As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
William ShakespeareRead
The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote humorously suggests that eliminating lawyers would solve many problems.
In this quote from Shakespeare's 'Henry VI, Part 2', the speaker expresses a radical solution to societal issues by jokingly suggesting that the removal of lawyers would lead to a better world. This reflects a common perception of lawyers as barriers to justice or as instigators of conflict rather than its resolution. The humor in the line highlights the frustrations people often feel toward legal systems and the profession.
Themes
LawyersHumorSocietyCritiqueShakespeare
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote in a debate about legal reform can lighten the mood.
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