--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought I'd begin by reading a sonnet…" description: "\"I thought I'd begin by reading a sonnet by Shakespeare, but then I thought, why should I? He never reads any of mine.\" — Spike Milligan" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/935/spike-milligan-3695_reading_i-thought-i-d-begin-by-reading-a-sonnet_2488807.jpg" --- # I thought I'd begin by reading a sonnet by Shakespeare… ![“I thought I'd begin by reading a sonnet by Shakespeare, but then I thought, why should I? He never reads any of mine.” quote by Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/935/spike-milligan-3695_reading_i-thought-i-d-begin-by-reading-a-sonnet_2488807.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/935/spike-milligan-3695_reading_i-thought-i-d-begin-by-reading-a-sonnet_2488807.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/935/spike-milligan-3695_reading_i-thought-i-d-begin-by-reading-a-sonnet_2488807.jpg) > “I thought I'd begin by reading a sonnet by Shakespeare, but then I thought, why should I? He never reads any of mine.” [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A humorous critique of literary pretension, noting that Shakespeare never reads contemporary work. **In simple terms:** Questioning why we emulate past masters. Key Takeaway Create original work without worrying about past authors. Themes literary criticism humor self‑awareness Mood playful critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - writing - teaching - art criticism Key Concepts intertextuality creative independence Questions to Reflect On - Do you feel pressure to follow classic forms? - How can you balance respect for tradition with originality? A Different Perspective Overemphasis on canon can stifle innovation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Reading](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reading/) [Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shakespeare/) [Sonnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sonnet/) ## Related quotes > [I thought I'd begin by reading a poem by Shakespeare, but then I thought, why should I? He never reads any of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/i-thought-i-d-begin-by-reading-a-poem-by-shakespeare-but-then-i/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [Profound subject matter can be encompassed in small space - for proof, look at any sonnet by Shakespeare!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-ozick/profound-subject-matter-can-be-encompassed-in-small-space-for-proof/) [Cynthia Ozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-ozick/) > [Who knows if Shakespeare might not have thought less if he had read more?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-young/who-knows-if-shakespeare-might-not-have-thought-less-if-he-had-read/) [Edward Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-young/) > [There were moments of despondency when Shakespeare thought himself no poet, and Raphael no painter; when the greatest wits have doubted the excellence of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/there-were-moments-of-despondency-when-shakespeare-thought-himself-no/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [If Shakespeare thought comedy worthwhile, that means the rest of us can take a break from tragedy now and then without betraying our calling,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-helprin/if-shakespeare-thought-comedy-worthwhile-that-means-the-rest-of-us/) [Mark Helprin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-helprin/) > [“Shakespeare,” he thought as he scribbled away. “Foolish fancy. This is life as it is lived.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeanette-winterson/shakespeare-he-thought-as-he-scribbled-away-foolish-fancy-this-is/) [Jeanette Winterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeanette-winterson/) > [“For it was through books that she felt her life to be unjudged Look at all of the great mix-ups, messes, confinement, and double-dealings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-erdrich/for-it-was-through-books-that-she-felt-her-life-to-be-unjudged-look/) [Louise Erdrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-erdrich/) > [“It may take a decade or two before the extent of Shakespeare's collaboration passes from the graduate seminar to the undergraduate lecture, and finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-shapiro/it-may-take-a-decade-or-two-before-the-extent-of-shakespeare-s/) [James Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-shapiro/) > [“I knew your plan before you made it,” Eldora proclaimed, tossing her Wert from hand to hand… “You are somewhat of a mystery, one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jean-harris/i-knew-your-plan-before-you-made-it-eldora-proclaimed-tossing-her/) [Mary-Jean Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jean-harris/) > [Christopher Marlowe or Francis Bacon The author of Lear remains unshaken Willie Herbert or Mary Fitton What does it matter? The Sonnets were written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-coward/christopher-marlowe-or-francis-bacon-the-author-of-lear-remains/) [Noel Coward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-coward/) > [“I have sworn thee fair, and thought thee bright, Who art as black as hell, as dark as night” Shakespeare -- Sonnet CXLVII”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-t-hunter/i-have-sworn-thee-fair-and-thought-thee-bright-who-art-as-black-as/) J.T. Hunter > [“When I do count the clock that tells the time, And see the brave day sunk in hideous night; When I behold the violet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/when-i-do-count-the-clock-that-tells-the-time-and-see-the-brave-day/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“All's well that ends well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/all-s-well-that-ends-well/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.I love thee to the depth and breadth and height My soul can