In two or three hundred years’ time life on this Earth will be unimaginably beautiful and wonderful. ibid.
Suppose we could live life over again, knowing what we are doing … ibid.
It’s a cursed, unbearable life. ibid. Masha
Let’s all get drunk and make life purple for once. ibid.
How strangely life changes, and how it deceives! ibid. Andrey
Civilians in general are so often course, impolite, uneducated. ibid. Masha
It seems to me that everything on Earth must change. ibid. Vershinin
Either you must show why you live, or everything is trivial. ibid. Masha
My wife has poisoned herself again. ibid. Vershinin
They think I’m a doctor and can cure everything, and I know absolutely nothing. ibid. Chebutikin
Perhaps I don’t exist at all, and only imagine that I walk, and eat and sleep. ibid.
My God, I thought, what these girls will go through if they live long. ibid. father’s monologue
What life will be like then ... ibid.
I’m bored, I’m bored, I’m bored … ibid. Masha
I can’t work, I shan’t work. ibid. Irina
My brain has dried up, and I’ve grown thinner, plainer, older, and there’s is no relief … I can’t understand how it is that I am alive, that I haven’t killed myself. ibid.
They only eat, drink, sleep, and then they die. ibid. Andrey
The present is beastly, but when I think of the future, how good it is! ibid.
Life is heavy. To many of us it seems dull and hopeless. ibid. Vershinin
There will come a time when everybody will know why, for what purpose, there is all this suffering, and there will be no more mysteries. ibid. Irina
In a little while we shall know why we are living, why we are suffering. If we could only know, if we could only know … ibid.
The train’s arrived, thank God. What’s the time? Anton Chekhov, The Cherry Orchard, published 1904; Lopakhin, viz BBC production 1981
My father was a peasant, it is true, but here I am in a white waistcoat and yellow shoes. ibid.
Some misfortune happens to me every day. But I don’t complain; I’m used to it. ibid. Epikhodov
If only you could marry a rich man, then I’d be happy and would go away somewhere by myself. ibid. Varya to Anya
As you already know, your cherry orchard is to be sold to pay your debts, and the sale is fixed for August 22nd. ibid. Lopakhin
Look, little mother: what lovely trees! And the air! The starlings are singing! ibid. Varya
You’d be so much happier in yourself if you only kept quiet. ibid. Anya to Gaev
Fate has been as pitiless in her dealings with me as a storm is to a small ship. ibid. Epikhodov
And what does it mean – you’ll die? Perhaps a man has a hundred senses, and when he dies only the five known to us are destroyed and the remaining ninety-five are left alive. ibid. Trofimov
We only philosophize, we complain that we are dull, or we drink Vodka. ibid.
I shall never go out. Why should I? My life is already at an end. Anton Chekhov, The Bear (short) ***** Popova; viz Cambridge live by Summer Light
I grieved over her, I wept for a month, and that’s enough for her. ibid. Lika
I’d rather sit on a barrel of gunpowder than talk to a woman. ibid. Smirnov
I’ve seen more women than you’ve seen sparrows! Three times I’ve fought duels on account of women. I’ve refused twelve women, and nine have refused me! Yes! There was a time when I played the fool, scented myself, used honeyed words, wore jewellery, made beautiful bows. I used to love, to suffer, to sigh at the moon, to get sour, to thaw, to freeze … ibid.
I said you are bear, a monster. ibid. Popova
The sexes are equal. I’ll shoot her on principle. ibid. Smirnov
God, what a woman! I’ve never seen anyone in my life like her … Will you be my wife? ibid.
I can’t bear it much longer! Henrik Ibsen, The Master Builder, Brovic, written 1892; viz BBC 1988 starring Leo McKern
You must die as best you can. ibid. Solness
I cared very much for Ragnar once – before I came here to you. ibid. Kaia to Solness
Aline has made up her mind that I am mad. ibid. Solness to Dr Herdal
For sooner or later the luck must turn, you see. ibid.
I want my kingdom. The time is up. ibid. Hilda
Solness: Do you read much?
Hilda: No, never! I have given it up. ibid.
The price, Hilda! The terrible price I had to pay for the opportunity! ibid. Solness
Don’t you agree with me, Hilda, that there exist special, chosen people who have been endowed with the faculty, the power, of desiring a thing, craving for a thing, willing a thing … ibid.
Oh, there are devils innumerable abroad in the world, Hilda, that one never sees. ibid.
There is something of the bird of prey in you. ibid.
I have just come up out of a tomb. ibid. Hilda
I am chained alive to a dead woman. ibid. Solness
Solness: Now tell me what it is – the loveliest thing in the world – that we two are to build together.
Hilda: Castles in the air. ibid.
Castles in the air – they are so easy to build. ibid. Hilda
The princess shall have her castle. ibid. Solness
This is the first Christmas we’ve had to economise. Henrik Ibsen, A Doll’s House, Nora to Helmer, premiered 1879
There can be no freedom or beauty about a home life that depends on borrowing or debt. ibid. Helmer
Not even any sorrow or grief to live upon. ibid. Mrs Linde
Mrs Linde: One must live, Doctor Rank.
Dr Rank: Yes, the general opinion seems to be that it is necessary. ibid.
A songbird must have a clean beak to chip with – no false notes! ibid.
Torvald is so absolutely fond of me he wants me entirely to himself. ibid. Nora to Mrs Linde
Those that are gone are soon forgotten. ibid. Dr Rank
One can’t have anything in this life without paying for it. ibid.
You have never loved me. You have only thought it pleasant to be in love with me. ibid. Nora
Our home has been nothing but a playroom. I have been your doll-wife, just as at home I was papa’s doll-child. ibid.
There is another task I must undertake first. I must try and educate myself. ibid.
I believe that before all else I am a reasonable human being. ibid.