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Samuel Beckett Quotes

96 Samuel Beckett Quotes That Prod You To ‘Fail Better’

Famous As: Irish Novelist Who Won the 1969 Nobel Prize in Literature

Born On: April 13, 1906

Died On: December 22, 1989

Born In: Foxrock, Ireland

Died At Age: 83

Samuel Beckett was a prolific Irish avant-garde poet, novelist, literary translator, theatre director and playwright. He spent most of his adult life in Paris and wrote both in French and English. In his later career, he became growingly minimalist. He is regarded as one of the prominent figures in the ‘Theatre of Absurd.' Some of his best-known works include, ‘Happy Days,’ ‘Waiting for Godot,’ ‘Not I,’ ‘Murphy,’ and ‘Krapp’s Last Tape’ amongst various others. He was also awarded the ‘Nobel Prize in Literature’ in 1969. We have created a corpus of meaningful sayings and quotes by Samuel Beckett, which have been curated from his works, poems, thoughts, novels, translations, plays, writings, and life. Go through the most popular and motivational thoughts and quotes by Samuel Beckett that might just change the way you look at life.

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Writers

Dance first. Think later. It's the natural order.

Dance first. Think later. It's the natural order.
Think
Samuel Beckett

All of old. Nothing else ever. Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.

All of old. Nothing else ever. Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Samuel Beckett

You're on Earth. There's no cure for that.

You're on Earth. There's no cure for that.
Samuel Beckett

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.

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.
Samuel Beckett

Try again. Fail again. Fail better.
Samuel Beckett

I can't go on, I'll go on.
I
Samuel Beckett

Estragon: We always find something, eh Didi, to give us the impression we exist?

Vladimir: Yes, yes, we're magicians.

Estragon: We always find something, eh Didi, to give us the impression we exist? Vladimir: Yes, yes, we're magicians.
Samuel Beckett

Every word is like an unnecessary stain on silence and nothingness.

Every word is like an unnecessary stain on silence and nothingness.
Like
Samuel Beckett

My mistakes are my life.
Life
Samuel Beckett

The sun shone, having no alternative, on the nothing new.

The sun shone, having no alternative, on the nothing new.
Samuel Beckett

Don't touch me! Don't question me! Don't speak to me! Stay with me!

Don't touch me! Don't question me! Don't speak to me! Stay with me!
Samuel Beckett

The end is in the beginning and yet you go on.

The end is in the beginning and yet you go on.
You
Samuel Beckett

Nothing is funnier than unhappiness.
Samuel Beckett

I use the words you taught me. If they don't mean anything any more, teach me others. Or let me be silent.

I use the words you taught me. If they don't mean anything any more, teach me others. Or let me be silent.
You Me I
Samuel Beckett

Vladimir: Did I ever leave you?
Estragon: You let me go.

Vladimir: Did I ever leave you? Estragon: You let me go.
You Me I
Samuel Beckett

Let's go." "We can't." "Why not?" "We're waiting for Godot.
Samuel Beckett

Nothing happens. Nobody comes, nobody goes. It's awful.

Nothing happens. Nobody comes, nobody goes. It's awful.
Samuel Beckett

Perhaps my best years are gone. When there was a chance of happiness. But I wouldn't want them back. Not with the fire in me now. No, I wouldn't want them back.

Perhaps my best years are gone. When there was a chance of happiness. But I wouldn't want them back. Not with the fire in me now. No, I wouldn't want them back.
Me Happiness I
Samuel Beckett

There’s man all over for you, blaming on his boots the faults of his feet.

There’s man all over for you, blaming on his boots the faults of his feet.
You
Samuel Beckett

Words are all we have.
Samuel Beckett

Nothing is more real than nothing.
Samuel Beckett

The only sin is the sin of being born
Samuel Beckett

ESTRAGON: I can't go on like this.
VLADIMIR: That's what you think.

ESTRAGON: I can't go on like this. VLADIMIR: That's what you think.
You Think Like I
Samuel Beckett

No, I regret nothing, all I regret is having been born, dying is such a long tiresome business I always found.

No, I regret nothing, all I regret is having been born, dying is such a long tiresome business I always found.
Business I
Samuel Beckett

Don’t wait to be hunted to hide, that was always my motto.

Don’t wait to be hunted to hide, that was always my motto.
Samuel Beckett

Estragon: I'm like that. Either I forget right away or I never forget.

Estragon: I'm like that. Either I forget right away or I never forget.
Never Like I
Samuel Beckett

I must go on. I can't go on. I'll go on.

I must go on. I can't go on. I'll go on.
I
Samuel Beckett

Estragon: People are bloody ignorant apes.

Estragon: People are bloody ignorant apes.
Samuel Beckett

VLADIMIR: What do they say?
ESTRAGON: They talk about their lives.
VLADIMIR: To have lived is not enough for them.
ESTRAGON: They have to talk about it.

VLADIMIR: What do they say? ESTRAGON: They talk about their lives. VLADIMIR: To have lived is not enough for them. ESTRAGON: They have to talk about it.
Samuel Beckett