William Shakespeare on Storytelling
← Back to William Shakespeare Profile"And thereby hangs a tale," a phrase suggesting intrigue and narrative depth, appears across multiple Shakespearean plays, signaling the imminent unfolding of a significant story or explanation.
“And thereby hangs a tale.”
“Which his fair tongue—conceit's expositor— Delivers in such apt and gracious words, That aged ears play truant at his tales, And younger hearings are quite ravished.”
“I could a tale unfold whose lightest word Would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood, Make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres, Thy knotted and combined locks to part And each particular hair to stand on end, Like quills upon the fretful porpentine.”