Best 5 George Bernard Shaw Quotations To Think And Laugh About

George Bernard Shaw wrote more than 60 plays, including “Man And Superman, “Pygmalion“, “Candida” and “The Devil’s Disciple“.

This Irish playwright was born in Dublin 1856.

Bernard Shaw began his literary career as a novelist and he completed five novels, before any of them were published.

His first published novel titled “Immaturity” was written in 1879 and left unpublished, until 1930.

His first play was “Widower’s Houses” was written in 1885.

For the next twelve years, he wrote close to a dozen plays.

His first three full-length plays “Widower’s Houses“, “The Philanderer“, and “Mrs. Warren’s Profession” were compiled together under the tile “Plays Unpleasant“.

best 5 George Bernard Shaw quotations

Bernard Shaw was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1925.

Best 5 George  Bernard Shaw Quotations

Here is a my selected best five verified George Bernard Shaw quotations to share with you:


“I hear you say “Why?” Always “Why?” You see things; and you say “Why?” But I dream things that never were; and I say “Why not?” ” – George Bernard Shaw

(Back To Methuselah. A Metabiological Pentateuch By Bernard Shaw, Constable And Company, 1922, Part I, In The Beginning XXXII, Act I, P. 5)

(The quote is also found in: Back to Methuselah By George Bernard Shaw, Limited Editions Club, 1939, Part I, In The Beginning, Act I, P. 8)


Life does not cease to be funny when people die any more than it ceases to be serious when people laugh.” – George Bernard Shaw

(The Doctor’s Dilemma: A Tragedy By Bernard Shaw, Constable And Company, 1922, Act V. P. 98)

(The quote is also found in: The Doctor’s Dilemma: A Tragedy, 1906; Getting Married A Disquisitory Play, 1908 ; The Shewing-up Of Blanco Posnet A Sermon In Crude Melodrama, 1909 By George Bernard Shaw, W.H. Wise, 1930; p.173)


Virtue consists, not in abstaining from vice, but in not desiring it.” – George Bernard Shaw

(Man And Superman; A Comedy And A Philosophy By Bernard Shaw, Archibald Constable & Co. Ltd, 1903, Maxims for Revolutionists, Virtues And Vices; p.235)

(This quote is also found in: Plays by George Bernard Shaw By George Bernard Shaw, Eric Bentley, Norman Lloyd, Penguin, 2004, Maxims for Revolutionists, Virtues And Vices)


“My way of joking is to tell the truth. It’s the funniest joke in the world.” – George Bernard Shaw

(John Bull’s Other Island and Major Barbara By Bernard Shaw, Brentano’s, 1907, John Bull’s Other Island, Act II; p.88)

(This quote is also found in: John Bull’s Other Island By George Bernard Shaw, 1st World Publishing, 2004, Act II; p.50)


“He who can, does. He who cannot, teaches.” – George Bernard Shaw

(Man And Superman; A Comedy And A Philosophy By Bernard Shaw, Archibald Constable & Co. Ltd, 1903, Maxims for Revolutionists, Education; p.230)

(The quote is also found in: Plays by George Bernard Shaw By George Bernard Shaw, Eric Bentley, Norman Lloyd, Penguin, 2004, Maxims for Revolutionists, Education)


Here is a great selection of fully verified quotations by George Bernard Shaw.