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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

“All my life I have been haunted by the obsession that to desire a thing or to love a thing intensely is to place yourself in a vulnerable position, to be a possible, if not a probable, loser of what you most want. Let's leave it like that.”

Ifs Want Has Beens Desire Position Obsession Vulnerable Vulnerability Loser

Book:The Theatre of Tennessee Williams

Source: The Theatre of Tennessee Williams

“We lose the magic whenever we stop telling our story and begin to wonder how we're doing, if we're selling it, if the listener likes us. Just tell the story and go on to the next one. All of us are full of stories the world might want to hear.”

Ifs World Want Stories Might Next Loses Wonder Magic Goes On Likes Selling Listeners The Next One

Author:Tennessee Williams

“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

“These are the intensities that one cannot live with, that he has to outgrow if he wants to survive. But who can help grieving for them? If the blood vessels could hold them, how much better to keep those early loves with us?”

Ifs Want Helping Blood Grieving Intensity Vessel Blood Vessels Early Love

Book:Collected Stories

Source: Collected Stories

“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

“Nobody knew my rose of the world but me... I had too much glory. They don't want glory like that in nobody's heart”

World Want Heart Too Much Glory Rose

Book:The Rose Tattoo

Source: The Rose Tattoo

“I don't want realism. I want magic!”

Want Desire Magic Realism Magical Realism Blanche

Author:Tennessee Williams

“I've got the guts to die. What I want to know is, have you got the guts to live?”

Knows Want Life Dies Guts Cat On A Hot Tin Roof

Author:Tennessee Williams

“Men don't want anything they get too easy. But on the other hand, men lose interest quickly.”

Men Want Hands Easy Interest Loses

Book:A Streetcar Named Desire

Source: A Streetcar Named Desire

“It's hard enough for me to write what I want to write without me trying to write what you say they want me to write which I don't want to write.”

Want Writing Trying Hard Enough Theatre Want Me

Book:New Selected Essays: Where I Live

Source: New Selected Essays: Where I Live

“You take it for granted that I am in something that I want to get out of.”

Want Granted

Book:A Streetcar Named Desire

Source: A Streetcar Named Desire

“A drinking man's someone who wants to forget he isn't still young an' believing.”

Men Want Believe Stills Young Forget Food Drinking

Book:The Theatre of Tennessee Williams

Source: The Theatre of Tennessee Williams

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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