Quote of the day by George Bernard Shaw: 'Life contains but two tragedies. One is not to get your heart’s desire; the other is to get it' - Why achieving your dreams may still bring disappointed explained by the Irish playwright

Getting whatever one wants in their life is often seen as the biggest to happiness. People tend to think that if they were to get their goals, whether it be a successful career, a relationship or a long held ambition, they would be happy. But Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw had another opinion, that both success and failure can be the cause of great disappointment. This is summed up in his famous quote: "Life contains but two tragedies. One is not to get your heart’s desire; the other is to get it.”

Meaning of George Bernard Shaw’s quote

The quotation concerns the complicated relationship between desire and happiness. If people don’t get what they want badly, then there may be regret, frustration or disappointment. The unfulfilled goal can keep on occupying their thoughts because it represents something they could not attain.

However, Shaw points to another possibility that getting exactly what one wants may not bring the expected happiness. Sometimes reality is different than expectation . Sometimes the satisfaction of a goal is not as long lasting as you thought it would be .


The same applies to personal relationships, professional ambitions and other big life decisions.It makes people consider if the happiness they hope to receive from a particular accomplishment will be the same as the reality of accomplishing it.

The quote is from Shaw's 1903 play Man and Superman, a mixture of comedy and philosophical ideas. The play was published in the form of a book that year and was first staged in London in 1905.

Its story follows John Tanner, a young socialist and philosopher who opposes marriage, and Ann Whitefield, who pursues him. After Ann’s father dies, Tanner becomes one of her guardians alongside Roebuck Ramsden. Despite Tanner’s objections to marriage, Ann continues pursuing him, and he eventually gives in.

Through their relationship, Shaw examines courtship, marriage and the conflict between individual freedom and social expectations. The play also explores his idea of the Life Force, a drive towards human development and the continuation of the species.

Oscar Wilde’s connection to the quote

A similar observation to what Shaw said in his quote had also appeared in Oscar Wilde’s 1892 play Lady Windermere’s Fan where he said: “There are only two tragedies. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.”

The resemblance between Wilde’s line and Shaw’s version is notable. Both express the paradox that desire can lead to disappointment whether it remains unfulfilled or becomes reality.

Who was George Bernard Shaw?

Shaw was born in Dublin in 1856 and became a noted playwright, critic and social commentator.He joined the Fabian Society in 1884, and used his pen to explore social questions and challenge accepted ideas.

His most famous plays are Pygmalion (which became the musical My Fair Lady) and Saint Joan. Shaw was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1925 and an Academy Award for the screenplay adaptation of Pygmalion.He died in 1950, aged 94.