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Tennessee Williams Quotes

Playwright

American playwright, renowned for his profound psychological portrayals and unique dramatic style. His notable works include 'A Streetcar Named Desire' and 'The Glass Menagerie'.

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All Writing People World Ifs Cat On A Hot Tin Roof Knows Menagerie Thinking Way Play Life Men Giving Time Heart Want Love Believe Blanche Humans

Famous Tennessee Williams Quotes

“Animals have sections in their stomachs which enable them to digest food without mastication, but human beings are supposed to chew their food before they swallow it down... So chew your food and give your salivary glands a chance to function!”

Giving Humans Chance Human Beings Animal Function Sections Glands

Book:The Glass Menagerie

Source: The Glass Menagerie

“It is, perhaps more than anything else, the arrest of time which has taken place in a completed work of art that gives certain plays their feeling of depth and significance.”

Giving Art Play Feelings Certain Taken Depth Significance Works Of Art Completed Work

Book:The Rose Tattoo

Source: The Rose Tattoo

“I'm tired and it's taking an increasing amount out of me, more than I have to give physically. And that's why I want to move to Sicily and buy that little farm and raise a flock of goats and geese. I find it peaceful ... and it would be a nice way to end life.”

Way Want Giving Littles Ends Would Be Moving Nice Amount Raises Tired Peaceful Farms Flocks Goats Geese I'm Tired

Author:Tennessee Williams

“Kenneth Hari does not paint portraits as they are but as he is. I feel he is hiding something from me. To board a train into his mind would give me a ride into dark adventure.”

Giving Feels Mind Doe Dark Adventure Give Me Train Paint Boards Hiding Portraits Kenneth Hiding Something

Author:Tennessee Williams

“Yes, I have tricks in my pocket, I have things up my sleeve. But I am the opposite of a stage magician. He gives you illusion that has the appearance of truth. I give you truth in the pleasant disguise of illusion.”

Giving Truth Stage Illusion Opposites Appearance Tricks Pleasant Pockets Disguise Magician Sleeves Menagerie

Book:The Glass Menagerie

Source: The Glass Menagerie

“I don't want realism. I'll tell you what I want. Magic! Yes, yes, magic! I try to give that to people. I misrepresent things to them. I don't tell the truth. I tell what ought to be truth. And if that is sinful, then let me be damned for it!”

People Want Giving Trying Magic Ought Let Me Telling The Truth Realism

Author:Tennessee Williams

“Val: Why do you go out there? Sandra: Because dead people give such good advice. Val: What advice do they give? Sandra: Just one word- live!”

People Giving Advice Just One One Word Good Advice Dead People

Book:The Theatre of Tennessee Williams

Source: The Theatre of Tennessee Williams

“The human animal is a beast that dies but the fact that he’s dying don’t give him pity for others.”

Giving Humans Facts Death Dies Animal Dying Pity Beast Human Animal Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

Book:The Theatre of Tennessee Williams

Source: The Theatre of Tennessee Williams

“Oh, you weak, beautiful people who give up with such grace. What you need is someone to take hold of you--gently, with love, and hand your life back to you, like something gold you let go of--and I can! I'm determined to do it--and nothing's more determined than a cat on a tin roof--is there?”

People Needs Giving I Can Hands Beautiful Grace Letting Go Giving Up Cat Weak Gold Determined Roof Like Something Tin Beautiful People Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

Book:The Theatre of Tennessee Williams: Cat on a hot tin roof. Orpheus descending. Suddenly last summer

Source: The Theatre of Tennessee Williams: Cat on a hot tin roof. Orpheus descending. Suddenly last summer

“Take by surprise and the world gives up resistance.”

World Giving Giving Up Surprise Resistance

Book:Collected Stories

Source: Collected Stories

“We're left alone with each other. We have to creep close to each other and give gentle little nudges with our paws and our muzzles before we can slip into sleep and rest for the next day's playtime.”

Giving Littles Next Left Sleep Dating Gentle Slips Next Day Creeps Left Alone Paws Nudge Muzzle Playtime

Book:The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore

Source: The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore

“They chatter together like birds on Cypress Hill, but all they say is 'Live, live, live, live, live!' It's all they've learned, it's the only advice they can give.”

Giving Together Advice Bird Hills Chatter Cypresses

Book:Plays: 1957-1980: Orpheus descending. Suddenly last summer. Sweet bird of youth. Period of adjustment. The night of the iguana. The eccentricities of a nightingale. The milk train doesn't stop here anymore. The mutilated. Kingdom of earth (The seven descents of Myrtle). Small craft warnings. Out cry. Vieux Carré. A lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur

Source: Plays: 1957-1980: Orpheus descending. Suddenly last summer. Sweet bird of youth. Period of adjustment. The night of the iguana. The eccentricities of a nightingale. The milk train doesn't stop here anymore. The mutilated. Kingdom of earth (The seven descents of Myrtle). Small craft warnings. Out cry. Vieux Carré. A lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur

“Oh you weak, beautiful people who give up with such grace. What you need is someone to take hold of you”

People Needs Giving Beautiful Grace Giving Up Weak Beautiful People Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

Book:Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

Source: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

About the Author

Born: March 26, 1911
Died: February 25, 1983
Known for: Playwright
Quotes: 315

Books & Sources

The Glass MenagerieRelated source material

The Theatre of Tennessee WilliamsRelated source material

A Streetcar Named DesireRelated source material

Cat on a Hot Tin RoofRelated source material

New Selected Essays: Where I LiveRelated source material

Camino RealRelated source material

Collected StoriesRelated source material

Conversations with Tennessee WilliamsRelated source material

MemoirsRelated source material

NotebooksRelated source material

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