When I was studying Shakespeare as a theatre major, I had a professor who would talk about “the purple passages.” These are the really famous lines and speeches that English speakers seem to be born with a at least a faint awareness of; that sixth sense that says “you have heard this before.” (It also applies to certain fairy tales and most Beatle’s lyrics.)
“To be or not to be,” “the quality of mercy is not strained,” “what’s in a name?” “some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them” are a few examples that come to mind.
I saw this man in a bar and asked if I could take a photo, and he kindly agreed. He may not look kind, but he really was.
It’s been a while since college but I’m surprised I don’t remember this quote. Must be more of a “puce passage.”
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About Rachel Lewis
I am a writer, ceramic artist, knitter, and stepmom. As a playwright, I had six short plays produced in showcases and festivals in Manhattan, Salt Lake City, and Austin. My full-length play, Locking Doors, was presented by Wordsmith Theatre Company in The New Lab Theatre (University of Utah) in 2005. I co-wrote a teleplay titled “Thank God I’m Atheist” which won the 2015 “No God But Funny” contest founded by the Center for Inquiry. My short nonfiction essay, “It’s Coming Down,” was published by the online literary magazine Halfway Down the Stairs. My essay "The Red Rock Chronicles" was published in Contemporary West magazine. I currently work in pharmaceuticals professionally and write recreationally, but dream of making the transition to write professionally and do pharmaceuticals recreationally. I am a Utah native and live in Salt Lake City with my family and our Goldendoodle. I am working on a collection of humorous non-fiction essays and a second full-length play.
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rachelclewis.com
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