--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let the doors be shut upon him, that he…" description: "\"Let the doors be shut upon him, that he may play the fool no where but in's own house.\" — William Shakespeare" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/william-shakespeare-4_doors_let-the-doors-be-shut-upon-him-that-he-m_1726602.jpg" --- # Let the doors be shut upon him, that he may play the fool… ![“Let the doors be shut upon him, that he may play the fool no where but in's own house.” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/william-shakespeare-4_doors_let-the-doors-be-shut-upon-him-that-he-m_1726602.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/william-shakespeare-4_doors_let-the-doors-be-shut-upon-him-that-he-m_1726602.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/william-shakespeare-4_doors_let-the-doors-be-shut-upon-him-that-he-m_1726602.jpg) > “Let the doors be shut upon him, that he may play the fool no where but in's own house.” [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Confining someone to a single role limits their freedom and growth **In simple terms:** Restricting roles stifles potential Key Takeaway Allow freedom to act beyond imposed limits Themes freedom identity social roles Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career choices - personal relationships - creative expression Key Concepts self‑actualization role theory Questions to Reflect On - What role are you forced into? - How can you expand your identity? A Different Perspective Societal expectations may resist role changes ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Play Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-fool/) [Play The Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play-the-fool/) ## Related quotes > [Thus we play the fool with the time and the spirits of the wise sit in the clouds and mock us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thus-we-play-the-fool-with-the-time-and-the-spirits-of-the-wise-sit/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-sometimes-necessary-to-play-the-fool-to-avoid-being-deceived-by/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [I wasn't sporty or academic, so to avoid getting picked on I'd play the fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-evans/i-wasn-t-sporty-or-academic-so-to-avoid-getting-picked-on-i-d-play/) [Lee Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-evans/) > [It is delightful to play the fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/it-is-delightful-to-play-the-fool/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [At times discretion should be thrown aside, and with the foolish we should play the fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/at-times-discretion-should-be-thrown-aside-and-with-the-foolish-we/) [Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) > [“According to Q-Jo, the whole tarot deck, or at least the twenty-two trump cards of the Major Arcana, may be read as the Fool's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/according-to-q-jo-the-whole-tarot-deck-or-at-least-the-twenty-two/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [Kings play the fool, and the people suffer for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/kings-play-the-fool-and-the-people-suffer-for-it/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [I love the crazy things you do. Plus tonight's the night for me to play the fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-mccoy/i-love-the-crazy-things-you-do-plus-tonight-s-the-night-for-me-to/) [Travis McCoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-mccoy/) > [Is it worth the name of freedom to be at liberty to play the fool?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-locke/is-it-worth-the-name-of-freedom-to-be-at-liberty-to-play-the-fool/) [John Locke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-locke/) > [“To initiate something is to play the fool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kraus/to-initiate-something-is-to-play-the-fool/) [Chris Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kraus/) > [“If wisdom's silence then it's time to play the fool.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kraus/if-wisdom-s-silence-then-it-s-time-to-play-the-fool/) [Chris Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kraus/) > [When we play the fool, how wideThe theatre expands! beside,How long the audience sits before us!How many prompters! what a chorus!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-savage-landor/when-we-play-the-fool-how-widethe-theatre-expands-beside-how-long-the/) [Walter Savage Landor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-savage-landor/) > [I may play the fool at times, but I'm more than just a pretty blond boy with an ass that won't quit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-macaulay/i-may-play-the-fool-at-times-but-i-m-more-than-just-a-pretty-blond/) Charles Macaulay > [Bad is the trade that must play fool to sorrow, Ang'ring itself and others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/bad-is-the-trade-that-must-play-fool-to-sorrow-ang-ring-itself-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [This fellow is wise enough to play the fool; And to do that well craves a kind of wit: He must observe their mood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/this-fellow-is-wise-enough-to-play-the-fool-and-to-do-that-well/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## 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/) [Explore all 5,604 William Shakespeare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More Doors quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [When