But exactly how influential were Shakespeare's writings? A quick look at the book Brush Up Your Shakespeare would show us a surprising amount of simple, everyday words and phrases we use. Some of these phrases include full circle, the makings of, seen better days, and a sorry sight. However, as popular as these phrases are, a good portion of the ones we use every day have slightly altered meanings than they originally did when taken out of context from Shakespeare's works. For example, while sweets for my sweet has amorous undertones, the phrase had an entirely different meaning in Hamlet; they were originally funeral flowers.
One of my favorite phrases to use is in a pickle. I always found it a humorous phrase to use (why would being in a difficult position mean I'm inside a pickle?!) When I was little, I always thought it should be in a pickle jar because of how hard to open those things are. To be "in a pickle" means you are in a "quandary or difficult position." A long time ago, a pickle was a spicy sauce made to go with meats. In the 16th century, pickle was also used to name a preservative that was made from a mixture of spiced, salt vinegar. Eventually, in the 17th century, we began to call the vegetables that were being preserved in this sauce (cucumbers or gherkins) pickles. So to say that you are in a pickle does not mean that you are inside the vegetable, but rather you are inside the mix-- you are as mixed up and disoriented as the veggies that make up the pickle. Shakespeare first used this phrase in The Tempest, from 1610.
Sources:
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/phrases-sayings-shakespeare.html
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/in-a-pickle.html
Vernon, Jennifer. "Shakespeare's Coined Words Now Common Currency." National Geographic News. National Geographic., 22 Apr, 2004. Web. 26 Apr 2011.
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