Ugo Betti (1892–1953) was an Italian playwright and poet known for his tragic dramas exploring human relationships and moral dilemmas. Born in Camerino, Italy, and trained as a lawyer, Betti’s legal background influenced his works, which include “Corruzione al Palazzo di Giustizia,” “La Padrona,” and the acclaimed “Il Re muore.” His plays, such as “Il Re muore,” delve into existential and philosophical themes, examining the inner conflicts and moral choices faced by characters. Although Betti’s recognition grew posthumously, he is now regarded as a significant Italian playwright of the 20th century. His plays, translated into various languages, continue to be performed and studied, showcasing his exploration of the complexities of the human psyche and ethical considerations.
Ugo Betti Quotes
1. “To believe in God is to know that all the rules will be fair and that there will be wonderful surprises.”
— Ugo Betti
2. “Memories are like stones, time and distance erode them like acid.”
— Ugo Betti
3. “Sisterly love is, of all sentiments, the most abstract. Nature does not grant it any functions.”
— Ugo Betti
4. “When you want to believe in something, you also have to believe in everything that’s necessary for believing in it.”
— Ugo Betti
5. “The first temptation, upon meeting an old friend after many years, is always to – look the other way.”
— Ugo Betti
6. “There is no forgiveness in nature.”
— Ugo Betti
7. “I think the family is the place where the most ridiculous and least respectable things in the world go on.”
— Ugo Betti
8. “Nature is honest, we aren’t; we embalm our dead.”
— Ugo Betti
9. “Is not man himself the most unsettled of all the creatures of the earth? What is this trembling sensation that is intensified with each ascending step in the natural order?”
— Ugo Betti
10. “Every tiny part of us cries out against the idea of dying, and hopes to live forever.”
— Ugo Betti
11. “We play make-believe, pretend to take ourselves and each other seriously – to love each other, hate each other – but then – it isn’t true. It isn’t true, we don’t care at all!”
— Ugo Betti
12. “All of us are mad. If it weren’t for the fact that every one of us is slightly abnormal, there wouldn’t be any point in giving each person a separate name.”
— Ugo Betti
13. “There is always a certain peace in being what one is, in being that completely.”
— Ugo Betti
14. “A vague uneasiness: the police. It’s like when you suddenly understand you have to undress in front of the doctor.”
— Ugo Betti
15. “Each of us is the only person who can give the other what each of us wants to have: Peace.”
— Ugo Betti
16. “Nobody is bound by any obligation unless it has first been freely accepted.”
— Ugo Betti
17. “When I say “I,” I mean a thing absolutely unique, not to be confused with any other.”
— Ugo Betti
18. “Behind everything we feel, there is always a sense of fear.”
— Ugo Betti
19. “It so difficult to know what the people we love really need.”
— Ugo Betti
20. “At any given moment, I open my eyes and exist. And before that, during all eternity, what was there? Nothing.”
— Ugo Betti
21. “At any given moment, I open my eyes and exist.”
— Ugo Betti
22. “Killing time is the chief end of our society.”
— Ugo Betti
23. “When you put a man and a woman together, there are some things they simply have to do. They embrace, they warm each other. All the rest is dead and empty.”
— Ugo Betti
24. “A long association-prolonged human contact, when a man and woman live together-this ends up producing a sort of rot, a poison.”
— Ugo Betti
25. “The spontaneity of slaps is sincerity, whereas the ceremonial of caresses is largely convention.”
— Ugo Betti
26. “This free will business is a bit terrifying anyway. It’s almost pleasanter to obey, and make the most of it.”
— Ugo Betti
27. “Murderers, in general, are people who are consistent, people who are obsessed with one idea and nothing else.”
— Ugo Betti
28. “We know well enough when we’re being unjust and despicable. but we don’t restrain ourselves because we experience a certain pleasure, a primitive sort of satisfaction in moments like that.”
— Ugo Betti
29. “We cannot bear to regard ourselves simply as playthings of blind chance, we cannot admit to feeling ourselves abandoned.”
— Ugo Betti
30. “If we have anything kind to say, any tender sentiment to express, we feel a sense of shame.”
— Ugo Betti
31. “Justice! Custodian of the world! But since the world errs, justice must be custodian of the world’s errors.”
— Ugo Betti
32. “Thought itself needs words. It runs on them like a long wire. And if it loses the habit of words, little by little it becomes shapeless, somber.”
— Ugo Betti
