“Dead Poets Society” is a 1989 American drama film directed by Peter Weir and written by Tom Schulman. Set in the year 1959 at an exclusive boys’ preparatory school, the story revolves around an English teacher who inspires his students through his teaching of poetry. The following quotes from the film highlight some of the most powerful and thought-provoking moments. From championing individuality to eschewing traditional expectations, these words echo the teacher’s philosophy and act as a guide to his students.
Most Popular Quotes from Dead Poets Society
- “Carpe diem. Seize the day, boys. Make your lives extraordinary.”
- “We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race.”
- “No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.”
- “Oh me! Oh life!… of the questions of these recurring, of the endless trains of the faithless…”
- “There’s a time for daring and there’s a time for caution, and a wise man understands which is called for.”
- “But only in their dreams can men be truly free. ‘Twas always thus, and always thus will be.”
- “I thought the purpose of education was to learn to think for yourself.”
- “I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way.”
- “Boys, you must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all.”
- “Avoid using the word ‘very’ because it’s lazy. A man is not very tired, he is exhausted.”
- “Just when you think you know something, you have to look at it in another way.”
- “For the powerful play goes on, and you may contribute a verse.”
- “The whole world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.”
- “They’re not that different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones, just like you.”
- “I always thought the idea of education was to learn to think for yourself.”
- “Sucking the marrow out of life doesn’t mean choking on the bone.”
- “A man is not very tired, he is exhausted. Don’t use very sad, use morose.”
- “I went to the woods because I wanted to live deliberately.”
- “If the law is of such a nature that it requires you to be an agent of injustice to another, then I say, break the law.”
- “There’s a time for daring and there’s a time for caution.”
Each of these quotes has inspired the audience to challenge conventional thinking and embrace their own unique perspective. “Dead Poets Society” continually stresses upon “carpe diem” or the idea to seize the day, reminding us that life is short and should be lived to the fullest.