Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears;
— William ShakespeareJulius Caesar, 1599
Quotes to Open a Speech
Six sourced openers, short and familiar
A good opening quote is short, familiar and a little surprising. It buys you a few seconds of attention and tells the room what kind of speech this will be. Each line below lists its author, work and year.
Brevity is the soul of wit,
— William ShakespeareHamlet, 1600
“Begin at the beginning,” the King said, very gravely, “and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”
— Lewis CarrollAlice’s Adventures in Wonderland, 1865
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,
— Charles DickensA Tale of Two Cities, 1859
Lord, what fools these mortals be!
— William ShakespeareA Midsummer Night’s Dream, 1595
Call me Ishmael.
— Herman MelvilleMoby-Dick, 1851
Using an opening quote
Say the quote, smile, and move on within ten seconds. The Carroll line does double duty: it promises the audience you will be brief. Avoid explaining a joke quote, and let the first sentence of your own speech follow right behind it.