What ought a man be? Well, my short answer is 'himself'.

In your power, all the same. Subject to your will and your demands. No longer free! No! That's a thought I'll never endure! Never.

The strong must learn to be lonely.

Take the life-lie away from the average man and straight away you take away his happiness.

If I cannot be myself in what I write, then the whole is nothing but lies and humbug.

Oh yes, right—right. What is the use of having right on your side if you have not got might?

I believe that before anything else I'm a human being -- just as much as you are... or at any rate I shall try to become one. I know quite well that most people would agree with you, Torvald, and that you have warrant for it in books; but I can't be satisfied any longer with what most people say, and with what's in books. I must think things out for myself and try to understand them.