--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm the end of the line; absurd and…" description: "\"I'm the end of the line; absurd and appalling as it may seem, serious New York theater has died in my lifetime.\" — Arthur Miller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/543/arthur-miller-947_absurd_i-m-the-end-of-the-line-absurd-and-appal_2829766.png" --- # I'm the end of the line; absurd and appalling as it may… ![“I'm the end of the line; absurd and appalling as it may seem, serious New York theater has died in my lifetime.” quote by Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/543/arthur-miller-947_absurd_i-m-the-end-of-the-line-absurd-and-appal_2829766.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/543/arthur-miller-947_absurd_i-m-the-end-of-the-line-absurd-and-appal_2829766.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/543/arthur-miller-947_absurd_i-m-the-end-of-the-line-absurd-and-appal_2829766.png) > “I'm the end of the line; absurd and appalling as it may seem, serious New York theater has died in my lifetime.” [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker laments the decline of serious theater, seeing it as a cultural loss. **In simple terms:** Serious theater is disappearing. Key Takeaway Support and revive meaningful theater. Themes culture art decline legacy theater Mood concerned nostalgic critical Type cultural commentary opinion When to use this quote - theater production - funding debates - audience engagement - policy discussions Key Concepts cultural criticism art history social commentary Questions to Reflect On - What defines “serious” theater today? - How can audiences be re‑engaged? A Different Perspective The statement may ignore emerging forms of serious performance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absurd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurd/) [Lifetime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lifetime/) [New york](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-york/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [The more images I gathered from the past, I said, the more unlikely it seemed to me that the past had actually happened in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-more-images-i-gathered-from-the-past-i-said-the-more-unlikely-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I like to ride the line between absurd and sincere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reggie-watts/i-like-to-ride-the-line-between-absurd-and-sincere/) [Reggie Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reggie-watts/) > [With jacks and timbers they started back down then came that rumble way down in the ground and smoke and gas belched out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-cliff/with-jacks-and-timbers-they-started-back-down-then-came-that-rumble/) [Jimmy Cliff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-cliff/) > [The essential is to go on squirming forever at the end of the line, as long as there are waters and banks and ravening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/the-essential-is-to-go-on-squirming-forever-at-the-end-of-the-line-as/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [Few people have any next, they live from hand to mouth without a plan, and are always at the end of their line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/few-people-have-any-next-they-live-from-hand-to-mouth-without-a-plan/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“If you’ve made it clear what your real bottom lines are and your partner’s violated them anyway, then by definition you will not be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-kirshenbaum/if-you-ve-made-it-clear-what-your-real-bottom-lines-are-and-your/) [Mira Kirshenbaum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-kirshenbaum/) > [Jane Austen is at the end of the line that begins with Samuel Richardson, which takes wonder and magic out of the novel, treats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-fiedler/jane-austen-is-at-the-end-of-the-line-that-begins-with-samuel/) [Leslie Fiedler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-fiedler/) > [Often they do go back and forth the whole way, and I don't know until the very end what the last line of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-rae-perkins/often-they-do-go-back-and-forth-the-whole-way-and-i-don-t-know-until/) [Lynne Rae Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-rae-perkins/) > [Right. That’s the end of the line for you tonight. You’re going home, I’m seeing you safe inside, and I’m going home to hide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-caine/right-that-s-the-end-of-the-line-for-you-tonight-you-re-going-home-i/) [Rachel Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-caine/) > [I will be the answer at the end of the line. I will be there for you. Why take the time? In the burning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mclachlan/i-will-be-the-answer-at-the-end-of-the-line-i-will-be-there-for-you-2/) [Sarah McLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mclachlan/) > [“I'm with you until the end of the line.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvel-comics/i-m-with-you-until-the-end-of-the-line/) Marvel Comics > [I will be the answer, At the end of the line, I will be there for you, While you take the time, In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mclachlan/i-will-be-the-answer-at-the-end-of-the-line-i-will-be-there-for-you/) [Sarah McLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mclachlan/) > [We've arirevd at the end of the line and I have what I need!