black
grey
blue
red
brown
white

What’s a man’s first duty? The answer is brief: To be himself.

Henrik Ibsen

Oh, life would be all right if we didn’t have to put up with these damned creditors who keep pestering us with the demands of their ideals.
HENRIK IBSEN

Deal Demand Life Right
To live is to war with trolls.
HENRIK IBSEN

Live Troll War
Oh, law and order! I often think it is that that is at the bottom of all the misery in the world.
HENRIK IBSEN

Chaos Law Misery Myself Order Philosophy Thinking World
Do you know what we are those of us who count as pillars of society? We are society’s tools, neither more nor less.
HENRIK IBSEN

Count Society Yourself
The great task of our time is to blow up all existing institutions to destroy.
HENRIK IBSEN

Destroy Existence Greatness Institution Task
Nobody can put a character on paper without – at any rate in part and at times – sitting as a model for it himself.
HENRIK IBSEN

Character Himself Modeling Rate
NORA: I must stand on my own two feet if I’m to get to know myself and the world outside. That’s why I can’t stay here with you any longer.
HENRIK IBSEN

Known Myself Stand World
The strong must learn to be lonely.
HENRIK IBSEN

Learning Lonely Strong
A thousand words can’t make the mark a single deed will leave.
HENRIK IBSEN

Action Leave Word
When we dead awaken. We see that we have never lived.
HENRIK IBSEN

Awakening Dead Live
And what if I did run my ship aground; oh, still it was splendid to sail it!
HENRIK IBSEN

Myself Run Ship
People who don’t know how to keep themselves healthy ought to have the decency to get themselves buried, and not waste time about it.
HENRIK IBSEN

Decent Health People Wasted Time
Before I write down one word, I have to have the character in my mind through and through. I must penetrate into the last wrinkle of his soul.
HENRIK IBSEN

Character Mindset Myself Soul Wrinkle Writing
I must make up my mind which is right – society or I.
HENRIK IBSEN

Mindset Myself Society
Each bird must sing with his own throat.
HENRIK IBSEN

Ability Bird Independent Sing Throat
Helmer: “Before all else you are a wife and a mother.” Nora: “That I no longer believe. I believe that before all else I am a human being.”
HENRIK IBSEN

Human Myself Responsibility Role

What’s a man’s first duty? The answer is brief: To be himself.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

What’s a man’s first duty? The answer is brief: To be himself.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Henrik Ibsen Quotes