12 Things Everyone Gets Wrong About William Shakespeare

6. Charles Dickens Inspired The Phrase "What The Dickens?"... When It Was Actually Coined By Shakespeare

This entry differs from the other 11 due to the fact it is not a misconception about Shakespeare himself - but about the fact one of his phrases is misattributed to another great British author. Charles Dickens wrote such great Victorian works as "A Christmas Carol", "Oliver Twist", "Great Expectations" and "A Tale of Two Cities" during the 19th Century - and gained great fame for his authorship. As a result of this fame, many wrongly believe that the phrase "What the Dickens?" - used by people when they are confused or unsure of something - was coined in honour of the Victorian author. In fact, Shakespeare first used the phrase in "Merry Wives of Windsor" (Act III, Scene II) - with "Dickens" a common 17th-Century euphemism for the "Devil". The line used by Shakespeare was: "I cannot tell what the dickens his name is."