Character Quotes
We know what we are, but not what we may be.
"We know what we are, but not what we may be."— William Shakespeare
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Meaning of this quote
Ophelia contrasts a known present identity with an uncertain future. The line conveys possibility and unease within a scene of grief and disordered speech.
Key takeaway:
Keep the dramatic context alongside a line about future possibility.
Origin of the quote
Hamlet, Act IV, Scene V, Ophelia.
Who actually said this?
VerifiedThe play’s line includes my lord before the quoted clause. The excerpt removes that address.








