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Samuel Beckett Quotes

Writer

Samuel Beckett is celebrated for his innovative and existential works that explore the absurdity, isolation, and resilience of the human condition. His writing challenges conventional narrative and theatrical forms, blending dark humor with profound philosophical insight. The following quotes reflect his sharp wit, contemplative depth, and the enduring impact of his literary and dramatic vision.

What do I know of man's destiny? I could tell you more about radishes.
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The tears of the world are a constant quantity. For each one who begins to weep somewhere else another stops. The same is true of the laugh.
From Waiting for Godot
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Ah earth you old extinguisher.
From Happy Days
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Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.
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Ever Tried. Ever Failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
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They give birth astride of a grave, the light gleams an instant, then it's night once more.
From Waiting for Godot
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It is suicide to be abroad. But what it is to be at home, ... what it is to be at home? A lingering dissolution.
From All That Fall and Other Plays for Radio and Screen
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You're on Earth. There's no cure for that.
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To every man his little cross. Till he dies. And is forgotten.
From Waiting for Godot
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I must be happy, he said, it is less pleasant than I should have thought.
From Malone Dies
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That's how it is on this bitch of an earth.
From Waiting for Godot
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The more people I meet the happier I become.
From Waiting for Godot
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Astride of a grave and a difficult birth.
Down in the hole, lingeringly, the grave digger puts on the forceps.
We have time to grow old.
The air is full of our cries.
But habit is a great deadener.
At me too someone is looking, of me too someone is saying, He is sleeping, he knows nothing.
Let him sleep on.
From Waiting for Godot
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Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
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In the name of Bacon will you chicken me up that egg.
Shall I swallow cave-phantoms?
From Collected Poems in English and French
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Yes, there is no good pretending, it is hard to leave everything.
From Molloy / Malone Dies / The Unnamable
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We are all born mad. Some remain so.
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I can't go on, I'll go on.
From I Can't Go On, I'll Go On: A Samuel Beckett Reader
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Words are the clothes thoughts wear.
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The end is in the beginning and yet you go on.
From Endgame
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I always thought old age would be a writer’s best chance. Whenever I read the late work of Goethe or W. B. Yeats I had the impertinence to identify with it. Now, my memory’s gone, all the old fluency’s disappeared. I don’t write a single sentence without saying to myself, ‘It’s a lie!’ So I know I was right. It’s the best chance I’ve ever had.
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The only sin is the sin of being born
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POZZO:
I am blind.
(Silence.)
ESTRAGON:
Perhaps he can see into the future.
From Waiting for Godot
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What do I know of man's destiny? I could tell you more about radishes.
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The tears of the world are a constant quantity. For each one who begins to weep somewhere else another stops. The same is true of the laugh.
From Waiting for Godot
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Ah earth you old extinguisher.
From Happy Days
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Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Ever Tried. Ever Failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
They give birth astride of a grave, the light gleams an instant, then it's night once more.
From Waiting for Godot
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It is suicide to be abroad. But what it is to be at home, ... what it is to be at home? A lingering dissolution.
From All That Fall and Other Plays for Radio and Screen
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You're on Earth. There's no cure for that.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
To every man his little cross. Till he dies. And is forgotten.
From Waiting for Godot
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
I must be happy, he said, it is less pleasant than I should have thought.
From Malone Dies
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That's how it is on this bitch of an earth.
From Waiting for Godot
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The more people I meet the happier I become.
From Waiting for Godot
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Astride of a grave and a difficult birth.
Down in the hole, lingeringly, the grave digger puts on the forceps.
We have time to grow old.
The air is full of our cries.
But habit is a great deadener.
At me too someone is looking, of me too someone is saying, He is sleeping, he knows nothing.
Let him sleep on.
From Waiting for Godot
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
In the name of Bacon will you chicken me up that egg.
Shall I swallow cave-phantoms?
From Collected Poems in English and French
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Yes, there is no good pretending, it is hard to leave everything.
From Molloy / Malone Dies / The Unnamable
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We are all born mad. Some remain so.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
I can't go on, I'll go on.
From I Can't Go On, I'll Go On: A Samuel Beckett Reader
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Words are the clothes thoughts wear.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
The end is in the beginning and yet you go on.
From Endgame
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
I always thought old age would be a writer’s best chance. Whenever I read the late work of Goethe or W. B. Yeats I had the impertinence to identify with it. Now, my memory’s gone, all the old fluency’s disappeared. I don’t write a single sentence without saying to myself, ‘It’s a lie!’ So I know I was right. It’s the best chance I’ve ever had.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
The only sin is the sin of being born
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POZZO:
I am blind.
(Silence.)
ESTRAGON:
Perhaps he can see into the future.
From Waiting for Godot
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
What do I know of man's destiny? I could tell you more about radishes.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
The tears of the world are a constant quantity. For each one who begins to weep somewhere else another stops. The same is true of the laugh.
From Waiting for Godot
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Ah earth you old extinguisher.
From Happy Days
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Ever Tried. Ever Failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
They give birth astride of a grave, the light gleams an instant, then it's night once more.
From Waiting for Godot
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
It is suicide to be abroad. But what it is to be at home, ... what it is to be at home? A lingering dissolution.
From All That Fall and Other Plays for Radio and Screen
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
You're on Earth. There's no cure for that.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
To every man his little cross. Till he dies. And is forgotten.
From Waiting for Godot
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
I must be happy, he said, it is less pleasant than I should have thought.
From Malone Dies
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
That's how it is on this bitch of an earth.
From Waiting for Godot
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
The more people I meet the happier I become.
From Waiting for Godot
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Astride of a grave and a difficult birth.
Down in the hole, lingeringly, the grave digger puts on the forceps.
We have time to grow old.
The air is full of our cries.
But habit is a great deadener.
At me too someone is looking, of me too someone is saying, He is sleeping, he knows nothing.
Let him sleep on.
From Waiting for Godot
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
In the name of Bacon will you chicken me up that egg.
Shall I swallow cave-phantoms?
From Collected Poems in English and French
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Yes, there is no good pretending, it is hard to leave everything.
From Molloy / Malone Dies / The Unnamable
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
We are all born mad. Some remain so.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
I can't go on, I'll go on.
From I Can't Go On, I'll Go On: A Samuel Beckett Reader
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
Words are the clothes thoughts wear.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
The end is in the beginning and yet you go on.
From Endgame
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
I always thought old age would be a writer’s best chance. Whenever I read the late work of Goethe or W. B. Yeats I had the impertinence to identify with it. Now, my memory’s gone, all the old fluency’s disappeared. I don’t write a single sentence without saying to myself, ‘It’s a lie!’ So I know I was right. It’s the best chance I’ve ever had.
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
The only sin is the sin of being born
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote
POZZO:
I am blind.
(Silence.)
ESTRAGON:
Perhaps he can see into the future.
From Waiting for Godot
Avg Rating: --Rate This Quote