Who said “All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players.”?

Verified

William Shakespeare. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceAs You Like It (1599–1600), Jaques, Act II, scene vii.

Find As You Like It on Amazon · paid link

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

Source checked · Something wrong? Report a correction

Authors A–Z

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: As You Like It (1599–1600), Jaques, Act II, scene vii..

APA

Shakespeare, W. (n.d.). All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/42688-all-the-worlds-a-stage-and-all-the/

MLA

Shakespeare, William. “All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/42688-all-the-worlds-a-stage-and-all-the/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Shakespeare, William. “All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/42688-all-the-worlds-a-stage-and-all-the/.

Related quotes

“The world's a wood, in which all lose their way, Though by a different path each goes astray.”
— George Villiers
Verified"A Satyr upon the Follies of the Men of the Age", line 109; cited from The Works of His Grace, George Villiers, the Duke of Buckingham (London: T. Evans, 1770) vol. 2, p. 156 · evidenceDetails & citeWorld
Report

More quotes by Shakespeare

All 402 William Shakespeare quotes →