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aileen/we-ve-arirevd-at-the-end-of-the-line-and-i-have-what-i-need/) Aileen > [The only journey one can't see the end is life. Don't ever think you are the finishing line, because the end of your line…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakre-basit-babatunde/the-only-journey-one-can-t-see-the-end-is-life-don-t-ever-think-you/) [Bakre Basit Babatunde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakre-basit-babatunde/) > [It’s making a statement about what life is, really. And I’m going to end the line with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-shorter/it-s-making-a-statement-about-what-life-is-really-and-i-m-going-to/) [Wayne Shorter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-shorter/) ## More by Arthur Miller > [If a person measures his spiritual fulfillment in terms of cosmic visions, surpassing peace of mind, or ecstasy, then he is not likely to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/if-a-person-measures-his-spiritual-fulfillment-in-terms-of-cosmic/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [“If you can fall in love again and again, if you can forgive your parents for the crime of bringing you into the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/if-you-can-fall-in-love-again-and-again-if-you-can-forgive-your/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [The wedding of Christianity or Judaism with nationalism is lethal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/the-wedding-of-christianity-or-judaism-with-nationalism-is-lethal/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [“I know what's wrong with me - I could never stand still for death! Which you've got to do by a certain age, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/i-know-what-s-wrong-with-me-i-could-never-stand-still-for-death-which/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [You cannot catch a child's spirit by running after it; you must stand still and for love it will soon itself return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/you-cannot-catch-a-child-s-spirit-by-running-after-it-you-must-stand/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [ “(Looking at the letter in his hand) Then what is this if it isn’t telling me? Sure, \[Larry\] was my son. But I think… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/looking-at-the-letter-in-his-hand-then-what-is-this-if-it-isn-t/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [The two greatest plays ever written were Hamlet and Oedipus Rex, and they're both about father-son relationships.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/the-two-greatest-plays-ever-written-were-hamlet-and-oedipus-rex-and/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [A character is defined by the kinds of challenges he cannot walk away from. And by those he has walked away from that cause…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/a-character-is-defined-by-the-kinds-of-challenges-he-cannot-walk-away/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [Everybody likes a kidder, but nobody lends him money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/everybody-likes-a-kidder-but-nobody-lends-him-money/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [The American Dream is the largely unacknowledged screen in front of which all American writing plays itself out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/the-american-dream-is-the-largely-unacknowledged-screen-in-front-of/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [“When it is recalled that until the Christian era the underworld was never regardded as a hostile area, that all gods were useful and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/when-it-is-recalled-that-until-the-christian-era-the-underworld-was/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [“Elizabeth, with great fear: I will fear nothing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/elizabeth-with-great-fear-i-will-fear-nothing/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [I know you're no worse than most men but I thought you were better. I never saw you as a man. I saw you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/i-know-you-re-no-worse-than-most-men-but-i-thought-you-were-better-i/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [The best of our theater is standing on tiptoe, striving to see over the shoulders of father and mother. The worst is exploiting and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/the-best-of-our-theater-is-standing-on-tiptoe-striving-to-see-over/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) > [“I only ask you one thing- don't trust nobody”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/i-only-ask-you-one-thing-don-t-trust-nobody/) [Arthur Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) [Explore all 322 Arthur Miller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/) ## More Absurd quotes > [“It seem absurd to me that they don't know, haven't felt any change or tremor, even as my life has been completely turned upside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/it-seem-absurd-to-me-that-they-don-t-know-haven-t-felt-any-change-or/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [When a person’s tongue is extensively wrong, it is absurd, no less than unscriptural, to say that their heart is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-c-ryle/when-a-person-s-tongue-is-extensively-wrong-it-is-absurd-no-less-than/) [J. C. Ryle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-c-ryle/) > [Every sensible man, every honorable man, must hold the Christian sect in horror." "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd