Six Characters in Search of an Author quotes

Mellifluously.

Oh sir, you know well that life is full of infinite absurdities, which, strangely enough, do not even need to appear plausible, since they are true.

What the devil is he talking about?

And this was a real crime, sir; because he who has had the luck to be born a character can laugh even at death.

He cannot die. The man, the writer, the instrument of the creation will die, but his creation does not die.

And to live for ever, it does not need to have extraordinary gifts or to be able to work wonders. Who was Sancho Panza? Who was Don Abbondio?

We want to live.

No, sir, only for a moment

… in you.

It is in us! The Actors laugh.

The drama is in us, and we are the drama.

We are impatient to play it. Our inner passion drives us on to this.

With a cry. No! No!

Fortunately for her, he is dead. Two months ago as I said. We are in mourning, as you see.

He isn’t here you see, not because he is dead.

With disgust.

Yes, phrases! phrases!

Phrases! Isn’t everyone consoled when faced with a trouble or fact he doesn’t understand, by a word, some simple word, which tells us nothing and yet calms us?

Phrases!

Isn’t everyone consoled when faced with a trouble or fact he doesn’t understand, by a word, some simple word, which tells us nothing and yet calms us?

Even in the case of remorse. In fact, especially then.

while you who listen to me must inevitably translate them according to the conception of things each one of you has within himself.

We think we understand each other, but we never really do!

Look here! This woman Indicating The Mother. takes all my pity for her as a specially ferocious form of cruelty.

But don’t you see that the whole trouble lies here. In words, words.

Each one of us has within him a whole world of things, each man of us his own special world.

And how can we ever come to an understanding if I put in the words I utter the sense and value of things as I see them;

Very good, sir!

But a fact is like a sack which won’t stand up when it is empty.

In order that it may stand up, one has to put into it the reason and sentiment which have caused it to exist.

For the drama lies all in this—in the conscience that I have, that each one of us has. We believe this conscience to be a single thing, but it is many-sided. There is one for this person, and another for that. Diverse consciences.

So we have this illusion of being one person for all, of having a personality that is unique in all our acts.

But it isn’t true. We perceive this when, tragically perhaps, in something we do, we are as it were, suspended, caught up in the air on a kind of hook.

What does that matter? Acting is our business here.

Truth up to a certain point, but no further.

What do you want to do then?

Not understanding. What? The others? What do you mean?

For one who has gone wrong, sir, he who was responsible for the first fault is responsible for all that follow.

He is responsible for my faults, was, even before I was born. Look at him, and see if it isn’t true!

Brief pause. He goes a step or two nearer The Manager and adds. But not only for us, you know, by the way. Just you think it over well. Looks him in the eyes.

Can you tell me who you are?

Perplexed, half smiling. What? Who am I? I am myself.

After watching them for a moment with a wan smile.

As I say, sir, that which is a game of art for you is our sole reality.

Brief pause. He goes a step or two nearer The Manager and adds. But not only for us, you know, by the way. Just you think it over well. Looks him in the eyes. Can you tell me who you are?

Well, if you want to take away from me the possibility of representing the torment of my spirit which never gives me peace, you will be suppressing me: that’s all.

Every true man, sir, who is a little above the level of the beasts and plants does not live for the sake of living, without knowing how to live; but he lives so as to give a meaning and a value of his own to life.

For me this is everything. I cannot give up this, just to represent a mere fact as she Indicating The Step-Daughter. wants. It’s all very well for her, since her “vendetta” lies in the “fact.” I’m not going to do it.

You’ve got to understand that you can’t go on arguing at your own pleasure.

Drama is action, sir, action and not confounded philosophy.

All right. I’ll do just as much arguing and philosophizing as everybody does when he is considering his own torments.