"There is a time for departure even when there's no certain place to go."
About Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams — Life and Legacy
Tennessee Williams, an influential American playwright, is celebrated for his profound exploration of human emotions and relationships. His works, such as 'A Streetcar Named Desire' and 'The Glass Menagerie,' delve into themes of love, desire, and the struggle against societal norms. Williams' characters often grapple with their inner conflicts, revealing the psychological depth that defines his storytelling. For instance, his quote, 'The violets in the mountains have broken the rocks,' encapsulates his belief in resilience and beauty emerging from hardship. This perspective challenges the conventional narratives of success and happiness, instead highlighting the complexities of human experience. Williams' ability to articulate the nuances of love and struggle continues to resonate, making his insights relevant in today's discussions about identity and emotional truth.
Quote collection
Tennessee Williams quotes (page 1 of 13)
256 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"All cruel people describe themselves as paragons of frankness."
"What is straight? A line can be straight, or a street, but the human heart, oh, no, it's curved like a road through mountains."
"It's interesting, isn't it? . . . the chandelier . . . it reminds me of mushroom soup."
"Success is blocked by concentrating on it and planning for it... Success is shy - it won't come out while you're watching."
"Caged birds accept each other, but flight is what they long for."
"Don't look forward to the day you stop suffering, because when it comes you'll know you're dead."
"I can't stand a naked light bulb, any more than I can a rude remark or a vulgar action."
"The only thing worse than a liar is a liar that's also a hypocrite!"
"Life is an unanswered question, but let's still believe in the dignity and importance of the question."
"A prayer for the wild at heart kept in cages."
"At the age of fourteen I discovered writing as an escape from a world of reality in which I felt acutely uncomfortable."
"Friends are God's way of apologizing to us for our families"
"I'm not living with you. We occupy the same cage. (Maggie)"
"To begin with, I turn back time. I reverse it to that quaint period, the thirties, when the huge middle class of America was matriculating in a school for the blind. Their eyes had failed them, or they had failed their eyes, and so they were having their fingers pressed forcibly down on the fiery Braille alphabet of a dissolving economy."
"Don't you just love these long rainy afternoons in New Orleans when an hour isn't just an hour — but a little bit of eternity dropped in your hands — and who knows what to do with it?"
"Everybody is nothing until you love them."
"There comes a time when you look into the mirror and you realize that what you see is all that you will ever be. And then you accept it. Or you kill yourself. Or you stop looking in mirrors."
"We're all of us guinea pigs in the laboratory of God. Humanity is just a work in progress."
"I don't want realism. I want magic!"