reach, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-barrett-browning/how-do-i-love-thee-let-me-count-the-ways-i-love-thee-to-the-depth-and/) [Elizabeth Barrett Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-barrett-browning/) > [“I will not make a sonnet from Each little private martyrdom; Nor out of love left dead with time Construe a stanza or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-auslander/i-will-not-make-a-sonnet-from-each-little-private-martyrdom-nor-out/) Joseph Auslander ## More by Spike Milligan > [“My sister Laura's bigger than me And lifts me up quite easily. I can't lift her, I've tried and tried; She must have something…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/my-sister-laura-s-bigger-than-me-and-lifts-me-up-quite-easily-i-can-t/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [Money couldn't buy friends, but you got a better class of enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/money-couldn-t-buy-friends-but-you-got-a-better-class-of-enemy/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [If you kill me, I promise you - you will never take me alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/if-you-kill-me-i-promise-you-you-will-never-take-me-alive/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [Her mother was a cultivated woman - she was born in a greenhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/her-mother-was-a-cultivated-woman-she-was-born-in-a-greenhouse/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [Said Hamlet to Ophelia, I'll draw a sketch of thee. What kind of pencil shall I use? 2B or not 2B?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/said-hamlet-to-ophelia-i-ll-draw-a-sketch-of-thee-what-kind-of-pencil/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [I'm a hero wid coward's legs, I'm a hero from the waist up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/i-m-a-hero-wid-coward-s-legs-i-m-a-hero-from-the-waist-up/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [To Harry Secombe: I hope you die first as I don't want you singing at my funeral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/to-harry-secombe-i-hope-you-die-first-as-i-don-t-want-you-singing-at/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [May 8th 1943. Deluge. The rain not only fell mainly on the plain in Spain; it also fell mainly on the back of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/may-8th-1943-deluge-the-rain-not-only-fell-mainly-on-the-plain-in/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [The experience of being in the Army changed my whole life; I never believed that an organization such as ours could ever go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/the-experience-of-being-in-the-army-changed-my-whole-life-i-never/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [“The die was cast. It was a proud day for the Milligan family as I was taken from the house. "I'm too young to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/the-die-was-cast-it-was-a-proud-day-for-the-milligan-family-as-i-was/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [How long was I in the army? Five foot eleven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/how-long-was-i-in-the-army-five-foot-eleven/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [Never return to a doctor whose office plants have died. After five days in hospital, I took a turn for the nurse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/never-return-to-a-doctor-whose-office-plants-have-died-after-five/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [Render any politician down and there's enough fat to fry an egg.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/render-any-politician-down-and-there-s-enough-fat-to-fry-an-egg/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [It's all in the mind, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/it-s-all-in-the-mind-you-know/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [If a robin redbreast in a cage Puts all heaven in a rage, How feels heaven when Dies the billionth battery hen?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/if-a-robin-redbreast-in-a-cage-puts-all-heaven-in-a-rage-how-feels/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) [Explore all 124 Spike Milligan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) ## More Reading quotes > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! 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Rahman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-r-rahman/) > [I'm am an expert at reading lips especially when it's not moving.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-m-am-an-expert-at-reading-lips-especially-when-it-s-not-moving/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [My folks tried to make a preacher of me and missed by a narrow margin… I would have made a good one if I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/my-folks-tried-to-make-a-preacher-of-me-and-missed-by-a-narrow-margin/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) Greg Perry > [“But I’ve developed a great reputation for wisdom by ordering more books than I ever had time to read, and reading more books, by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilynne-robinson/but-i-ve-developed-a-great-reputation-for-wisdom-by-ordering-more/) [Marilynne Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilynne-robinson/) > [“What you’re holding in your hands is a BookShots Flames story. It’s part of a revolution in reading. Hand-picked by James Patterson, BookShots Flames…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beth-ciotta/what-you-re-holding-in-your-hands-is-a-bookshots-flames-story-it-s/) Beth Ciotta > [“The characteristics of this kind of reading are perhaps summed up in the word “orthodox,” which is almost always applicable. The word comes from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mortimer-j-adler/the-characteristics-of-this-kind-of-reading-are-perhaps-summed-up-in/) [Mortimer J. 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