--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I think plays have nothing to do with…" description: "\"I think plays have nothing to do with one's own personal life. Not in my experience, anyway. The stuff of drama has to do, not with your subject matter..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c20/harold-pinter-3125_drama_i-think-plays-have-nothing-to-do-with-on_1036238.png" --- # I think plays have nothing to do with one's own personal… ![“I think plays have nothing to do with one's own personal life. Not in my experience, anyway. The stuff of drama has to do, not with your subject matter, anyway, but with how you treat it. Drama includes pain, loss, regret - that's what drama is about!” quote by Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c20/harold-pinter-3125_drama_i-think-plays-have-nothing-to-do-with-on_1036238.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c20/harold-pinter-3125_drama_i-think-plays-have-nothing-to-do-with-on_1036238.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c20/harold-pinter-3125_drama_i-think-plays-have-nothing-to-do-with-on_1036238.png) > “I think plays have nothing to do with one's own personal life. Not in my experience, anyway. The stuff of drama has to do, not with your subject matter, anyway, but with how you treat it. Drama includes pain, loss, regret - that's what drama is about!” [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Drama isn’t about personal life but about how we treat universal themes like pain and loss. **In simple terms:** Drama focuses on treatment of universal themes. Key Takeaway Engage deeply with emotional material. Themes drama universal themes empathy Mood thoughtful analytical Type theatrical philosophical When to use this quote - acting - writing - therapy - public speaking Key Concepts theatre studies human experience Questions to Reflect On - How does treatment shape a story? - What universal emotions resonate most? A Different Perspective Personal experience alone isn’t enough for drama. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Drama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drama/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Pain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pain/) [Personal life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/personal-life/) [Regret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/regret/) ## Related quotes > [Your plays are always personal. You can't help seeing yourself in the serial killer you've just written. But they get less specifically personal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-wade/your-plays-are-always-personal-you-can-t-help-seeing-yourself-in-the/) [Laura Wade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-wade/) > [I guess I don't have much interest in writing straight drama. So whatever subject matter I choose will ultimately be dealt with in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-davis/i-guess-i-don-t-have-much-interest-in-writing-straight-drama-so/) [Jill Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-davis/) > [In a play, certainly, the subject is of more importance than in any other work of art. Infelicity, triviality, vagueness of subject, may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/in-a-play-certainly-the-subject-is-of-more-importance-than-in-any/) [Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/) > [I think my movie addresses the struggles of communities facing class distinctions, which are timeless. The questions of how we live together and what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ira-sachs/i-think-my-movie-addresses-the-struggles-of-communities-facing-class/) [Ira Sachs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ira-sachs/) > [Conflict is entertaining and it's the stuff of drama - or comedy - but too much conflict, or conflict that's at too high a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-linehan/conflict-is-entertaining-and-it-s-the-stuff-of-drama-or-comedy-but/) [Graham Linehan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-linehan/) > [I feel like there's a currency to your personal life and your performance - your acting, your work. If that personal life starts to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milo-ventimiglia/i-feel-like-there-s-a-currency-to-your-personal-life-and-your/) [Milo Ventimiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milo-ventimiglia/) > [I put a lot of emphasis on how to treat people. The reason for this is simple. The real success of our personal lives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-kay-ash/i-put-a-lot-of-emphasis-on-how-to-treat-people-the-reason-for-this-is/) [Mary Kay Ash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-kay-ash/) > [It's kind of the yin and yang that fascinate me. That for all the evil men do, there are also people who work obnoxiously…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gardner/it-s-kind-of-the-yin-and-yang-that-fascinate-me-that-for-all-the-evil/) [Lisa Gardner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gardner/) > [As someone who has put my life on hold, my personal life on hold, for Parliament and for public service for over a decade…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-poilievre/as-someone-who-has-put-my-life-on-hold-my-personal-life-on-hold-for/) [Pierre Poilievre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-poilievre/) > [It's hard no to work, so I find a way to put myself back to work. And I think it's important, in between projects,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angelina-jolie/it-s-hard-no-to-work-so-i-find-a-way-to-put-myself-back-to-work-and-i/) [Angelina Jolie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angelina-jolie/) > [Pretending to care about a teachers personal life to waste time in class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/young-siddiq-prince/pretending-to-care-about-a-teachers-personal-life-to-waste-time-in/) [Young Siddiq Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/young-siddiq-prince/) > [I don't really comment on my personal life because I feel like any comment at all is opening up a whole can of worms.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-hartnett/i-don-t-really-comment-on-my-personal-life-because-i-feel-like-any/) [Josh Hartnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-hartnett/) > [As a kid, in the Runaways, I would see the interviewers start to ask about our personal lives and what we did — and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-jett/as-a-kid-in-the-runaways-i-would-see-the-interviewers-start-to-ask/) [Joan Jett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-jett/) > [Before World War II, I was living a very cloistered existence, as most cartoonists do. The work I was pouring out did not come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-eisner/before-world-war-ii-i-was-living-a-very-cloistered-existence-as-most/) [Will Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-eisner/) > [“Fortunately, I knew the cardinal rule of getting on with one’s fellow cooks. It applies in any kitchen and can be summed up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-p-pin/fortunately-i-knew-the-cardinal-rule-of-getting-on-with-one-s-fellow/) [Jacques