Contrariwise: Literary Tattoos Tattoos from books, poetry, music, and other sources.

17Jan/092

The rest is silence.

shakespeare tattoo

O, I die, Horatio;
The potent poison quite o'er-crows my spirit:
I cannot live to hear the news from England;
But I do prophesy the election lights
On Fortinbras: he has my dying voice;
So tell him, with the occurrents, more and less,
Which have solicited. The rest is silence.

- Hamlet, act V, scene ii

This tattoo belongs to Nicky:

I got this tattoo to celebrate getting a 2:1 for my English Literature degree - I've since been accepted to a post-grad course in Shakespeare studies, so I'm sure it'll be an intersting talking point there!

31Dec/082

stars, hide your fires

stars

"The prince of Cumberland! that is a step
On which I must fall down, or else o'erleap,
For in my way it lies. Stars, hide your fires;
Let not light see me black and deep desires"

- Excerpt from Shakespeare's Macbeth (I.iv.48-51).

This tattoo was submitted by Hilary.

19Jun/082

Shakespeare

This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.

- Hamlet, Act I, sc. iii

(source 1) (source 2)

15Jun/080

The Bard

The Shakespeare tattoo.

(source)

20May/082

Shakespeare

"Life's but a walking shadow; a poor player,
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage,
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing."

-- From Macbeth (V, v, 19)

(See another picture here.)

(source)

9May/080

Shakespeare

This above all: to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.

- Hamlet, Act I, sc. iii

(source)

10Apr/082

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

"She should have died hereafter;
There would have been a time for such a word.
To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing."

- Shakespeare's Macbeth (Act 5, Scene 5, lines 17-28)

(source)