and bloody religion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/every-sensible-man-every-honorable-man-must-hold-the-christian-sect/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [It is human nature to think wisely and to act in an absurd fashion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatole-france/it-is-human-nature-to-think-wisely-and-to-act-in-an-absurd-fashion/) [Anatole France](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatole-france/) > [It is a dangerous and fateful presumption, besides the absurd temerity that it implies, to disdain what we do not comprehend. For after you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-a-dangerous-and-fateful-presumption-besides-the-absurd-temerity/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I thought to myself: if it’s true that every person has a star in the sky, mine must be distant, dim, and absurd. Perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sadegh-hedayat/i-thought-to-myself-if-it-s-true-that-every-person-has-a-star-in-the/) [Sadegh Hedayat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sadegh-hedayat/) > [If, indeed, a firearm were more dangerous to its possessors than to potential aggressors, would it not make sense for the government to arm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mamet/if-indeed-a-firearm-were-more-dangerous-to-its-possessors-than-to/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mamet/) > [“You were torturing a cat," she says. "With a freaking prod." "A prod I built myself in metal shop," he says. "But of course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/you-were-torturing-a-cat-she-says-with-a-freaking-prod-a-prod-i-built/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [I have never heard enough classical music to be able to enjoy it; & the simple truth is, I detest it. Not mildly, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-have-never-heard-enough-classical-music-to-be-able-to-enjoy-it-the/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [To deprecate human reason by saying that none of us is or can be omniscient is absurd, for it takes an impossible standard as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-rothbard/to-deprecate-human-reason-by-saying-that-none-of-us-is-or-can-be/) [Murray Rothbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-rothbard/) > [“Rachel got up and did this happy little shuffle, like she was some cheerful farmer chick who'd just stepped outside to find the hick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/rachel-got-up-and-did-this-happy-little-shuffle-like-she-was-some/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [The absurd duty, too often inculcated, of obeying a parent only on account of his being a parent, shackles the mind, and prepares it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-wollstonecraft/the-absurd-duty-too-often-inculcated-of-obeying-a-parent-only-on/) [Mary Wollstonecraft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-wollstonecraft/) > [The workman of today works every day in his life at the same tasks, and this fate is no less absurd. But it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-workman-of-today-works-every-day-in-his-life-at-the-same-tasks/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [I was once part of a Christmas cabaret. I sang 'I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus.' I tap-danced. I had a ten-gallon hat. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-dinklage/i-was-once-part-of-a-christmas-cabaret-i-sang-i-saw-mommy-kissing/) [Peter Dinklage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-dinklage/) > [Solitude produces originality, bold and astonishing beauty, poetry. But solitude also produces perverseness, the disproportianate, the absurd and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-mann/solitude-produces-originality-bold-and-astonishing-beauty-poetry-but/) [Thomas Mann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-mann/) [Browse all 1,644 Absurd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absurd/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm the end of the line; absurd and appalling as it may seem, serious New York theater has died in my lifetime.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Arthur Miller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/i-m-the-end-of-the-line-absurd-and-appalling-as-it-may-seem-serious/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absurd" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/i-m-the-end-of-the-line-absurd-and-appalling-as-it-may-seem-serious/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/543/arthur-miller-947_absurd_i-m-the-end-of-the-line-absurd-and-appal_2829766.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/543/arthur-miller-947_absurd_i-m-the-end-of-the-line-absurd-and-appal_2829766.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/543/arthur-miller-947_absurd_i-m-the-end-of-the-line-absurd-and-appal_2829766.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I'm the end of the line; absurd and appalling as it may seem, serious New York theater has died in my…” — Arthur Miller", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Arthur Miller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-miller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I'm the end of the line;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/i-m-the-end-of-the-line-absurd-and-appalling-as-it-may-seem-serious/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-miller/i-m-the-end-of-the-line-absurd-and-appalling-as-it-may-seem-serious/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```