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There is always a risk in being alive, and if you are more alive, there is more risk.

Henrik Ibsen

To live is to war with trolls in heart and woul. To write is to sit in judgement on oneself.
HENRIK IBSEN

Heart Judgement Live Oneself Sit Troll War Writing
If only I could master that demon of procrastination that goes about like a roaring lion and devours all my good intentions, I should become the most punctual man in the world.
HENRIK IBSEN

Man Master Procrastination Punctual World
Look into any man’s heart you please, and you will always find, in every one, at least one black spot which he has to keep concealed.
HENRIK IBSEN

Finding Heart Himself Man Please
Public opinion is an extremely mutable thing.
HENRIK IBSEN

Extreme Mute Opinion Public
The strong must learn to be lonely.
HENRIK IBSEN

Learning Lonely Strong
The costliness of keeping friends does not lie in what one does for them, but in what one, out of consideration for them, refrains from doing.
HENRIK IBSEN

Friendship Lying Oneself
Rob the average man of his life-illusion, and you rob him of his happiness at the same stroke.
HENRIK IBSEN

Average Happiness Himself Man Stroke
A woman cannot be herself in the society of the present day, which is an exclusively masculine society, with laws framed by men and with a judicial system that judges feminine conduct from a masculine point of view.
HENRIK IBSEN

Frame Judgement Man Point Present Society System View Woman
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
To die in agony upon a cross Does not create a martyr; he must first Will his own execution.
HENRIK IBSEN

Agony Death Execution Himself Willing
Poetry is to hold judgment on your soul.
HENRIK IBSEN

Hold Judgement Poetry Soul Yourself
Each bird must sing with his own throat.
HENRIK IBSEN

Ability Bird Independent Sing Throat
It’s a liberation to know that an act of spontaneous courage is yet possible in this world. An act that has something of unconditional beauty.
HENRIK IBSEN

Act Beautiful Courage Known Liberty
Every man shares the responsibility and the guilt of the society to which he belongs.
HENRIK IBSEN

Himself Man Responsibility Share Society
It is not by spectacular achievements that man can be transformed, but by will.
HENRIK IBSEN

Achievement Man Transformation Willing
Bigger things than the State will fall, all religion will fall.
HENRIK IBSEN

Fall Religion State
There are two kinds of spiritual law, two kinds of conscience, one in man and another, altogether different, in woman. They do not understand each other; but in practical life the woman is judged by man’s law, as though she were not a woman but a man.
HENRIK IBSEN

Conscience Different Kind Law Man Practice Spirituality Woman
The younger generation will come knocking at my door.
HENRIK IBSEN

Door Generation Myself Young
Whether I pound or am being pounded, all the same there will be moaning!
HENRIK IBSEN

Hustle Moaning Myself
A marriage based on full confidence, based on complete and unqualified frankness on both sides; they are not keeping anything back; there’s no deception underneath it all. If I might so put it, it’s an agreement for the mutual forgiveness of sin.
HENRIK IBSEN

Agreement Confidence Forgiveness Marriage Myself
It was then that I began to look into the seams of your doctrine. I wanted only to pick at a single knot; but when I had got that undone, the whole thing raveled out. And then I understood that it was all machine-sewn.
HENRIK IBSEN

Beginning Pick Understand Yourself
This is life! It can harden and it can exalt!
HENRIK IBSEN

Experience Life
It’s a release to know that in spite of everything a premeditated act of courage is still possible.
HENRIK IBSEN

Act Courage Known Possible Release
A forest bird never wants a cage.
HENRIK IBSEN

Bird Cage Forest Freedom Wild
There is so much falsehood both at home and at school. At home one must not speak, and at school we have to stand and tell lies to the children.
HENRIK IBSEN

Children Fake Home Lying School
You see, there are some people that one loves, and others that perhaps one would rather be with.
HENRIK IBSEN

Love People Yourself
Happiness is worth a daring deed; we are both free if we but will it, and then the game is won.
HENRIK IBSEN

Action Dare Game Happiness Winning

There is always a risk in being alive, and if you are more alive, there is more risk.

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There is always a risk in being alive, and if you are more alive, there is more risk.

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