He questioned and answered himself; he glorified and insulted himself. One could hear him from the street monologuing in his hut. The passers-by, who have their own way of appreciating witty people, said: he is an idiot.
[Il s’interrogeait et se répondait ; il se glorifiait et s’insultait. On l’entendait de la rue monologuer dans sa cahute. Les passants, qui ont leur manière à eux d’apprécier les gens d’esprit, disaient : c’est un idiot.]
Victor Hugo (1802–1885) French writer, journalist, human rights activist, politician
The Man Who Laughs [L’Homme qui rit; The Laughing Man; By Order of the King], Part 1, Preliminary, ch. 1 (1.0.1) (1869) [tr. Lavelle (2003)]
(Source)
(Source (French)). Other translations:He questioned himself, answered himself, praised himself, blamed himself. You heard him in the street soliloquizing in his van. The passers-by, who have their own way of appreciating clever people, used to say, "He is an idiot."
[tr. Unknown (1869); Unknown, Authorized (1871)]He questioned himself and answered himself; he glorified himself and insulted himself. He could be heard from the street, indulging in a monologue in his hut. The passers-by, who have their own way of appreciating men of wit, said, "he is an idiot."
[tr. Hapgood (1888)]He questioned and answered himself; he glorified and insulted himself. He could be heard from the street talking to himself in his hut. The passers-by, who have their own way of appreciating clever people, said: "He's a fool."
[tr. Phillips (1894)]
Quotations about:
monologue
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Whoever has lived alone, knows to what a degree monologue is innate. The inward word itches. Haranguing space is an outlet. To speak aloud and alone makes the effect of a dialogue with the god which is within one. This was, as is well known, the habit of Socrates. He harangued himself. So did Luther.
[Quiconque a vécu solitaire sait à quel point le monologue est dans la nature. La parole intérieure démange. Haranguer l’espace est un exutoire. Parler tout haut et tout seul, cela fait l’effet d’un dialogue avec le dieu qu’on a en soi. C’était, on ne l’ignore point, l’habitude de Socrate. Il se pérorait. Luther aussi.]
Victor Hugo (1802–1885) French writer, journalist, human rights activist, politician
The Man Who Laughs [L’Homme qui rit; The Laughing Man; By Order of the King], Part 1, Preliminary, ch. 1 (1.0.1) (1869) [tr. Phillips (1894)]
(Source)
(Source (French)). Other translations:Any one who has lived a solitary life knows how deeply seated monologue is in one's nature. Speech imprisoned longs to find a vent. To harangue space is an outlet. To talk out loud when one is alone is as it were to have a dialogue with the divinity within. It was, as is well known, a habit with Socrates; he declaimed to himself. Luther did the same.
[tr. Unknown (1869); Unknown, Authorized (1871)]Any one who has lived alone, knows how natural monologue is. The inner word itches. Haranguing space offers a vent. Speaking aloud and alone, produces the effect of a dialogue with the god which one has within one. This was Socrates' habit, as the reader is aware. He declaimed. So did Luther.
[tr. Hapgood (1888)]Anyone who has lived alone knows how much monologue is in nature. Inner speech itches. Haranguing the space is an outlet. Talking out loud and alone feels like a dialogue with the god within. It was, as we know, Socrates' habit. He used to talk to himself. Luther, too.
[tr. Lavelle (2003)]
Of a disposition at once unsociable and talkative, desiring to see no one, yet wishing to converse with some one, he solved the difficulty by talking to himself.
[D’une complexion farouche et bavarde, ayant le désir de ne voir personne et le besoin de parler à quelqu’un, il se tirait d’affaire en se parlant à lui-même.]
Victor Hugo (1802–1885) French writer, journalist, human rights activist, politician
The Man Who Laughs [L’Homme qui rit; The Laughing Man; By Order of the King], Part 1, Preliminary, ch. 1 (1.0.1) (1869) [tr. Unknown, Authorized (1871)]
(Source)
(Source (French)). Other translations:Of a disposition at once unsociable and talkative, desiring to see no one, yet longing to converse with some one, he solved the difficulty by talking to himself.
[tr. Unknown (1869)]Of a shy and loquacious disposition, desiring to see no one, yet feeling the need of talking to some one, he extricated himself from the dilemma by talking to himself.
