They give birth astride of a grave, the light gleams an instant, then it's night once more.

Elles accouchent à cheval sur une tombe, le jour brille un instant, puis c'est la nuit à nouveau.

Samuel Beckett

Waiting for Godot

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More information about this quote

Topic

Shortness of life Ephemeral nature of life Life The human condition

Speaker

Pozzo

Author

Samuel Beckett

Source

Waiting for Godot

Medium

Play

Genre

Modernist literature

Language

French

Time

1953 1950s 20th century

Occupation

Playwright Writer

From

Ireland Europe

Authentication Score 1

Citation

Beckett, Samuel. En attendant Godot. Directed by Roger Blin. 5 Jan. 1953, Théâtre de Babylone, Paris, France.

Illustrated Quote

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A quote by Samuel Beckett about shortness of life: “They give birth astride of a grave, the light gleams an instant, then…”
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Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote from the 1950s

But then they danced down the street like dingle-dodies, and I shambled after as I've been doing all my life after people who interest me, because the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everbody goes "Awww!"

Jack Kerouac

On the Road

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More information about this quote
Topic
Taking a different path

Author

Jack Kerouac
Source
On the Road
Medium
Novel
Language
English
Time
1957 1950s 20th century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

Kerouac, Jack. On the Road. Viking Press, 1957, pt. 1.

Another quote about The human condition

The cloud-capped towers, the gorgeous palaces,
The solemn temples, the great globe itself,
Yea, all which it inherit, shall dissolve,
And, like this insubstantial pageant faded,
Leave not a rack behind. We are such stuff
As dreams are made on, and our little life
Is rounded with a sleep.

William Shakespeare

The Tempest

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More information about this quote
Topic
Mortality The human condition
Speaker
Prospero

Author

William Shakespeare
Source
The Tempest
Medium
Play
Genre
Comedy (play)
Language
English
Time
1616 1610s 17th century
Era
European Renaissance
Authentication Score 2
Original Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Tempest." Mr. William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. London: Edward Blount and William and Isaac Jaggard, 1623, act 4, sc. 1.

Current Citation

Shakespeare, William. "The Tempest." The Norton Shakespeare, edited by Stephen Greenblatt, et al., 3rd ed., W. W. Norton & Company, 2015, act 4, sc. 1.

Another quote originally in French

Never interrupt your enemy when he's making a mistake.

Napoleon Bonaparte

More information about this quote
Topic
Military strategy

Author

Napoleon Bonaparte
Source
History of Europe
Language
French
Time
1805 1800s 19th century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

Bonaparte, Napoleon. Quoted in History of Europe from the Commencement of the French Revolution in 1789 to the Restoration of the Bourbons in 1815, written by Archibald Alison. Vol. 5, Paris: Baudry's European Library, 1841.