Vol. 06 · Misquoted ·Play ·246 of 348
"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."
They never said that.
What people say
"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark."
What was actually said
"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark." Marcellus — Hamlet (1600) I.iv
Why it stuck
Correct. But the line is routinely attributed to Hamlet. It is Marcellus — the guard who saw the Ghost — speaking after Hamlet walks away. Hamlet never says it.
The modern political-commentary use ("Something is rotten in the state of [X]") preserves the form but loses the speaker.
Know another line by heart?
Play the duel and see how many you can spot. Or browse the whole shelf.