Young men make wars, and the virtues of war are the virtues of young men: courage, and hope for the future. Then old men make the peace, and the vices of peace are the vices of old men: mistrust and caution.
Alec GuinnessRead
An Actor is an interpreter of other men's words, often a soul which wishes to reveal itself to the world but dare not, a craftsman, a bag of tricks, a vanity bag, a cool observer of mankind, a child and at his best a kind of unfrocked priest who, for an hour or two, can call on heaven and hell to mesmerize a group of innocents.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote describes the multifaceted role of an actor in interpreting characters and emotions.
Alec Guinness highlights the complexity of an actor's craft, portraying them as not only entertainers but also as interpreters of human nature and emotions. He suggests that actors embody various personas, using their skills to connect with audiences while revealing deeper truths about humanity, often exploring aspects of themselves and others that are hidden or unexpressed in everyday life.
Themes
ActorArtPerformanceHuman NatureEmotion
In practice
Example use cases
During a theater workshop, one could use this quote to explain the deep connection an actor develops with their characters.
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