Did Shakespeare write "The lady doth protest too much."?

Not exactly. The full line is "The lady doth protest too much, methinks." — from Hamlet, Act III.ii.

Vol. 08 · Shakespeare ·Hamlet, Act III.ii ·Gertrude

"The lady doth protest too much."

Not quite the line.

How it's usually quoted

"The lady doth protest too much."

What Shakespeare actually wrote

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks." Gertrude — Hamlet, Act III.ii

"Methinks" frames the whole line as cautious opinion. Drop it and a hedged observation becomes a flat accusation.

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