Henrik Ibsen Quotes

Erring soul of man — if thou wast indeed forced to err, it shall surely be accounted to thee for good on that great day when the Mighty One shall descend in the clouds to judge the living dead and the dead who are yet alive!

I must make up my mind which is right – society or I.

But a scientific man must live in a little bit of style.

Whether I pound or am being pounded,
all the same there will be moaning!

لن تفقدوني طويلاً، فالراحلون سرعان ما ينطوون في زوايا النسيان.

Hvad skal manden v’re? Sig selv, det er mit korte svar.

The spirit of truth and the spirit of freedom — these are the pillars of society.

The strongest men are the most alone.

Cage an eagle and it will bite at the wires, be they of
iron or of gold.

There is one thing I esteem higher than that; and that is for a man to be self-reliant and sure of himself.

Helmer: I would gladly work night and day for you. Nora- bear sorrow and want for your sake. But no man would sacrifice his honor for the one he loves.
Nora: It is a thing hundreds of thousands of women have done.

The individual ought undoubtedly to acquiesce in subordinating himself to the community — or, to speak more accurately, to the authorities who have the care of the community’s welfare.

It is the small losses in life that cut one to the heart.

Borkman: Dann haben wir uns gegenseitig etwas vorgemacht. Und uns selber haben wir vielleicht auch etwas vorgemacht – beide.
Foldal: Ja, John Gabriel, aber ist das denn nicht im Grunde das Wesen der Freundschaft?
Borkman (lächelt bitter): Doch, doch, lügen und betrügen – das ist Freundschaft. Da hast du recht. Diese Erfahrung habe ich schon einmal in meinem Leben gemacht.

I thank God that in the bath of Pain He purged my love. What strong compulsion drew Me on I knew not, till I saw in you The treasure I had blindly sought in vain. I praise Him, who our love has lifted thus To noble rank by sorrow, — licensed us To a triumphal progress, bade us sweep Thro' fen and forest to our castle-keep, A noble pair, astride on Pegasus!