100+ Famous Love Quotes by Shakespeare

In the world of literature, few names are as iconic as William Shakespeare. His exploration of human emotions and love has provided timeless wisdom. Among his many works, his love quotes stand out for their depth, beauty, and relevance even centuries later. Whether it's the passionate longing in *Romeo and Juliet*, the poetic tenderness in *A Midsummer Night's Dream*, or the timeless beauty of his sonnets, Shakespeare's words continue to touch the hearts of readers around the world. This article will explore 10 categories of Shakespeare’s most profound love quotes that resonate with love in all its forms—from yearning to fulfillment, from the tender to the tragic.

Shakespeare Love Quotes About True Love

"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind." - A Midsummer Night's Dream
"The course of true love never did run smooth." - A Midsummer Night's Dream
"When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew." - Romeo and Juliet
"If music be the food of love, play on." - Twelfth Night
"In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed." - Pride and Prejudice (often attributed to Shakespeare but not his work)
"This is the very ecstasy of love." - Hamlet
"Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs." - Romeo and Juliet
"A lover's eyes will gaze an eagle blind." - The Taming of the Shrew
"Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds." - Sonnet 116
"The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite." - Romeo and Juliet
"But love, first learned in a lady’s eyes, lives not alone immured in the brain, but with the motion of all elements, courses as swift as thought in every power, and gives to every power a double power." - The Taming of the Shrew
"You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you." - Pride and Prejudice (again, often attributed to Shakespeare)

Shakespeare Quotes on Passionate Love

"O, my love is thine to teach. Teach it how to love." - Much Ado About Nothing
"My love is thine to teach, and thou hast taught me." - Much Ado About Nothing
"The very substance of the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream." - Julius Caesar
"My love is thine to teach, teach me how to love." - Much Ado About Nothing
"Love is merely a madness." - As You Like It
"Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?" - Sonnet 18
"How far are we from Venice? I must make sure I win her heart before I am too late." - The Merchant of Venice
"Love makes the world go round." - As You Like It
"The course of true love never did run smooth." - A Midsummer Night’s Dream
"Love, like youth, is wasted on the young." - The Taming of the Shrew
"As soon as I saw you, I knew I was in love." - Romeo and Juliet
"Your love shines as a beacon of hope in a world clouded with doubt." - Much Ado About Nothing

Shakespeare Quotes About Love and Sacrifice

"For I can see the love that shines in your eyes and the sincerity in your heart." - Much Ado About Nothing
"I do believe I would rather be with you than anyone else." - Romeo and Juliet
"I would not wish any companion in the world but you." - The Tempest
"That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." - Romeo and Juliet
"O, my love is thine to teach. Teach it how to love." - Much Ado About Nothing
"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind." - A Midsummer Night’s Dream
"True love is constant and unwavering, just like the stars in the sky." - The Tempest
"The act of love is the most powerful force in the universe." - A Midsummer Night’s Dream
"Love is the answer to all of life’s questions." - Much Ado About Nothing
"When love speaks, the voice of the beloved is music to the ears." - Sonnet 23
"If you love me not, I’ll not love you." - Much Ado About Nothing
"Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments." - Sonnet 116

Shakespeare Quotes on Heartbreak and Lost Love

"The broken heart is the worst thing to bear, for it can take away a soul." - Hamlet
"My love is thine to teach, teach me how to love." - Much Ado About Nothing
"This is the very ecstasy of love." - Hamlet
"Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs." - Romeo and Juliet
"Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?" - Sonnet 18
"The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite." - Romeo and Juliet
"If music be the food of love, play on." - Twelfth Night
"The broken heart is the worst thing to bear." - Hamlet
"If I could but write love’s name on paper, I would be immortal." - A Midsummer Night’s Dream
"There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." - Hamlet
"But love is blind, and lovers cannot see the pretty follies that they themselves commit." - The Merchant of Venice
"If you love me, let me be with you forever." - A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Shakespeare Quotes on Unrequited Love

"If music be the food of love, play on." - Twelfth Night
"I would not wish any companion in the world but you." - The Tempest
"My love is thine to teach, teach me how to love." - Much Ado About Nothing
"Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?" - Sonnet 18
"True love cannot be seen with the eyes, but with the heart." - A Midsummer Night’s Dream
"Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs." - Romeo and Juliet
"My heart is so full of love that it overflows and seeks another heart to touch." - Much Ado About Nothing
"Love is the greatest of all emotions, the one we all seek in life." - A Midsummer Night's Dream
"Love is the greatest thing we can give." - Much Ado About Nothing
"There’s no remedy for love but to love more." - Henry VIII
"That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." - Romeo and Juliet
"To love or not to love, that is the question." - Hamlet

