Quotes from Henrik Ibsen

Many a man can save himself if he admits he's done wrong and takes his punishment.

The man whom God wills to slay in the struggle of life - he first individualizes.

I hold that man is in the right who is most closely in league with the future.

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

This is life! It can harden and it can exalt!

Money brings you food, but not appetite; medicine, but not health; acquaintances, but not friends.

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.

One should never put on one's best trousers to go out to fight for freedom.

A thousand words leave not the same deep impression as does a single deed.

A thousand words will not leave so deep an impression as one deed.

The devil is compromise.

I don't imagine you will dispute the fact that at present the stupid people are in an absolutely overwhelming majority all the world over.

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

To live is to war with trolls.

Home life ceases to be free and beautiful as soon as it is founded on borrowing and debt.

...every man shares the responsibility and the guilt of the society to which he belongs.

Do you know what we are those of us who count as pillars of society? We are society's tools, neither more nor less.

The pillars of truth and the pillars of freedom - they are the pillars of society.

The worst enemy of truth and freedom in our society is the compact majority.

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

In the decisive moment I won the victory over myself. I chose to live. And believe me, it takes courage to choose life under those circumstances.

When we dead awaken ... we see that we have never lived.

So to conduct one's life as to realize oneself-this seems to me the highest attainment possible to a human being. It is the task of one and all of us, but most of us bungle it.

There can be no freedom or beauty about a home life that depends on borrowing and debt.