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51 Great Quotes By Stephen Crane

Famous As: Writer, Journalist, Poet, Baseball player, Novelist, Screenwriter
Born On: 1871
Died On: 1900
Born In: Newark
Died At Age: 28

Stephen Crane was an American short story writer, poet and novelist who rose to prominence in the 19th century. He is particularly well-known for his works that were based on realism, impressionism and naturalism. Crane had been interested in writing right from his childhood and he had been a published author by the time he was a teenager. He did not have much time for formal education and dropped out of college, deciding instead to become a reporter and a professional writer. Crane’s first novel titled ‘Maggie: A Girl of the Streets’ was published in 1893 and according to literary experts, it was the first instance of naturalism in American literature and before long he became a noted author. Some of his other works include ‘The Red Badge of Courage’, ‘The Monster and Other Stories’, ‘George’s Mother’, ‘The Black Rider and Other Lines’, ‘Wounds in the Rain’, ‘The Open Boat’ and ‘Other Tales of Adventure and Active Service’ among others. His most famous work is ‘The Red Badge of Courage’ and is widely read to this day due to its status as one of the classics of American literature. Crane was a great writer and an equally good orator. Some of his writings and thoughts have become quite famous as his quotes and thoughts and is quoted extensively. We bring to you a collection of Stephen Crane’s quotes and thoughts that have been extracted from his writings, books, poems, stories and novels.

A Man Said to the Universe

A man said to the universe: 
“Sir, I exist!”
“However,” replied the universe, 
“The fact has not created in me 
A sense of obligation.

A Man Said to the Universe A man said to the universe: “Sir, I exist!” “However,” replied the universe, “The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation.

Stephen Crane
It was not well to drive men into final corners; at those moments they could all develop teeth and claws.

It was not well to drive men into final corners; at those moments they could all develop teeth and claws.

Stephen Crane
Think as I think,

Think as I think," said a man, "or you are abominably wicked; you are a toad." And after I thought of it, I said, "I will, then, be a toad.

Stephen Crane
When the suicide arrived at the sky, the people there asked him:

When the suicide arrived at the sky, the people there asked him: "Why?" He replied: "Because no one admired me.

Stephen Crane
Sometimes, the most profound of awakenings come wrapped in the quietest of moments.

Sometimes, the most profound of awakenings come wrapped in the quietest of moments.

Stephen Crane
Tell her this
And more,—
That the king of the seas
Weeps too, old, helpless man.
The bustling fates
Heap his hands with corpses
Until he stands like a child
With surplus of toys.

Tell her this And more,— That the king of the seas Weeps too, old, helpless man. The bustling fates Heap his hands with corpses Until he stands like a child With surplus of toys.

Stephen Crane
Half of tradition is a lie.

Half of tradition is a lie.

Stephen Crane
A MAN FEARED

A man feared that he might find an assassin;
Another that he might find a victim.
One was more wise than the other.

A MAN FEARED A man feared that he might find an assassin; Another that he might find a victim. One was more wise than the other.

Stephen Crane
But I like it
Because it is bitter,
And because it is my heart.

But I like it Because it is bitter, And because it is my heart.

Stephen Crane
Perhaps an individual must consider his own death to be the final phenomenon of nature.

Perhaps an individual must consider his own death to be the final phenomenon of nature.

Stephen Crane
The man had arrived at that stage of drunkenness where affection is felt for the universe.

The man had arrived at that stage of drunkenness where affection is felt for the universe.

Stephen Crane
He vaguely desired to walk around and around the body and stare; the impulse of the living to try to read in dead eyes the answer to the Question.

He vaguely desired to walk around and around the body and stare; the impulse of the living to try to read in dead eyes the answer to the Question.

Stephen Crane
When the prophet, a complacent fat man,
Arrived at the mountain-top
He cried:

When the prophet, a complacent fat man, Arrived at the mountain-top He cried: "Woe to my knowledge! I intended to see good white lands And bad black lands— But the scene is grey.

Stephen Crane
Over the river a golden ray of sun came through the hosts of leaden rain clouds.

Over the river a golden ray of sun came through the hosts of leaden rain clouds.

Stephen Crane
It perhaps might be said--if any one dared--that the most worthless literature of the world has been that which has been written by the men of one nation concerning the men of another.

It perhaps might be said--if any one dared--that the most worthless literature of the world has been that which has been written by the men of one nation concerning the men of another.

Stephen Crane
He saw that it was an ironical thing for him to be running thus toward that which he had been at such pains to avoid.

He saw that it was an ironical thing for him to be running thus toward that which he had been at such pains to avoid.

Stephen Crane
But he said, in substance, to himself that if the earth and moon were about to clash, many persons would doubtless plan to get upon the roofs to witness the collision.

But he said, in substance, to himself that if the earth and moon were about to clash, many persons would doubtless plan to get upon the roofs to witness the collision.

Stephen Crane
Mother, whose heart hung humble as a button the bright splendid shroud of your son,
Do not weep.
War is kind.

Mother, whose heart hung humble as a button the bright splendid shroud of your son, Do not weep. War is kind.

Stephen Crane
A serious prophet upon predicting a flood should be the first man to climb a tree. This would demonstrate that he was indeed a seer.

A serious prophet upon predicting a flood should be the first man to climb a tree. This would demonstrate that he was indeed a seer.

Stephen Crane
And it was as if fate had betrayed the soldier. In death it exposed to his enemies that poverty which in life he had perhaps concealed from his friends.

And it was as if fate had betrayed the soldier. In death it exposed to his enemies that poverty which in life he had perhaps concealed from his friends.

Stephen Crane
So it came to pass that as he trudged from the place of blood and wrath his soul changed.

So it came to pass that as he trudged from the place of blood and wrath his soul changed.

Stephen Crane
The girl, Maggie, blossomed in a mud puddle.

The girl, Maggie, blossomed in a mud puddle.

Stephen Crane
They were going to look at war, the red
animal--war, the blood-swollen god.

They were going to look at war, the red animal--war, the blood-swollen god.

Stephen Crane
The maddened four men followed frantically, for it is better to be in the presence of the awful than only within hearing. (

The maddened four men followed frantically, for it is better to be in the presence of the awful than only within hearing. ("The Black Dog")

Stephen Crane
Held his heart in his hands,
And ate of it.
I said:

Held his heart in his hands, And ate of it. I said: "Is it good, friend?" "It is bitter - bitter," he answered; "But I like it Because it is bitter, And because it is my heart.

Stephen Crane
It appeared that the swift wings of their desires would have shattered against the iron gates of the impossible.

It appeared that the swift wings of their desires would have shattered against the iron gates of the impossible.

Stephen Crane
Nevertheless, he had, on a certain star-lit evening, said wonderingly and quite reverently:

Nevertheless, he had, on a certain star-lit evening, said wonderingly and quite reverently: "Deh moon looks like hell, don't it?

Stephen Crane
A man said to the universe:

A man said to the universe: "Sir I exist!" "However," replied the universe, "The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation.

Stephen Crane
The moon had been lighted and was hung in a treetop.

The moon had been lighted and was hung in a treetop.

Stephen Crane
She thinks my name is Freddie, you know, but of course it ain't. I
always tell these people some name like that, because if they got onto
your right name they might use it sometime. Understand?

She thinks my name is Freddie, you know, but of course it ain't. I always tell these people some name like that, because if they got onto your right name they might use it sometime. Understand?

Stephen Crane