Who first used the term “charmed life”?

Shakespeare! Good heavens, he came up with a lot. I was
researching the roots of “a charmed life” and found this on www.phrases.org.uk:

Meaning

A life of guaranteed
good fortune or invulnerability, by virtue of a charm or spell.

Origin

From
Shakespeare’s Macbeth, 1605:

    “Thou losest labour:

    As easy mayst thou the
intrenchant air

    With thy keen sword impress
as make me bleed:

    Let fall thy blade on
vulnerable crests;

    I bear a charmed life,
which must not yield,

    To one of woman born.”

And a bit of theatrical trivia: Did you know that Macbeth is supposed to curse theaters? Actors refer to it as “the Scottish play.”




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