---
title: "9 Cruel Quotes By William Shakespeare"
description: "9 Cruel quotes by William Shakespeare. Plus more from William Shakespeare and more Cruel sayings from other authors."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/william-shakespeare-4_shakespeare_you-gotta-be-cruel-to-be-kind-1975497_1975497.jpg"
---

> [“You gotta be cruel to be kind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/you-gotta-be-cruel-to-be-kind/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/13e/william-shakespeare-4_shakespeare_you-gotta-be-cruel-to-be-kind-1975497_1975497.jpg)

> [I must be cruel, only to be kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-must-be-cruel-only-to-be-kind/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f79/william-shakespeare-4_be-kind_i-must-be-cruel-only-to-be-kind-1710040_1710040.jpg)

> [“Thyself thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thyself-thy-foe-to-thy-sweet-self-too-cruel/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b0/william-shakespeare-4_quote_thyself-thy-foe-to-thy-sweet-self-too-cr_1123671.jpg)

> [“You blocks, you stones, you worse than senseless things! O you hard hearts, you cruel men of Rome, Knew you not Pompey?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/you-blocks-you-stones-you-worse-than-senseless-things-o-you-hard/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3d6/william-shakespeare-4_cruel_you-blocks-you-stones-you-worse-than-sen_3015336.jpg)

> [“Shame to him whose cruel striking, kills for thoughts of his own liking.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/shame-to-him-whose-cruel-striking-kills-for-thoughts-of-his-own-liking/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b25/william-shakespeare-4_cruel_shame-to-him-whose-cruel-striking-kills_2741353.jpg)

> [Lady, you are the cruel'st she alive If you will lead these graces to the grave And leave the world no copy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/lady-you-are-the-cruel-st-she-alive-if-you-will-lead-these-graces-to/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f7d/william-shakespeare-4_alive_lady-you-are-the-cruel-st-she-alive-if-y_3084592.jpg)

> [“Wear me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm, for love is strong as death, passion cruel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/wear-me-as-a-seal-over-your-heart-as-a-seal-upon-your-arm-for-love-is/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5d4/william-shakespeare-4_death_wear-me-as-a-seal-over-your-heart-as-a-s_1338061.jpg)

> [I must be cruel only to be kind; Thus bad begins, and worse remains behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-must-be-cruel-only-to-be-kind-thus-bad-begins-and-worse-remains/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c5d/william-shakespeare-4_be-kind_i-must-be-cruel-only-to-be-kind-thus-bad_36195.jpg)

> [But thou, contracted to thine own bright eyes, Feed'st thy light's flame with self-substantial fuel, Making a famine where abundance lies, Thyself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/but-thou-contracted-to-thine-own-bright-eyes-feed-st-thy-light-s/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

[Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/744/william-shakespeare-4_abundance_but-thou-contracted-to-thine-own-bright_372611.jpg)

## Other authors on Cruel

## More by William Shakespeare

> [Let us kill all lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/let-us-kill-all-lawyers/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Divers philosophers hold that the lips is parcel of the mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/divers-philosophers-hold-that-the-lips-is-parcel-of-the-mouth/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Short time seems long in sorrow's sharp sustaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/short-time-seems-long-in-sorrow-s-sharp-sustaining/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs; Being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; Being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/love-is-a-smoke-made-with-the-fume-of-sighs-being-purg-d-a-fire/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies Which busy care draws in the brains of men; Therefore thou sleep’st so sound. Julius Caesar (2.1.248-251)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-hast-no-figures-nor-no-fantasies-which-busy-care-draws-in-the/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Truth needs no color; beauty, no pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/truth-needs-no-color-beauty-no-pencil/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Have you not heard it said full oft, A woman's nay doth stand for naught?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/have-you-not-heard-it-said-full-oft-a-woman-s-nay-doth-stand-for/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Omittance is no quittance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/omittance-is-no-quittance/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“Yes, madam: yet I cannot choose but laugh, To think it should leave crying and say 'Ay.' And yet, I warrant, it had upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/yes-madam-yet-i-cannot-choose-but-laugh-to-think-it-should-leave/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [I take thee at thy word: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will be Romeo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-take-thee-at-thy-word-call-me-but-love-and-i-ll-be-new-baptized/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

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