Chapter 1
Royal exits and fallen rulers
Chapter 2
Minds of science and philosophy
Chapter 3
Artists, writers, and creative souls
Chapter 4
Outlaws, rebels, and unexpected wits
YOUR GOAL
Master of Famous last words
Ch 3 · Artists, writers, and creative souls
schopenhauer Famous Creative Last Words
Chasing the butterfly, under a Swiss sky, one beautiful last goodbye!
schopenhauer The beloved English novelist asked only for relief from her physical pain.
schopenhauer History's greatest polymath died in 1519 worrying that he had failed his art.
BETA
schopenhauer Match final remarks to historical figures to discover how history's icons got the last laugh.
Fun Fact
Beethoven's final toast: Composer Ludwig van Beethoven died in 1827 after receiving a gift of wine, sighing, "Pity, pity—too late!"
Glossary
epitaph (noun)
A phrase or statement written in memory of a person, especially on a tombstone. In 1925, humorist Dorothy Parker suggested Excuse my dust as her own witty epitaph.
A phrase or statement written in memory of a person, especially on a tombstone. In 1925, humorist Dorothy Parker suggested Excuse my dust as her own witty epitaph.
Quiz
Which German composer's last words in 1827 lamented that a gift of wine arrived "too late"?
Quiz
In which European city did Oscar Wilde pass away in a cheap hotel room in 1900?
Quiz
In which country did painter Frida Kahlo write "I joyfully await the exit" in 1954?
Quiz
Which Irish playwright joked about fighting a duel to the death with his hotel wallpaper in 1900?
Quiz
Which Renaissance master reportedly apologized to God for not making better art before dying in 1519?
Quiz
What disease is believed to have caused Jane Austen's death in Winchester in 1817?
Quiz
Which children's book author's peaceful final words were interrupted by a painful needle prick in 1990?
Quiz
What did English novelist Jane Austen say she wanted when asked by her sister in 1817?