--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Playwright had long been fascinated…" description: "\"“The Playwright had long been fascinated by the strange mercurial personality of the Actor. What is \"acting.\" and why do we respond to \"great acting\" a..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53c/joyce-carol-oates-344_acting_the-playwright-had-long-been-fascinated_1721475.png" --- # The Playwright had long been fascinated by the strange… ![“The Playwright had long been fascinated by the strange mercurial personality of the Actor. What is "acting." and why do we respond to "great acting" as we do? We know that an actor is "acting" and yet - we wish to forget that an actor is "acting," and in the presence of talented actors we quickly…” quote by Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53c/joyce-carol-oates-344_acting_the-playwright-had-long-been-fascinated_1721475.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53c/joyce-carol-oates-344_acting_the-playwright-had-long-been-fascinated_1721475.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/53c/joyce-carol-oates-344_acting_the-playwright-had-long-been-fascinated_1721475.png) > ““The Playwright had long been fascinated by the strange mercurial personality of the Actor. What is "acting." and why do we respond to "great acting" as we do? We know that an actor is "acting" and yet - we wish to forget that an actor is "acting," and in the presence of talented actors we quickly do forget. This is a mystery, a riddle. How can we forget the actor "acts"? Is the actor "acting" on our behalf? Is the subtext of the actor's "acting" always and forever our own buried (and denied) "acting"?”” [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We are drawn to actors’ performances, often forgetting the craft, which mirrors our own hidden, subconscious “acting” in life. **In simple terms:** We forget actors act and see ourselves acting. Key Takeaway Recognize the layers of performance in everyday life. Themes art identity perception Mood intriguing thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - watching theater - film analysis - personal self‑reflection - social interactions Key Concepts theatre theory psychology of empathy Questions to Reflect On - Why do we prefer illusion over reality? - How does acting influence personal truth? A Different Perspective Over‑identifying with performance can mask authentic self. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Presence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-presence-1343308/) [Acting Respond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-respond-1343307/) [Actor Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor-acting-310176/) [Know Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-actor/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [I'm able to look the person acting across from me and respond to that. There are times when it becomes so lonely and painful,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/son-ye-jin/i-m-able-to-look-the-person-acting-across-from-me-and-respond-to-that/) [Son Ye-jin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/son-ye-jin/) > [For so many years, I've been an actor acting in other people's movies, and in 'Unstoppable,' I'm producing it, and I have an opportunity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-cameron/for-so-many-years-i-ve-been-an-actor-acting-in-other-people-s-movies/) [Kirk Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-cameron/) > [Actors live dependent on being validated by other people's opinions. I don't understand what it is I do that people want. I don't know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shia-labeouf/actors-live-dependent-on-being-validated-by-other-people-s-opinions-i/) [Shia LaBeouf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shia-labeouf/) > [I don't really know who I am as an actor: the best thing would be to experiment with it for the next 30 years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-barnes/i-don-t-really-know-who-i-am-as-an-actor-the-best-thing-would-be-to/) [Ben Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-barnes/) > [I still consider myself a young actor, I'm 34; I still view it as the beginning of my career. You can get infatuated with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-sarsgaard/i-still-consider-myself-a-young-actor-i-m-34-i-still-view-it-as-the/) [Peter Sarsgaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-sarsgaard/) > [What's important about an actor is his acting, not his life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-price/what-s-important-about-an-actor-is-his-acting-not-his-life/) [Vincent Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-price/) > [Sigmund Freud said we act out our own dreams, but if you are only an actor you are not acting out your own dream.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-malkovich/sigmund-freud-said-we-act-out-our-own-dreams-but-if-you-are-only-an/) [John Malkovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-malkovich/) > [The Irish Catholic side was married to the life of an actor and I found out acting could be a form of prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liam-neeson/the-irish-catholic-side-was-married-to-the-life-of-an-actor-and-i/) [Liam Neeson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liam-neeson/) > [I guess I was a child actor. Acting was one of the things I did alongside going to school: I'd be playing guitar, I'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michiel-huisman/i-guess-i-was-a-child-actor-acting-was-one-of-the-things-i-did/) [Michiel Huisman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michiel-huisman/) > [I didn't want to be a movie star, I wanted to be an actor. Because acting is what I fell in love with, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-bautista/i-didn-t-want-to-be-a-movie-star-i-wanted-to-be-an-actor-because/) [Dave Bautista](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-bautista/) > [TV has an extensive reach which takes you through the remotest place so I won't deny that it did