Q0119
“Despair is not to will to be oneself — or else to…” — Søren Kierkegaard (The Sickness unto Death)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: The Sickness unto Death. Theme: self.
English
Despair is not to will to be oneself — or else to will to be oneself.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to The Sickness unto Death and files it under Existentialism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Søren Kierkegaard
Søren Kierkegaard (1813–1855) was a Danish religious author and critic of Christendom who wrote under pseudonyms exploring aesthetic, ethical, and religious existence. Inheriting a melancholy family fortune, he attacked Hegelian system and lukewarm official faith in Copenhagen.
How to read this passage
To ask about the self is to ask what persists through experience, what can be known from the first-person point of view, and how character is formed. Some traditions treat the self as a substantial soul; others as a stream of experience, a social role, or a practical center of agency. This passage enters that discussion through self.
Concepts in this quote
- Self
- Philosophy quotes about self explore identity, responsibility, and the examined life—from Socrates’ unexamined life to modern phenomenology and existential authenticity.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Søren Kierkegaard. (n.d.). Despair is not to will to be oneself — or else to will to be oneself. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0119
MLA: Søren Kierkegaard. “Despair is not to will to be oneself….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0119.
Chicago: Søren Kierkegaard. “Despair is not to will to be oneself….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0119.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Despair is not to will to be oneself…”?
The passage is attributed to Søren Kierkegaard, The Sickness unto Death. The archive attributes this English wording to The Sickness unto Death and files it under Existentialism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Søren Kierkegaard mean by self?
To ask about the self is to ask what persists through experience, what can be known from the first-person point of view, and how character is formed. Some traditions treat the self as a substantial soul; others as a stream of experience, a social role, or a practical center of agency. This passage enters that discussion through self.