Logic is one thing, the human animal another. You can quite easily propose a logical solution to something and at the same time hope in your heart of hearts it won't work out.
Luigi PirandelloRead
Woe to him who doesn't know how to wear his mask, be he king or pope!
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that one must navigate social roles and expectations, regardless of status.
Luigi Pirandello's quote highlights the importance of adaptability in social interactions. The metaphor of 'wearing a mask' signifies the various roles individuals play in society, indicating that understanding and performing these roles is essential for both the powerful and the humble. It suggests that failing to recognize the necessity of these roles can lead to isolation or failure, emphasizing the performative aspects of human interactions and the complexity of identity.
Themes
IdentityMaskSocial RolesAdaptabilityPerformance
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about personal identity and social expectations, one might quote Pirandello to emphasize the complexity of our roles.
More from Luigi Pirandello
All quotes βWe're like so many puppets hung on the wall, waiting for someone to come and move us or make us talk.
Luigi PirandelloRead
THE FATHER: But don't you see that the whole trouble lies here? In words, words. Each one of us has within him a whole world of things, each man of us his own special world. And how can we ever come to an understanding if I put in the words I utter the sense and value of things as I see them; while you who listen to me must inevitably translate them according to the conception of things each one of you has within himself. We think we understand each other, but we never really do.
Luigi PirandelloRead
Whoever has the luck to be born a character can laugh even at death. Because a character will never die! A man will die, a writer, the instrument of creation: but what he has created will never die!
Luigi PirandelloRead
A fact is like a sack - it won't stand up if it's empty. To make it stand up, first you have to put in it all the reasons and feelings that caused it in the first place.
Luigi PirandelloRead
Anyone can be heroic from time to time, but a gentleman is something you have to be all the time.
Luigi PirandelloRead
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