Hunger and Thirst, and Other Plays Quotes

“I've longed for fulfillment and all I find is torment. I had to choose between peace and passion. I chose passion, fool that I was!”
― Eugène Ionesco, Hunger and Thirst, and Other Plays

“1st KEEPER: Who said nobody and nothing could ever belong to us?
2nd KEEPER: What a breach between heart and head!
1st KEEPER: What a contradiction!
2nd KEEPER: He doesn't believe what he thinks or think what he believes.”
― Eugène Ionesco, Hunger and Thirst, and Other Plays

“And all I long for is the dawn!”
― Eugène Ionesco, Hunger and Thirst, and Other Plays

“Is all this an image of time? Everything disintegrates before our very eyes.”
― Eugène Ionesco, Hunger and Thirst, and Other Plays

“Your hold on me is great. But the universe is greater, and what I need is greater still.”
― Eugène Ionesco, Hunger and Thirst, and Other Plays

“I've known him so long, since the world began. And I'm joined to him for all eternity. Why do these bonds seem like chains to him? All I want is to call his name and hear him answer.”
― Eugène Ionesco, Hunger and Thirst, and Other Plays

“I'll recognize her by the way she's trying to recognize me. Lost memories will guide her.”
― Eugène Ionesco, Hunger and Thirst, and Other Plays

“- Her eyes . . . What's the colour of her eyes . . . ?
JEAN : Misty eyes . . . no, black . . . no, very bright . . . and penetrating . . . no, elusive . . . with a present, no, absent look, the colour of certain dreams, as gentle as the touch of a warm river in summer. You see? She's easy to recognize!”
― Eugène Ionesco, Hunger and Thirst, and Other Plays

“JEAN: I promise you'll recognize her by her smile. No-one smiles like her. She's on the tall side, I think, and she has long arms. But you'll recognize her too by the look of wonder on her face at finding herself here . . . She'll close her eyes a minute because the light's too strong. She'll ask you if I've been here if you've seen me, if anyone's waiting for her.”
― Eugène Ionesco, Hunger and Thirst, and Other Plays

“I love you, sweetheart, love you to distraction. Poor darling, don't worry!" That's what she said when she left me. She turned and went, in her blue dress, the smile of love on her lips. Oh! If only it would leave me, that vision of parting grace! She could not tear her love from her heart, from her heart she could not tear it, never from her heart could such love be torn, never, never, never!”
― Eugène Ionesco, Hunger and Thirst, and Other Plays

“Is she still just a shadow of the shadow of herself? Is it just a leaf? Is it just the wind? Or is it just the quiver of a wish? Just the whisper of a tear down my face?

1st KEEPER: That's it. Just a sigh from her lips.”
― Eugène Ionesco, Hunger and Thirst, and Other Plays

“The fear of death was my truest shield. Now the walls have collapsed. And here I am, defenseless, exposed to the blazing inferno of life, and in the freezing grip of despair. I wanted life and life has hurled itself at me. It's crippling me, killing me. Why didn't I have the sense to welcome resignation? All my old scars have opened, my wounds are bleeding again. Thousands of knives are driving into my flesh.”
― Eugène Ionesco, Hunger and Thirst, and Other Plays

“My heart's like a wounded beast, clawing me in its death-throes . . . My stomach's a bottomless pit, my mouth a funnel of fire. Hunger and thirst, hunger and thirst . . .”
― Eugène Ionesco, Hunger and Thirst, and Other Plays