What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child.
George Bernard ShawRead
My method of getting a play across the footlights is like a revolver shooting: every line has a bullet in it and comes with an explosion.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Shaw illustrates the powerful impact of well-written dialogue in theater.
In this quote, George Bernard Shaw conveys that each line in his plays is crafted with precision and intense purpose, similar to a bullet fired from a revolver. This metaphor suggests that the dialogue is dynamic and has the potential to leave a strong impression on the audience, highlighting the importance of impactful writing in performing arts.
Themes
TheaterDialoguePlaywritingImpactArt
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of dramatic arts, one could quote Shaw to emphasize the power of words.
More from George Bernard Shaw
All quotes βMarriage is good enough for the lower classes: they have facilities for desertion that are denied to us.
George Bernard ShawRead
Forgive him, for he believes that the customs of his tribe are the laws of nature!
George Bernard ShawRead
Those who talk most about the blessings of marriage and the constancy of its vows are the very people who declare that if the chain were broken and the prisoners left free to choose, the whole social fabric would fly asunder. You cannot have the argument both ways. If the prisoner is happy, why lock him in? If he is not, why pretend that he is?
George Bernard ShawRead
Treat a friend as a person who may someday become your enemy; an enemy as a person who may someday become your friend.
George Bernard ShawRead
The happiness of credulity is a cheap and dangerous quality.
George Bernard ShawRead
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