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English
Etymology
From a monologue delivered by the character Polonius in Act I Scene III of Hamlet by William Shakespeare.
Proverb
to thine own self be true
- Be yourself; be true to yourself; do not engage in self-deception.
c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :This above all: to thine ownself be true,
And it must follow, as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to any man.
1977, Robert P Marinelli, Arthur E. Dell Orto, editors, The Psychological and Social Impact of Physical Disability, Springer Publishing Co., →ISBN, page 306:"To thine own self be true," I saw, was what produced vitality, confidence, and genuine expression in one's interpersonal relations.
1986 August, Gary Diedrichs, “Bewitched”, in Orange Coast:Know thyself. To thine own self be true. For the man or woman who can confront the demon within, there is a hopeful prognosis.
1995, Paula C. Rust, Bisexuality and the Challenge to Lesbian Politics: Sex, Loyalty, and Revolution, New York University Press, published 1995, →ISBN, page 51:Several of these women said simply, "to each her own," while others like Sue were only slighty more verbose: "Each of us has a right and a responsibility 'to thine own self be true.' Another person's sexual preference is not my business or concern."
2004, James M. Morris, Andrea L. Kross, Historical Dictionary of Utopianism, Scarecrow Press, published 2004, →ISBN, page 262:"To thine own self be true" whatever the consequences was taken as the principle of true freedom and humanity by the romantics.
2012, Mark D. White, “The Sound and the Fury Behind 'One More Day'”, in Jonathan J. Sanford, editor, Spider-Man and Philosophy: The Web of Inquiry, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 241:As Shakespeare wrote, "To thine own self be true," at least according to what kind of person you believe yourself to be.
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