Another aspect of what Harold Bloom calls the "Shakespearean difference" is the refinement found in his figurative language. By refinement, I mean precision and uniqueness. Put plainly, his imagery is, in my opinion, the best to be found in literature. A couple of examples came to mind today: the first is from the "This royal throne of kings" speech, spoken by John of Gaunt in Richard II (2.1). It's more famous as a patriotic speech than for anything else (although its real subject is how recent financial mismanagement has led to national shame), but there is one phrase that I hadn't previously appreciated to its deserved level. It's the description of Jesus (and remember: this is a character speaking of his faith, not the author) as "the world's ransom".

The second is from The Merchant of Venice, the scene in which Bassanio is making his selection from among the three caskets (3.2), during which he comments on how people can be misled by appearances (or "ornament", as he calls it). The lines that I find particularly striking in this passage are the last four:

So may the outward shows be least themselves:

The world is still deceived with ornament.

In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt,

But, being seasoned with a gracious voice,

Obscures the show of evil? In religion,

What damned error, but some sober brow

Will bless it and approve it with a text,

Hiding the grossness with fair ornament?

There is no vice so simple but assumes

Some mark of virtue on his outward parts:

How many cowards, whose hearts are all as false

As stairs of sand, wear yet upon their chins

The beards of Hercules and frowning Mars;

Who, inward search'd, have livers white as milk...