Vol. 08 · Shakespeare ·King Lear, Act I.i ·Lear
"Nothing will come of nothing."
Not quite the line.
How it's usually quoted
"Nothing will come of nothing."
What Shakespeare actually wrote
"Nothing will come of nothing. Speak again." Lear — King Lear, Act I.i
Why it matters
The three-word demand "Speak again" is the line's force. Lear is threatening Cordelia — flatter me or lose your inheritance. Quoting the maxim alone removes the tyranny.
More from the canon.
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