Being Irish he had an abiding sense of tragedy which sustained him through temporary periods of joy.

Hard work without talent is a shame but talent without hard work is a tragedy.

All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does. That's his.

Normally street children are shown in terms of the tragedy of their lives - which is true - but there's also another dimension: their wisdom dignity and enormous capacity for survival.

Tragedy is a tool for the living to gain wisdom not a guide by which to live.

Tragedy is like strong acid - it dissolves away all but the very gold of truth.

Tragedy is a hell of a teacher. It's much too strict but it's a hell of a teacher.

The key element in tragedy is that heroes and heroines are destroyed by that which appears to be their greatest strength.

I suppose society is wonderfully delightful. To be in it is merely a bore. But to be out of it is simply a tragedy.

I've never thought of my characters as being sad. On the contrary they are full of life. They didn't choose tragedy. Tragedy chose them.