Skip to content

Life Quote by Thomas Bernhard

“Through constant self-sacrifice I had thoroughly ruined life in Desselbrunn for myself, one day it suddenly became unbearable, I thought. The beginning of this self-sacrifice had been the rejection of my Steinway, the triggering moment so to speak for my subsequent inability to tolerate life in…” quote by Thomas Bernhard
Download Open image
““Through constant self-sacrifice I had thoroughly ruined life in Desselbrunn for myself, one day it suddenly became unbearable, I thought. The beginning of this self-sacrifice had been the rejection of my Steinway, the triggering moment so to speak for my subsequent inability to tolerate life in Deselbrunn. All at once I could no longer breathe the Desselbrunn air and the walls in Desselbrunn made me sick and the rooms threatened to choke me, one has to remember how cavernous the rooms are there, nine-by-six meter or eight-by-eight meter rooms, I thought. I hated those rooms and I hated what was in those rooms and when I left my house I hated the people outside my house, all at once I was being unjust to all those people, who only wanted the best for me, but precisely that drove me crazy after a while, their constant willingness to be helpful, which I suddenly found profoundly revolting. I barricaded myself and stared out the window, without seeing anything but my own unhappiness. I ran outdoors and cursed at everybody. I ran into the woods and huddled beneath a tree, exhausted.””

Thomas Bernhard

About This Quote

Source Novel: Der Untergegang, Thomas Bernhard, 1970

The narrator describes how relentless self‑sacrifice and oppressive surroundings destroyed his mental health, leading to a breaking point of despair and anger.

In simple terms: Self‑destruction and oppressive environment cause mental collapse.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and change harmful patterns before they overwhelm you.

Themes

despair environment mental health self‑sacrifice

Mood

despair angry introspective

Type

literary existential psychological

When to use this quote

  • living in oppressive homes
  • confronting toxic relationships
  • seeking mental health help
  • escaping suffocating environments

Key Concepts

existentialism psychology nihilism

Questions to Reflect On

  • What environments are draining you?
  • How can you set boundaries to protect your wellbeing?
A Different Perspective

The narrative may exaggerate personal anguish, not accounting for resilience or external support.

2.5 out of 5 (4 ratings)

More by Thomas Bernhard

Explore all 96 Thomas Bernhard quotes

More Life quotes

Browse all 265,682 Life quotes