Either/Or, Part I Quotes

“A fire broke out backstage in a theatre. The clown came out to warn the public; they thought it was a joke and applauded. He repeated it; the acclaim was even greater. I think that's just how the world will come to an end: to general applause from wits who believe it's a joke.”
― Soren Kierkegaard, Either/Or, Part I

“Do you not know that there comes a midnight hour when every one has to throw off his mask? Do you believe that life will always let itself be mocked? Do you think you can slip away a little before midnight to avoid this?”
― Søren Kierkegaard, Either/Or, Part I

“No one ever comes back from the dead., no one ever enters the world without weeping; no one is ever asked when he wishes to enter life, no one is ever asked when he wishes to leave.”
― Søren Kierkegaard, Either/Or, Part I

“Those who bore others are the plebians, the mass, the endless train of humanity in general. Those who bore themselves are the elect, the nobility; and how strange it is that those who don't bore themselves usually bore others, while those who do bore themselves amuse others. The people who do not bore themselves are generally those who are busy in the world in one way or another, but that is just why they are the most boring, the most insufferable, of all.”
― Søren Kierkegaard, Either/Or, Part I

“Most men pursue pleasure with such breathless haste that they hurry past it. They fare as did that dwarf who kept guard over a captured princess in his castle. One day he took midday nap. When he woke up an hour later, the princess was gone. Quickly he pulled on his seven-league boots; with one stride he was far beyond her.”
― Søren Kierkegaard, Either/Or, Part I

“I divide my time as follows: half the time I sleep, the other half I dream. I never dream when I sleep, for that would be a pity, for sleeping is the highest accomplishment of genius”
― Søren Kierkegaard, Either/Or, Part I

“... Believe a woman, you will regret it, believe her not, you will also regret that; believe a woman or believe her not, you will regret both; whether you believe a woman or believe her not, you will regret both. ...
This, gentlemen, is the sum and substance of all philosophy.”
― Søren Kierkegaard, Either/Or, Part I

“God mocks the greatness of man by forging them into the law of occasion, so a person in turn mocks by making the occasion in to everything and the next moment into foolishness, whereby God then becomes superfluous, the concept of wise Governance becomes a piece of folly, the occasion becomes a wag who pokes fun at God just as much as at man, so that all existence ends in a jest, a joke, a charade.”
― Søren Kierkegaard, Either/Or, Part I

“Love is the unfathomable ground that is hidden in darkness, but the resolution is the triumphant victor who, like Orpheus, fetches the infatuation of falling in love to the light of day, for the resolution is the true form of love, the true explanation and transfiguration.”
― Søren Kierkegaard, Either/Or, Part I

“I shall always be willing to put up with the pain inherent in having done something wrong when one wanted to do something well.”
― Søren Kierkegaard, Either/Or, Part I

“Rise, dear Symparanekromenoi! The night has passed, the day again begins its untiring activity, never weary, it seems, of repeating itself for ever and ever.”
― Søren Kierkegaard, Either/Or, Part I