'O Captain! My Captain!': 16 Quotes From 'Dead Poets Society' That'll Inspire You To Carpe Diem

“We don't read and write poetry because it's cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these a…”

— Robin Williams, John Keating, amazon.com

“No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.”

— Robin Williams, John Keating, amazon.com

“They're not that different from you, are they? Same haircuts. Full of hormones, just like you. Invincible, just like you feel. The world is their oyster. They believe they're destined for great things, just like many of you, their eyes are full of hope, just like you. Did they wait until it was too…”

— Robin Williams, John Keating, amazon.com

“Boys, you must strive to find your own voice. Because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are to find it at all. Thoreau said, 'Most men lead lives of quiet desperation.' Don't be resigned to that. Break out!”

— Robin Williams, John Keating, amazon.com

“Todd Anderson [Stands up on his desk]: 'O Captain! My Captain!' Nolan: 'Sit down, Mr. Anderson! Do you hear me? Sit down! Sit down! This is your final warning, Anderson. How dare you? Do you hear me?' Knox [Climbs up onto his desk]: 'O Captain! My Captain!' Nolan: 'Mr. Overstreet, I warn you! Sit do…”

— Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke, Norman Lloyd, Josh Charles, John Keating, Todd Anderson, Nolan, Knox Overstreet, amazon.com

“Sucking the marrow out of life doesn't mean choking on the bone.”

— Robin Williams, John Keating, amazon.com

“John Keating: 'Why do I stand up here? Anybody?' Dalton: 'To feel taller!' John Keating: 'No! Thank you for playing Mr. Dalton. I stand upon my desk to remind myself that we must constantly look at things in a different way.'”

— Robin Williams, Gale Hansen, John Keating, Dalton, amazon.com

“Neil Perry: 'I just talked to my father. He's making me quit the play at Henley Hall. Acting's everything to me. I- But he doesn't know! He- I can see his point; we're not a rich family, like Charlie's. We- But he's planning the rest of my life for me, and I- He's never asked me what I want!' John K…”

— Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, John Keating, Neil Perry, amazon.com

“For the first time in my whole life, I know what I wanna do! And for the first time, I'm gonna do it! Whether my father wants me to or not! Carpe diem!”

— Robert Sean Leonard, Neil Perry, amazon.com

“John Keating: 'I always thought the idea of education was to learn to think for yourself.' Nolan: 'At these boys' age? Not on your life!'”

— Robin Williams, Normal Lloyd, John Keating, Nolan, amazon.com

“I was good. I was really good.”

— Robert Sean Leonard, Neil Perry, amazon.com

“John Keating: 'Mr. Pitts, would you open your hymnal to page 542 and read the first stanza of the poem you find there.' Pitts: '"To the Virgins To Make Much of Time"?' John Keating: 'Yes, that's the one. Somewhat appropriate, isn't it?'”

— Robin Williams, James Waterston, John Keating, Pitts, amazon.com

“John Keating: '"Seize the day. Gather ye rosebuds while ye may." Why does the writer use these lines?' Charlie Dalton: 'Because he's in a hurry?' John Keating: 'No. Ding! Thank you for playing anyway. Because we are food for worms, lads. Because, believe it or not, each and every one of us in this r…”

— Robin Williams, Gale Hansen, John Keating, Charlie Dalton, amazon.com

“You must strive to find your own voice because the longer you wait to begin, the less likely you are going to find it at all.”

— Robin Williams, John Keating, amazon.com

“Keating: 'Mr. Anderson, I see you sitting there in agony. Come on, Todd, step up. Let's put you out of your misery.' Todd: 'I, I didn't do it. I didn't write a poem.' Keating: 'Mr. Anderson thinks that everything inside of him is worthless and embarrassing. Isn't that right, Todd? Isn't that your wo…”

— Robin Williams, Ethan Hawke, John Keating, Todd Anderson, amazon.com

“McAllister: 'You take a big risk by encouraging them to be artists, John. When they realize they're not Rembrandts, Shakespeares or Mozarts, they'll hate you for it.' Keating: 'We're not talking artists George, we're talking free thinkers.' McAllister: 'Free thinkers at seventeen?' Keating: 'Funny,…”

— Robin Williams, Leon Pownall, John Keating, George McAllister, amazon.com