Shakespeare, popularly referred to as The Bard,[1] was a playwright and poet.
Background[edit]
Radio play actor Rex Goodman was imprisoned by Super Mutants when he attempted to civilize them by reading from Shakespeare's works, starting with Macbeth,[2] and mentions the author by name.[3] A Macbeth Script can also be acquired in-game as a paper note. The Hubris Comics Terminal Entries in Fallout 4 directly reference Shakespeare himself, with Aaron Babowski stating "We're not writing Shakespeare here. It's TV, right?"[4]
In Vault 33, Davey offers to teach the raiders who attacked the vault works by Shakespeare and Marlowe in an attempt to educate them.[5]
Notes[edit]
- One of Deacon's combat taunts directly mentions Shakespeare, using his name as an adjective.[6]
- The icon for the Roleplay public team type in Fallout 76 features Vault Boy dressed as Shakespeare.[7]
Appearances[edit]
Shakespeare is mentioned by name in Fallout 4 and in the Fallout Television Series.
Behind the Scenes[edit]
- Several characters in the Fallout Series share their names with other characters from Shakespeare's works, including Desdemona (Othello), as well as R. Rosen and Gilden (Hamlet; references to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern).
- Both Fallout 4 and Fallout 76 feature a facial hair option named "The Bard", this may be a reference to Shakespeare's facial hair.
- One of Dane's ramblings, demanding that he be brought a horse, is a reference to Shakespeare's Richard III; specifically, the famous line "My kingdom for a horse!"[8]
- Arcade Gannon paraphrases a line from The Merchant of Venice. The line "Caesar can cite Cato to suit his purposes" is a paraphrase of the quote "The devil can cite scripture for his purpose" from Act 1, Scene 3 of The Merchant of Venice.[9]
- Rex Goodman quotes several works from Shakespeare: "Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow" is from Act 2, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet; "Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt" is from Act 1, Scene 4 of Measure for Measure; "So wise so young, they say do never live long" is from Act 3, Scene 1 of Richard III; "Hell is empty and all the devils are here" is from Act 1, Scene 2 of The Tempest; and "Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, for wise men say it is the wisest course" is from Act 3, Scene 1 of Henry VI, Part 3.
- The name of the Old World Blues quest What's in a Name? is a reference to Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
- Doctor Mobius quotes the line "Et tu, Brute?" from Shakespeare's Julius Caesar in one of his broadcasts to the Crater.[10]
- Nick Valentine quotes Shakespeare several times:
- Nick says "Welcome to the Brave New World... with such people in it", a reference to the quote "O' Brave New World, with such people in it" from Act 5, Scene 1 of The Tempest.[11]
- He also quotes Hamlet by saying "Clothes make the man", a reference to the quote "The apparel oft proclaims the man" from Act 1, Scene 3 of Hamlet.[12]
- Another Hamlet quote appears if the Sole Survivor kills Skinny Malone during Unlikely Valentine, when Nick says "Good night, sweet prince. Here's to all the old days", a reference to the final scene of the play.[13]
- In October 2077, the drama department of Watoga High School was planning to hold auditions for a production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, coordinated by Mr. Miller.[14]
- The item description for the republic robes in Fallout Shelter references the quote "Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears," from Act 3, Scene 2 of Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.
The Bloomfield Space Center design document for Van Buren describes Kyle "The Hook" as having "the eloquence of a junior-high drama student pretending to know and quote the great works of Shakespeare."
Romero and Julianna, characters unused in Fallout, planned for a quest that referenced Romeo and Juliet.
References[edit]
- ↑ Rex Goodman: "I shall uplift our spirits by quoting from the Bard. Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow. Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt. So wise so young, they say do never live long. Hell is empty and all the devils are here. Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, for wise men say it is the wisest course."
(Rex Goodman's dialogue) - ↑ Rex Goodman: "I came here to teach these poor, ignorant creatures culture. I started with Macbeth. I guess they found it funny. All of them except Strong here."
(Rex Goodman's dialogue) - ↑ Sole Survivor: "What were you doing up there?"
Rex Goodman: "I was attempting to teach those super mutants human culture. Trying to civilize them. I thought if they could just experience the majesty of Shakespeare, it would change them forever. And who better to open their eyes to the wonders of the Bard than Rex Goodman, the foremost actor in the world today?"
(Rex Goodman's dialogue) - ↑ Hubris Comics Terminal Entries; Writer's Terminal, 10-20-77
- ↑ S1E3 - The Head
- ↑ Deacon: "Insert something Shakespearian involving death and your inevitable doom here."
(Deacon's dialogue) - ↑ Vault Boy as Shakespeare
- ↑ Dane: "{113}{}{I want a horse! I need a horse! Bring me a horse, dammit! A horse!}"
(Dane's dialogue) - ↑ Courier: "Isn't that the language that Caesar's Legion speaks?"
Arcade Gannon: "Caesar can cite Cato to suit his purpose. Many people have spoken Latin. Some of them were quite pleasant. It's unfortunate that the language is now associated with the gentlemen across the river."
(Arcade Gannon's dialogue) - ↑ Doctor Mobius: "Is this thing on? This is Mobius - Dr. Mobius. We're... initiating some kind of emergency test shutdown... in five... Four, as in Forbidden... Three, as in tree... Two, as in "Et Two, Brutus?"... One, as in {emph} none. {Beat, surprise} Oh look, the emergency overload is initiating."
(Mobius' dialogue) - ↑ Sole Survivor: "What do you remember about the Institute?"
Nick Valentine: "It's all pretty hazy from back then, but now and then I get glimpses. Life inside the Institute... they keep you isolated. A single test chamber was my whole world for years. And someone was always watching. Then one day you wake up on the other side. And that's it. They've cut you loose. Welcome to the Brave New World... with such people in it."
(Nick Valentine's dialogue) - ↑ Sole Survivor: "What's with the outfit?"
Nick Valentine: "After I started the agency it just seemed like the sorta thing a detective ought to wear. I got some old memories, prewar, faded to all heck, of guys dressed like this, doin' what I do. Puttin' on the hat and trenchcoat, I figured it let folks know I was serious about the whole thing. "Clothes make the man" and all that. Guess I felt they made me the man I wanted to be."
(Nick Valentine's dialogue) - ↑ Nick Valentine: "Good night, sweet prince. Here's to all the old days."
(Nick Valentine's dialogue) - ↑ Watoga High School PA System: "This is a reminder that auditions for 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' are after school next week Wednesday. You have until Tuesday to sign up with Mr. Miller."
(School announcer's dialogue)
