king-lear/
    http://www.enotes.com/king-lear/act-v-scene-3-summary-ana...

    Rate answer:

    Posted by kiwi on Saturday October 10, 2009 at 12:55 AM