Pépin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-p-pin/) ## More by Harold Pinter > [I also found being called Sir rather silly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/i-also-found-being-called-sir-rather-silly/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [I saw Len Hutton in his prime, Another time, another time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/i-saw-len-hutton-in-his-prime-another-time-another-time/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [Nothing is more sterile or lamentable than the man content to live within himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/nothing-is-more-sterile-or-lamentable-than-the-man-content-to-live/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [“ I know the place I know the place. It is true. Everything we do Corrects the space Between death and me And you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/i-know-the-place-i-know-the-place-it-is-true-everything-we-do/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [“DEELEY: Myself I was a student then, juggling with my future, wondering should I bejasus saddle myself with a slip of a girl not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/deeley-myself-i-was-a-student-then-juggling-with-my-future-wondering/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [I've never been able to understand what they mean by 'Pinteresque,'. I'm sure it's indefinable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/i-ve-never-been-able-to-understand-what-they-mean-by-pinteresque-i-m/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [A character on stage who can present no convincing argument or information as to his past experience, his present behaviour or his aspirations, nor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/a-character-on-stage-who-can-present-no-convincing-argument-or/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [I'll tell you what I really think about politicians. The other night I watched some politicians on television talking about Vietnam. I wanted very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/i-ll-tell-you-what-i-really-think-about-politicians-the-other-night-i/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [Be careful how you talk about God. He's the only God we have. If you let him go he won't come back. He won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/be-careful-how-you-talk-about-god-he-s-the-only-god-we-have-if-you/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [I hate brandy...it stinks of modern literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/i-hate-brandy-it-stinks-of-modern-literature/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [“What sound was that? I turn away, into the shaking room. What was that sound that came in on the dark? What is this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/what-sound-was-that-i-turn-away-into-the-shaking-room-what-was-that/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [There are no hard distinctions between what is real and what is unreal, nor between what is true and what is false. A thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/there-are-no-hard-distinctions-between-what-is-real-and-what-is/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [Truth in drama is forever elusive. You never quite find it, but the search for it is compulsive. The search is clearly what drives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/truth-in-drama-is-forever-elusive-you-never-quite-find-it-but-the/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [Most of the press is in league with government, or with the status quo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/most-of-the-press-is-in-league-with-government-or-with-the-status-quo/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [Iraq is just a symbol of the attitude of western democracies to the rest of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/iraq-is-just-a-symbol-of-the-attitude-of-western-democracies-to-the/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) [Explore all 138 Harold Pinter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) ## More Drama quotes > [When you're on a daytime drama you get one page, you better damn well know your character. You better know what she would do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hudgins/when-you-re-on-a-daytime-drama-you-get-one-page-you-better-damn-well/) David Hudgins > [Music is a job, but I figured out ways to get my mind into a place where I could be creative. I actually discovered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flume/music-is-a-job-but-i-figured-out-ways-to-get-my-mind-into-a-place/) [Flume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flume/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/) [Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/) > [All drama is conflict. Without conflict, there is no action. Without action, there is no character. Without character, there is no story. And without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd-field/all-drama-is-conflict-without-conflict-there-is-no-action-without/) [Syd Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd-field/) > [I never did drama at school. I did it for one term, when it was compulsory, and I hated it. Tennis was the main…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-mitchell/i-never-did-drama-at-school-i-did-it-for-one-term-when-it-was/) [Luke Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-mitchell/) > [I never wanted to be the lead on a TV drama. It just robs you of your life, really.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-noth/i-never-wanted-to-be-the-lead-on-a-tv-drama-it-just-robs-you-of-your/) [Chris Noth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-noth/) > [When I discovered drama, I felt a connection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-fearon/when-i-discovered-drama-i-felt-a-connection/) [Ray Fearon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-fearon/) > [Dont hate me cause ur man want me dont be jealouse cause hes thinking of when he says he loves u dont hate him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana/dont-hate-me-cause-ur-man-want-me-dont-be-jealouse-cause-hes-thinking/) [Ana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana/) > [I hadn't been to drama school. I hadn't been to university and acted there. I had no qualifications behind me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jason/i-hadn-t-been-to-drama-school-i-hadn-t-been-to-university-and-acted/) [David Jason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jason/) > [I was painfully shy, so my aunt suggested to my mum that me and my brother go to Stage 84, a performing arts school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-cooke/i-was-painfully-shy-so-my-aunt-suggested-to-my-mum-that-me-and-my/) [Christian Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-cooke/) > [I kind of pride myself on coming onto things that are well-oiled machines and finding a way to bring what I bring and fit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/i-kind-of-pride-myself-on-coming-onto-things-that-are-well-oiled/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [They say that art comes from the soul. 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