Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by Sebastian Barry

Quote by Sebastian Barry

“I knew, I knew any proper, decent life was over. The word of a man like that was like a death sentence . . . I had known it all along, but it is a very different matter to know your sentence, and then to hear it spoken by your judge . . . Truest of all things, there was no one to help me, no one to stand at my side.”

Quote by Sebastian Barry

Work

The Secret Scripture

In this novel, an elderly woman reflects on her life, sharing her personal history and the secrets she has kept. The narrative intertwines her past with her present, offering a poignant exploration of identity, mental health, and the complexities of human experience. more

Author

Sebastian Barry
Sebastian Barry

Sebastian Barry is an Irish playwright known for his profound literary style and unique perspective on history. His works have won numerous literary awards, including the Nobel Prize in Literature. more

You May Also Like

“...all the future judgment is highlighted basically as good news, not bad. Why so? It is good news, first, because the one through whom God's justice will finally sweep the world is not a hard-hearted, arrogant, or vengeful tyrant but rather the Man of Sorrows, who was acquainted with grief; the Jesus who loved sinners and died for them; the Messiah who took the world's judgment upon himself on the cross.”

“How readily we push Jesus Christ off his judgment seat and take our place there to pronounce on others (though we've neither the knowledge nor the authority to judge anyone.) None of us has ever seen a motive. Therefore, we don't know, we can't do anything more than suspect what inspires the action of another.”

“We know today that there is no such thing as absolute truth, that everything is relative, that everything is dependent on the conditions of time and place; but precisely for that reason, we should be very cautious in judging the “ignorance” of various historical periods. Their ignorance, to the extent that it is manifested in their characteristic social movements, aspirations and ideals, is also relative.”

“Awake, awake, you that sleep. Open your eyes, stand on your feet, and behold and see what a sea of blood and wrath is here!" See and believe; believe and consider; consider and fear; fear and fly; and make haste in your work. Your work is great and mighty; diversions are many; adversaries are strong; your strength is small; your time is short; your account is great. Death and judgment are at the door. Therefore, up and be doing, now or never.”