you have counted eighty years and more, Time and Fate will batter at your door; But if you should survive to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khushwant-singh/when-you-have-counted-eighty-years-and-more-time-and-fate-will-batter/) [Khushwant Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khushwant-singh/) > [“The universe contains any amount of horrible ways to be woken up, such as the noise of the mob breaking down the front door,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-pratchett/the-universe-contains-any-amount-of-horrible-ways-to-be-woken-up-such/) [Terry Pratchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-pratchett/) > [We can't love a place or a person if we always have one foot out the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-weiner/we-can-t-love-a-place-or-a-person-if-we-always-have-one-foot-out-the/) [Eric Weiner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-weiner/) > [Kindness unlocks doors that were thought to be closed forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unkown/kindness-unlocks-doors-that-were-thought-to-be-closed-forever/) Unkown > [I haven't shut any doors, and I'm really open to anything, so I think it's just about the material and what is going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-panabaker/i-haven-t-shut-any-doors-and-i-m-really-open-to-anything-so-i-think/) [Danielle Panabaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-panabaker/) > [There are times when we can feel destiny close around us like a fist around a doorknob. Sure, we can resist. But a knob…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/there-are-times-when-we-can-feel-destiny-close-around-us-like-a-fist/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [I won't be managing the Mets. I am closing the door on managing the Mets and probably everybody else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-torre/i-won-t-be-managing-the-mets-i-am-closing-the-door-on-managing-the/) [Joe Torre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-torre/) > [The odor of bowel wind is known to every human, but the fragrance of book glue has crossed only a fraction of mortal nostrils.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-odor-of-bowel-wind-is-known-to-every-human-but-the-fragrance-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I had always assumed that the right way to do it was to these engineers, put them in offices by themselves with doors that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-schmidt/i-had-always-assumed-that-the-right-way-to-do-it-was-to-these/) [Eric Schmidt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-schmidt/) > [A home isn't just a roof over our heads. A home is a place where we feel loved and where we love others. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/a-home-isn-t-just-a-roof-over-our-heads-a-home-is-a-place-where-we/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [I think that's the beauty of the current setup, is that Legends is meant to be a bit of a revolving door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/i-think-that-s-the-beauty-of-the-current-setup-is-that-legends-is/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [In the beginning I was just a makeup artist and I never really pictured myself doing anything else. But now that I have so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffree-star/in-the-beginning-i-was-just-a-makeup-artist-and-i-never-really/) [Jeffree Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffree-star/) > [I do not chase after anyone if you wanna walk out my life then I will hold the fu\*\*\*\*g door open for you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/i-do-not-chase-after-anyone-if-you-wanna-walk-out-my-life-then-i-will/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [Do you know what it is sir? Do you know what the Dance Dance Revolution is? It's not an actual revolution, so you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-peters/do-you-know-what-it-is-sir-do-you-know-what-the-dance-dance/) [Russell Peters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-peters/) Browse all 5,899 Doors quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Let the doors be shut upon him, that he may play the fool no where but in's own house.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Shakespeare" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/let-the-doors-be-shut-upon-him-that-he-may-play-the-fool-no-where-but/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Doors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/let-the-doors-be-shut-upon-him-that-he-may-play-the-fool-no-where-but/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/william-shakespeare-4_doors_let-the-doors-be-shut-upon-him-that-he-m_1726602.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/william-shakespeare-4_doors_let-the-doors-be-shut-upon-him-that-he-m_1726602.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/101/william-shakespeare-4_doors_let-the-doors-be-shut-upon-him-that-he-m_1726602.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Let the doors be shut upon him, that he may play the fool no where but in's own house.” — William Shakespeare", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Shakespeare", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Let the doors be shut upon...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/let-the-doors-be-shut-upon-him-that-he-may-play-the-fool-no-where-but/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/let-the-doors-be-shut-upon-him-that-he-may-play-the-fool-no-where-but/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```