Courage Quote by Bertolt Brecht
““Write me what you're wearing! Is it warm? Write me how you lie! Do you lie there softly? Write me how you look! Is it still the same? Write me what you're missing! Is it my arm? Write me how you are! Have you been spared? Write me what they're doing! Do you have enough courage? Write me what you're doing! Is it good? Write me, who are you thinking of? Is it me? Freely, I've given you only my questions. And I hear the answers, how they fall. When you're tired, I can't carry it for you. If you're hungry, I have nothing for you to eat. And so now I leave the world No longer there, as if I've forgotten you.””
About This Quote
Source Play: Mother Courage and Her Children, 1939
A speaker asks relentless questions about identity, desire, and survival, revealing emptiness and inability to provide sustenance or comfort.
In simple terms: The speaker asks many questions but cannot help the listener.
Key Takeaway
Recognize limits of what you can give.
Themes
existential
communication
loneliness
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- relationships
- mental health
- artistic expression
Key Concepts
identity
desire
dependence
Questions to Reflect On
- Can you truly understand another’s need?
- What does it mean to ask without offering?
A Different Perspective
Answers may be hollow without empathy.