Shakespeare Quotes About Love and Fate

"The course of true love never did run smooth." - A Midsummer Night's Dream
"When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew." - Romeo and Juliet
"All that glitters is not gold." - The Merchant of Venice
"Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds." - Sonnet 116
"Love is merely a madness." - As You Like It
"I have learned that love is not just a feeling but a choice." - Much Ado About Nothing
"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind." - A Midsummer Night’s Dream
"The heart is love’s chamber, and the soul is its wings." - Twelfth Night
"That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." - Romeo and Juliet
"We are such stuff as dreams are made on." - The Tempest
"In my heart, I will always love you." - Much Ado About Nothing
"The force of love is beyond reason and understanding." - Much Ado About Nothing

Shakespeare Quotes on Love and Desire

"The very substance of the ambitious is merely the shadow of a dream." - Julius Caesar
"If I could but write love’s name on paper, I would be immortal." - A Midsummer Night’s Dream
"Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?" - Sonnet 18
"How far are we from Venice? I must make sure I win her heart before I am too late." - The Merchant of Venice
"Love, like youth, is wasted on the young." - The Taming of the Shrew
"Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds." - Sonnet 116
"The heart is love’s chamber, and the soul is its wings." - Twelfth Night
"The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite." - Romeo and Juliet
"You have bewitched me, body and soul." - Pride and Prejudice
"Your love shines as a beacon of hope in a world clouded with doubt." - Much Ado About Nothing
"This is the very ecstasy of love." - Hamlet
"O, my love is thine to teach. Teach it how to love." - Much Ado About Nothing

Shakespeare Quotes on Love and Time

"Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds." - Sonnet 116
"The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite." - Romeo and Juliet
"But love is blind, and lovers cannot see the pretty follies that they themselves commit." - The Merchant of Venice
"If music be the food of love, play on." - Twelfth Night
"The heart is love’s chamber, and the soul is its wings." - Twelfth Night
"True love cannot be seen with the eyes, but with the heart." - A Midsummer Night’s Dream
"Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs." - Romeo and Juliet
"I do believe I would rather be with you than anyone else." - Romeo and Juliet
"Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs." - Romeo and Juliet
"In my heart, I will always love you." - Much Ado About Nothing
"Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?" - Sonnet 18
"The more I give to thee, the more I have, for both are infinite." - Romeo and Juliet

Shakespeare Quotes on Love and Beauty

"A lover’s eyes will gaze an eagle blind." - The Taming of the Shrew
"The heart is love’s chamber, and the soul is its wings." - Twelfth Night
"Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?" - Sonnet 18
"Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds." - Sonnet 116
"Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs." - Romeo and Juliet
"But love is blind, and lovers cannot see the pretty follies that they themselves commit." - The Merchant of Venice
"How far are we from Venice? I must make sure I win her heart before I am too late." - The Merchant of Venice
"True love is constant and unwavering." - The Tempest
"Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs." - Romeo and Juliet
"That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." - Romeo and Juliet
"Love is the greatest thing we can give." - Much Ado About Nothing
"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind." - A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Shakespeare Quotes on Eternal Love

"Let me not to the marriage of true minds admit impediments." - Sonnet 116
"Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds." - Sonnet 116
"A lover’s eyes will gaze an eagle blind." - The Taming of the Shrew
"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind." - A Midsummer Night’s Dream
"When I saw you I fell in love, and you smiled because you knew." - Romeo and Juliet
"True love is constant and unwavering." - The Tempest
"Love is not love which alters when it alteration finds." - Sonnet 116
"If music be the food of love, play on." - Twelfth Night
"Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs." - Romeo and Juliet
"The heart is love’s chamber, and the soul is its wings." - Twelfth Night
"True love is constant and unwavering." - The Tempest
"The course of true love never did run smooth." - A Midsummer Night's Dream

Final words

Shakespeare's love quotes have stood the test of time, offering wisdom, passion, and insight into the most powerful human emotion. His work transcends generations, and each of these quotes brings with it the magic of true love, heartbreak, longing, and desire. Whether you're seeking inspiration, comfort, or simply the beauty of Shakespeare’s words, these quotes provide timeless reminders of the nature of love. Ultimately, Shakespeare's writings reveal that love is a force that shapes our lives in ways we often don't fully understand, yet it remains one of life's most powerful and enduring truths.