The Quote "My Words Fly Up, My Thoughts Remain Below: Words Without Thoughts Never to Heaven Go" Comes From What Play?
Last Updated Mar 26, 2020 10:03:43 AM ET
The phrase "My words fly up, my thoughts remain below: Words without thoughts never to heaven go" is from the play "Hamlet." It takes place in Act 3, Scene 3.
During the scene in Hamlet, the king tells Rosencrantz and Guildenstern to go to England with Hamlet. It is after a prayer that the king recites when the line is uttered upon rising. This quote is an example of irony, as the king wasn't meaning the words that he was saying in the prayer. King Claudius believes words without meaning do not reach heaven, and so this quote explains that his words are invalid.
More From Reference
Financing the Future: Setting Up Savings Plans for Grandchildren
Responsible Retirement: What's the Maximum Amount You Can Contribute to a 401(k)?
10 Small Business Grants for Women Entrepreneurs
What Is the Federal Minimum Wage?
What Is the Financial Independence, Retire Early Movement — and Has the Pandemic Changed It?
4 Investing Lessons We Can Learn From Warren Buffett's Stock Portfolio