Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time.

When William Shakespeare wrote, “Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time,” he spoke with the knowing smile of one who had seen much of humanity’s variety. This line, found in The Merchant of Venice, is light upon the tongue, yet deep in its meaning. Shakespeare, the great observer of mankind, reminds us that nature is a maker of infinite forms—shaping men and women of every temper, every passion, every peculiarity. Some are noble, others foolish; some are fierce as storms, others gentle as streams. The phrase “strange fellows” does not condemn but marvels, for the strangeness of human beings is both our burden and our wonder.

The origin of the quote comes from a moment in the play when characters reflect on the odd companions thrown together in life’s journey. Shakespeare, who walked the streets of Elizabethan London teeming with merchants, beggars, nobles, and fools, knew that the world was a vast stage where the actors were endlessly diverse. To him, it was nature herself who delighted in creating these “strange fellows”—as though she were an artist experimenting with all shades of color, all rhythms of form, just to see how humanity might play them out upon the earth.

Consider how history has proven Shakespeare’s words. Think of Socrates, the philosopher of Athens, whose face was said to be ugly and his manner eccentric, yet whose strange and unyielding devotion to truth changed the world of thought forever. Or think of Joan of Arc, the peasant girl who claimed visions, who rode into battle clad in armor, who baffled kings and generals, and whose life seemed too strange for the world, yet whose fire altered the course of nations. Such figures remind us that strangeness is not weakness, but often the very mark of destiny.

The ancients themselves understood this mystery. The Greeks spoke of the gods shaping mortals each with a different gift—some wise, some foolish, some quick of hand, some slow but patient of heart. The Romans celebrated the diversity of their citizens, for they believed that strength lay not in sameness but in the gathering of many kinds of men. Shakespeare echoes this eternal wisdom: humanity’s richness lies in its strangeness. Without the odd, the eccentric, the dreamer, and the fool, the world would stagnate. It is the “strange fellows” who stir the waters of history, who bring invention, rebellion, laughter, and transformation.

The meaning of the quote is thus both humorous and profound. It reminds us that the world is filled with those who may appear peculiar, whose ways we do not understand, whose words sound strange in our ears. Yet these, too, are framed by nature. They are not accidents but expressions of life’s vast creativity. To despise them is to despise the infinite artistry of existence; to accept them is to embrace the fullness of what it means to be human.

The lesson for us is clear: cherish diversity in all its forms. When you encounter one whose ways are unlike your own, resist the impulse to mock or scorn. Instead, ask what hidden gift may lie in their strangeness. For history teaches that the world is often moved forward not by the ordinary, but by those who seemed out of place in their time. Let us cultivate the humility to learn even from the most peculiar of companions.

Practically, act by opening your heart to the variety of human experience. Read the works of those far from your own culture. Listen to the stories of the eccentric and the marginalized. Allow yourself to be shaped by the wisdom of the “strange fellows” who cross your path. In doing so, you will not only expand your own soul, but also honor the creativity of nature, who framed them as carefully as she framed you.

Thus Shakespeare’s words, simple yet enduring, carry the force of eternal teaching: “Nature hath framed strange fellows in her time.” Let us laugh at our differences, but also revere them. Let us see in strangeness not folly but possibility, and in diversity not division but strength. For in the great play of life, it is the variety of characters that makes the drama rich, and the strangeness of fellows that makes the story worth telling.