I went to the woods to live deliberately.
Henry David Thoreau, Walden (1854), Where I Lived, and What I Lived For
I went to the woods to live deliberately.
Henry David Thoreau, Walden (1854), Where I Lived, and What I Lived For
What it means
Thoreau wanted to face the essentials so he would not reach death and find he had never really lived. Living deliberately means choosing, not drifting. You do not need a cabin to do it, only attention to what you are doing and why.
The source
"I went to the woods to live deliberately." Henry David Thoreau said it in Walden (1854), Where I Lived, and What I Lived For. Written in English: Walden, 1854.
"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life"Original English (Walden, 1854), Walden (1854), Where I Lived, and What I Lived For. Text read at gutenberg.org.
Who said it
Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862). Lived two years in a cabin he built at Walden Pond and wrote Walden about it. His essay Civil Disobedience argued for refusing to cooperate with injustice.
Questions
- What does "I went to the woods to live deliberately." mean?
- Thoreau wanted to face the essentials so he would not reach death and find he had never really lived. Living deliberately means choosing, not drifting. You do not need a cabin to do it, only attention to what you are doing and why.
- Who said "I went to the woods to live deliberately."?
- Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862). Source: Walden (1854), Where I Lived, and What I Lived For.
- What is the original wording?
- I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life (Original English (Walden, 1854)). Written in English: Walden, 1854.
- Is "I went to the woods to live deliberately." on a shirt?
- Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.
Cite this line
"I went to the woods to live deliberately." (Henry David Thoreau, Walden (1854), Where I Lived, and What I Lived For, trans. Original English (Walden, 1854)). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/i-went-to-the-woods-to-live-deliberately
Filed under Quotes about calm.
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More from Henry David Thoreau
- Simplify, simplify.Walden (1854), Where I Lived, and What I Lived For
- Step to the music you hear, however far away.Walden (1854), Conclusion
- Advance confidently in the direction of your dreams.Walden (1854), Conclusion
- You are rich in what you can afford to let alone.Walden (1854), Where I Lived, and What I Lived For
- The cost of a thing is the life you trade for it.Walden (1854), Economy
- Beware of every venture that needs new clothes.Walden (1854), Economy