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"Methinks the lady doth protest too much"

— Misquotations

January 1, 1970

Quote Details

Added by wikiquote-import-bot

Added on April 10, 2026

Unverified quote

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Original Language: English

Sources

This quote comes from Hamlet, Act 3, scene 2, line 254 (line accuracy may differ in varying versions of the play). During the time of Shakespeare, the word "protest" meant "vow" or "declare solemnly" rather than "deny". In this manner, Gertrude is making a comment about the Player Queen's overzealous attachment to the Player King rather than a denial of guilt. The quote is Gertrude's response to Hamlet's asking her if she is enjoying the play.

https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Misquotations

This quote comes from Hamlet, Act 3, scene 2, line 254 (line accuracy may differ in varying versions of the play). During the time of Shakespeare, the word "protest" meant "vow" or "declare solemnly" rather than "deny". In this manner, Gertrude is making a comment about the Player Queen's overzealous attachment to the Player King rather than a denial of guilt. The quote is Gertrude's response to Hamlet's asking her if she is enjoying the play.