*The lady doth protest too much, methinks”
(Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 2)

The story behind this quote is one of my favorites. Within Hamlet, there is another play that is created by Hamlet to point out the wrongdoings of his mother, the queen. In the play within the play, the queen vows to love her husband forever, and to never remarry (which the real queen has done). When asked what she thinks of the play, this quote is the real queen’s commentary on the character (which is based on her). Important note: In Shakespeare’s time, the word “protest” meant to vow or promise. The real queen feels that the queen in the play loses her credibility by making such lavish promises.