play a pivotal role in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prachi-desai/tv-has-an-extensive-reach-which-takes-you-through-the-remotest-place/) [Prachi Desai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prachi-desai/) > [I act, but I'm not necessarily an actor. Acting is just the first thing people see when they look at me. So I'd like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-centineo/i-act-but-i-m-not-necessarily-an-actor-acting-is-just-the-first-thing/) [Noah Centineo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-centineo/) > [I mean, I'm an actor when I'm acting, and the rest of the time, I'm just a guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-wahl/i-mean-i-m-an-actor-when-i-m-acting-and-the-rest-of-the-time-i-m-just/) [Ken Wahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-wahl/) > [I don't know how to play myself. I'm not interested enough in myself. That's just not how I was educated. That's not how I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-stoll/i-don-t-know-how-to-play-myself-i-m-not-interested-enough-in-myself/) [Corey Stoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-stoll/) > [What I always wanted to get seen as was as a good actor, when it was the acting I was doing. When I'm writing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-alda/what-i-always-wanted-to-get-seen-as-was-as-a-good-actor-when-it-was/) [Alan Alda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-alda/) ## More by Joyce Carol Oates > [“A woman who has lost her husband is invalid, thus an invalid. In”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/a-woman-who-has-lost-her-husband-is-invalid-thus-an-invalid-in/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Running! If there's any activity happier, more exhilarating, more nourishing to the imagination, I can't think of what it might be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/running-if-there-s-any-activity-happier-more-exhilarating-more/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [You need so much energy and encouragement to write that if someone says something negative, some of that energy goes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/you-need-so-much-energy-and-encouragement-to-write-that-if-someone/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I learned long ago that being Lewis Carroll was infinitely more exciting than being Alice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-learned-long-ago-that-being-lewis-carroll-was-infinitely-more/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Paradox: how do we know what we have failed to see because we have no language to express it, thus we cannot know that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/paradox-how-do-we-know-what-we-have-failed-to-see-because-we-have-no/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [At all crucial moments in our lives we want to speak without knowing what to say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/at-all-crucial-moments-in-our-lives-we-want-to-speak-without-knowing/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [A writer’s life is in his work, and that is the place to find him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/a-writer-s-life-is-in-his-work-and-that-is-the-place-to-find-him/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [The challenge is to resist circumstances. Any idiot can be happy in a happy place, but moral courage is required to be happy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-challenge-is-to-resist-circumstances-any-idiot-can-be-happy-in-a/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [The first sentence cant be written until the final sentence is written.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-first-sentence-cant-be-written-until-the-final-sentence-is-written/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [“Did you know, Marianne: how by breaking the code that day, you broke it forever? For us all?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/did-you-know-marianne-how-by-breaking-the-code-that-day-you-broke-it/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > ['The Accursed' is very much a novel about social injustice as the consequence of the terrible, tragic division of classes - the exploitation not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/the-accursed-is-very-much-a-novel-about-social-injustice-as-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [Keep a light, hopeful heart. But expect the worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/keep-a-light-hopeful-heart-but-expect-the-worst/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [And this is the forbidden truth, the unspeakable taboo - that evil is not always repellent but frequently attractive; that it has the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/and-this-is-the-forbidden-truth-the-unspeakable-taboo-that-evil-is/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [I don't think that writer's block exists really. I think that when you're trying to do something prematurely, it just won't come. Certain subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/i-don-t-think-that-writer-s-block-exists-really-i-think-that-when-you/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) > [... such speculation is like staring into the hot white sun. you know the sun is there but you can't see a thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-carol-oates/such-speculation-is-like-staring-into-the-hot-white-sun-you-know-the/) [Joyce Carol Oates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) [Explore all 658 Joyce Carol Oates quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-carol-oates/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The Playwright had long been fascinated by the strange mercurial personality of the Actor. What is \"acting.\" and why do we respond to \"great acting\" as we do? We know that an actor is \"acting\" and yet - we wish to forget that an actor is \"acting,\" and in the presence of talented actors we quickly do forget. 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