"What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? man delights not me: no, nor woman neither, though by your smiling you seem to say so"
-hamlet by shakespeare
...and more recently, in the 20th century, the phrase 'a real piece of work' has been coined. This means almost exactly the opposite of Shakespeare's meaning, i.e. 'a really bad person, lacking morality and scruples'.
.as for the title:
"What a piece of work is a man! how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel! in apprehension how like a god! the beauty of the world! the paragon of animals! And yet, to me, what is this quintessence of dust? man delights not me: no, nor woman neither, though by your smiling you seem to say so" -hamlet by shakespeare
...and more recently, in the 20th century, the phrase 'a real piece of work' has been coined. This means almost exactly the opposite of Shakespeare's meaning, i.e. 'a really bad person, lacking morality and scruples'.