[tr. Hapgood (1888)]Of an unsociable and talkative disposition, not wanting to see any one, and yet wanting to talk to some one, he got out of the difficulty by talking to himself.
[tr. Phillips (1894)]Of a fierce and talkative disposition, with a desire to see no one and a need to talk to someone, he got by by talking to himself.
[tr. Lavelle (2003)]
HOOK: (communing with his ego) How still the night is; nothing sounds alive. Now is the hour when children in their homes are a-bed; their lips bright-browned with the good-night chocolate, and their tongues drowsily searching for belated crumbs housed insecurely on their shining cheeks. Compare with them the children on this boat about to walk the plank. Split my infinitives, but ’tis my hour of triumph!
J. M. Barrie (1860-1937) Scottish novelist and dramatist [James Matthew Barrie]
Peter Pan, Act 5 (1904, pub. 1928)
(Source)
An analogous scene, but with different internal dialogue, occurs in Barrie's novelization, Peter and Wendy, ch. 14 "The Pirate Ship" (1911).
CONVERSATION, n. A fair for the display of the minor mental commodities, each exhibitor being too intent upon the arrangement of his own wares to observe those of his neighbor.
Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914?) American writer and journalist
“Conversation,” The Cynic’s Word Book (1906)
(Source)
Included in The Devil's Dictionary (1911). Originally published in the "Devil's Dictionary" column in the San Francisco Wasp (1881-08-26).
It must be remembered also that he who can talk with himself has no need of another’s conversation.
[Etinim, qui secum loqui poterit, sermonem alterius non requiret.]
Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) Roman orator, statesman, philosopher
Tusculan Disputations [Tusculanae Disputationes], Book 5, ch. 40 (5.40) / sec. 117 (45 BC) [tr. Peabody (1886)]
(Source)
(Source (Latin)). Alternate translations:For he that can speak with himself; will not much need the Discourse of another.
[tr. Wase (1643)]Whoever can converse with himself doth not need the conversation of another.
[tr. Main (1824)]For the man who can speak with himself, does not require the discourse of another.
[tr. Otis (1839)]Whoever can converse with himself doth not need the conversation of another.
[tr. Yonge (1853)]One who can converse with himself will not miss the conversation of someone else.
[tr. Douglas (1990)]He who can talk to himself, will have no need of another’s conversation.
[tr. @sentantiq (2012)]A man who is able to hold conversation with himself will not need another with whom to converse.
[tr. Davie (2017)]
There is no such thing as conversation. It is an illusion. There are intersecting monologues, that is all. We speak; we spread round us with sounds, with words, an emanation from ourselves. Sometimes they overlap the circles that others are spreading round themselves. Then they are affected by these other circles, to be sure, but not because of any real communication that has taken place — merely as a scarf of blue chiffon lying on a woman’s dressing table will change color if she casts down on it a scarf of red chiffon.
Rebecca West (1892-1983) British author, journalist, literary critic, travel writer [pseud. for Cicily Isabel Fairfield]
“There Is No Conversation,” The Saturday Evening Post (1928-12-08)
(Source)
In the initial magazine appearance, the third sentence read, "There are interesting monologues." When reprinted in The Harsh Voice: Four Short Novels (1935), and subsequently, interesting was replaced with intersecting.
More discussion about this quotation: There Is No Such Thing as Conversation. It Is an Illusion. There Are Intersecting Monologues, That Is All – Quote Investigator®.
Of course I talk to myself. I like a good speaker, and I appreciate an intelligent audience.
Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) American writer, poet, wit
The Ladies of the Corridor (1954) [with Arnaud d’Usseau]
It is a Secret known but to a few, yet of no small use in the Conduct of Life, that when you fall into a Man’s Conversation, the first thing you should consider is, whether he has a greater Inclination to hear you, or that you should hear him.
Richard Steele (1672-1729) Anglo-Irish writer, journalist, playwright, politician
Essay (1711-04-26), The Spectator, No. 49
(Source)
As a matter of fact, have you never noticed that most conversations are simply monologues delivered in the presence of a witness?
Margaret Millar (1915-1994) American-Canadian mystery and suspense writer
The Weak-Eyed Bat (1942)
(Source)
Often misattributed to Mark Twain, usually as "Most conversations are simply monologues delivered in the presence of witnesses."
More information on this quote's origins: Most Conversations Are Simply Monologues Delivered in the Presence of a Witness – Quote Investigator®
