Who speaks shakespearean? i need help understanding this.?

Question

The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail,

And you are stay'd for. There; my blessing with thee!

And these few precepts in thy memory

See thou character. Give thy thoughts no tongue,

Nor any unproportioned thought his act.

Be thou familiar, but by no means vulgar.

Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried,

Grapple them to thy soul with hoops of steel;

But do not dull thy palm with entertainment

Of each new-hatch'd, unfledged comrade. Beware

Of entrance to a quarrel, but being in,

Bear't that the opposed may beware of thee.

Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice;

Take each man's censure, but reserve thy judgment.

Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,

But not express'd in fancy; rich, not gaudy;

For the apparel oft proclaims the man,

And they in France of the best rank and station

Are of a most select and generous chief in that.

Neither a borrower nor a lender be;

For loan oft loses both itself and friend,

And borrowing dulls the edge of husbandry.

Answer 1

What you have to remember is that this is a type of poetry.

Answer 2

This is from Hamlet, I think.  The character speaking (polonius?) is giving his son instructions and advice on how to conduct himself in business and life.  The son is being sent home to run the father's affairs whilst the father remains behind in the capitol to be near the seat of political power and serve his office to the king.  The advice given basically means:

Trust on one.  Follow your own judgment.  Don't do be easily lead.  Never borrow money and never lend it.  Don't waste resources entertaining yourself and every one around you. Not every one who claims to be a friend really is.   Those who have proven themselves to be true friends should be cherished above all things. Keep them close to you.  Just because some one looks, dresses, speaks, acts nicely doesn't mean that they are nice or trust worthy.

This is actually a long-winded (even for Shakespear) way of Polonius telling his son not to take any wooden nickles.  It's a glimpse into this character's home life and the love he has for his son.  Even though he knows in his head that his son is ready to run the family affairs, in his heart, Polonius worries about his son and tries to condense an entire lifetime of learning and experience into a single brief statement for his son's benefit.

Hope this answer hellps.

Answer 3

Oh I never got to do much Shakespeare though we tried once because I thought it would be a little more fun and romantic to speak to each other in better wheys at home so I expressed this thought to my son, and naturally The Little Prince responded:

"Why of course Mommie Dearest, how may I help the royal queen?  So I asked him "Would you happen to know where art thy father, The Royal King?"... and he answered "Yes, he is at the royal stable this very moment placing a bet on Lady Luck in the 9th hoping to win more treasure to improve the state of our royal kingdom."  And I was much pleased indeed for I knew I was right in requesting from my son that we might do better to take on a little of the magika of Shakespeare into our very hearts and homes.

I stood there leaning against the doorway smiling and laughing thinking how very lucky I was as I watched The Little Prince doing his homework really enjoying the moment and relishing how very lucky and blessed I was to have such a beautiful son and family and he looked up at me and smiled....

and so what does the mari Coney Island baby son of a I know you are but what am I friggen dowop and do? He puts his hands on his hips and asks: "Will there be anything else my royal highness?" And when I said no, he says: "THEN BE GONE WITCH!"