Home / Authors / Antonin Artaud

Antonin Artaud

Antonin Artaud Quotes

Playwright

Antonin Artaud was a French playwright, poet, and theatre theorist, considered one of the most important theatre thinkers of the 20th century. His works have had a profound impact on subsequent theatrical movements, particularly his theory of 'Theatre of Cruelty'. Born on September 4, 1896, he passed away on March 4, 1948.

Filter quotes by topic

All Men Theatre Mind Language Theater Misunderstood Genius Suicide Certain Cruelty Has Beens Humans Ideas Order People Way Artaud Asylums Heart Ifs Madness

Famous Antonin Artaud Quotes

“I am adding another language to the spoken language, and I am trying to restore to the language of speech its old magic, its essential spellbinding power, for its mysterious possibilities have been forgotten.”

Trying Has Beens Language Magic Possibility Speech Essentials Forgotten Mysterious Spoken Language

Book:The Theater and Its Double

Source: The Theater and Its Double

“It has not been definitively proved that the language of words is the best possible language. And it seems that on the stage, which is above all a space to fill and a place where something happens, the language of words may have to give way before a language of signs whose objective aspect is the one that has the most immediate impact upon us.”

Way Giving May Seems Happens Language Space Stage Aspect Impact Theatre Things Happen Objectives

Author:Antonin Artaud

“Like all magic cultures expressed by appropriate hieroglyphs, the true theater has its shadows too, and, of all languages and all arts, the theater is the only one left whose shadows have shattered their limitations.”

Art Culture Left Language Magic Shadow Theater Theatre Limitation Appropriate Shattered

Book:The Theater and Its Double

Source: The Theater and Its Double

“The fixation of the theater in one language--written words, music, lights, noises--betokens its imminent ruin.”

Light Language Written Theater Noise Ruins Written Word Fixation

Book:The Theater and Its Double

Source: The Theater and Its Double

“To break through language in order to touch life is to create or re-create the theater.”

Life Is Order Language Break Theater Theatre Gestures Break Through

Book:The Theater and Its Double

Source: The Theater and Its Double

“The theater, which is in no thing, but makes use of everything - gestures, sounds, words, screams, light, darkness - rediscovers itself at precisely the point where the mind requires a language to express its manifestations.... To break through language in order to touch life is to create or recreate the theatre.”

Mind Use Light Life Is Order Language Sound Break Darkness Theater Theatre Manifestation Scream Gestures Break Through Darkness To Light

Author:Antonin Artaud

“All true language is incomprehensible, like the chatter of a beggar's teeth.”

Language Communication Teeth Beggar Chatter

Book:Antonin Artaud, Selected Writings

Source: Antonin Artaud, Selected Writings

“With society and its public, there is no longer any other language than that of bombs, barricades, and all that follows.”

Language Tyranny Bombs Barricades

Author:Antonin Artaud

About the Author

Born: September 4, 1896
Died: March 4, 1948
Known for: Playwright
Quotes: 99

Related Topics

Men Theatre Mind Language Theater Misunderstood Genius Suicide Certain Cruelty Has Beens Humans Ideas Order People Way Artaud Asylums Heart Ifs Madness

Popular Topics

People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

Antonin Artaud, Selected WritingsRelated source material

The Theater and Its DoubleRelated source material

Collected WorksRelated source material

Artaud AnthologyRelated source material

Watchfiends & Rack Screams: Works from the Final PeriodRelated source material

Collected Works: Volume OneRelated source material

Van Gogh le suicidé de la sociétéRelated source material

Yaşayan MumyaRelated source material

Similar Authors

Simon McBurneyBrowse related quotes
Augusto BoalBrowse related quotes
Howard SteinBrowse related quotes
Robert HolmanBrowse related quotes
Herbert BlauBrowse related quotes
Fernando ArrabalBrowse related quotes
Florence KlotzBrowse related quotes
Lee AdamsBrowse related quotes
Patricia ZipprodtBrowse related quotes
Robert Edmond JonesBrowse related quotes