Born Quote by Eugene O'Neill
“It was a great mistake, my being born a man, I would have been much more successful as a seagull or a fish. As it is, I will always be a stranger who never feels at home, who does not really want and is not really wanted, who can never belong, who must be a little in love with death!”
About This Quote
Source Play: Long Day's Journey into Night, 1956
The speaker feels alienated and believes a different existence would have been more fitting, expressing deep existential loneliness and a morbid affection for death.
In simple terms: Feeling out of place, wishing for a different life, and a strange love of death.
Key Takeaway
Accept your humanity, seek connection despite alienation.
Themes
alienation
existentialism
identity
death
longing
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- therapy sessions
- artistic creation
- grief counseling
Key Concepts
existential crisis
self‑perception
nihilism
Questions to Reflect On
- What aspects of your identity feel most alien?
- How can you find belonging without changing your nature?
A Different Perspective
Human connection can alleviate loneliness, but may not erase existential dread.
