Heaven be thanked, we live in such an age when no man dies for love except upon the stage.

Meaning of the quote

In the past, people would sometimes die because they were so sad about love. But nowadays, that doesn't really happen anymore, except in plays and movies. The quote means that we live in a time where real people don't actually die from heartbreak, but only characters in stories do.

About John Osborne

John Osborne was a renowned English playwright, screenwriter, actor, and entrepreneur who is considered one of the most influential figures in post-war British theatre. His play ‘Look Back in Anger’ is credited with initiating the ‘kitchen sink realism’ movement and he later co-founded the production company Woodfall Film Productions, which produced several notable films.

More about the author

More quotes from John Osborne

It is easy to answer the ultimate questions – it saves you bothering with the immediate ones.

John Osborne

English playwright (1929-1994)

Don’t clap too hard – it’s a very old building.

John Osborne

English playwright (1929-1994)

There’s no such thing as failure – just waiting for success.

John Osborne

English playwright (1929-1994)

Heaven be thanked, we live in such an age when no man dies for love except upon the stage.

John Osborne

English playwright (1929-1994)

The whole point of a sacrifice is that you give up something you never really wanted in the first place. People are doing it around you all the time. They give up their careers, say – or their beliefs – or sex.

John Osborne

English playwright (1929-1994)

They spend their time looking forward to the past.

John Osborne

English playwright (1929-1994)

Why do I do this every Sunday? Even the book reviews seem to be the same as last week’s. Different books same reviews.

John Osborne

English playwright (1929-1994)

In London, love and scandal are considered the best sweeteners of tea.

John Osborne

English playwright (1929-1994)

I never deliberately set out to shock, but when people don’t walk out of my plays I think there is something wrong.

John Osborne

English playwright (1929-1994)

Go on – but don’t think you can kill my confidence. I’ve had experts doing it for years.

John Osborne

English playwright (1929-1994)

It is not true that drink changes a man’s character. It may reveal it more clearly.

John Osborne

English playwright (1929-1994)

Heroes, whatever high ideas we may have of them, are mortal and not divine. We are all as God made us and many of us much worse.

John Osborne

English playwright (1929-1994)

Here we are, we’re alone in the universe, there’s no God, it just seems that it all began by something as simple as sunlight striking on a piece of rock. And here we are. We’ve only got ourselves. Somehow, we’ve just got to make a go of it. We’ve only ourselves.

John Osborne

English playwright (1929-1994)

It is widely held that too much wine will dull a man’s desire. Indeed it will in a dull man.

John Osborne

English playwright (1929-1994)