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Abyss Quotes

On the abyss as danger, depression, and dark comedy.

Not every abyss quote here is grim - one speaker's favorite playwright is described as laughing at the abyss rather than fearing it. Others are more literal, describing real violence people have stared down and pulled back from.

The violence seems to be diminishing. They've stared into the abyss a bit. I think they've all concluded that further violence... is not in their interests.

Quotes by Stephen Hadley

I am fond of them, of the inferior beings of the abyss, of those who are full of longing.

Quotes by Richard Wagner

My favorite playwright is probably Samuel Beckett, and he was always laughing at the abyss.

Quotes by John Cameron Mitchell

I didn't work for more than two years. I sat on the couch and waited for work to come in. I got depressed, went into the abyss.

Quotes by Ioan Gruffudd

Always Quotes

The process of delving into the black abyss is to me the keenest form of fascination.

Quotes by H. P. Lovecraft

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is the abyss always described as frightening in these quotes?
Not always - one speaker's favorite playwright is described as laughing at the abyss rather than fearing it, treating dread as something you can meet with humor.
Does any quote describe a real historical situation as an abyss?
Yes, one talks about violence diminishing after people stared into the abyss, suggesting confronting the worst outcome directly can actually calm a conflict.
Is depression described using the abyss metaphor here?
One quote does exactly that, describing a period of feeling stuck and unproductive as going into the abyss, a direct personal account rather than an abstract idea.
What does "inferior beings of the abyss" refer to?
That line describes creatures or figures defined by longing, using the abyss as their home rather than as a danger they're trying to escape.
What's the emotional range across these abyss quotes?
It swings from real despair to dark comedy, showing the abyss can represent both genuine crisis and a subject writers find strangely funny.

A quieter entry describes a personal depressive spell as going into the abyss, no metaphor needed. There's always a mix here of the philosophical and the painfully specific.