“On meurt deux Source fois, je le vois bien : > > Cesser d’aimer & d’être aimable, > > C’est une mort insupportable : > > Cesser de vivre, ce n’est rien.”
This 18th-century French poem may seem unfamiliar. However, it carries the seed of one of cinema’s most beloved lines. Decades later, this sentiment would be reborn in a magical story about a boy who never grew up. It was then famously delivered by the legendary Robin Williams in the 1991 film Hook. The line, “To die would be an awfully big adventure,” captures a profound and fearless approach to life’s ultimate mystery. Yet, its journey from a French salon to the silver screen is a fascinating tale of literary evolution.
Many people associate the quote solely with Robin Williams’ poignant delivery. While he certainly immortalized it for a generation, its true origin lies much further back. The line is a direct quote from J.M. Barrie’s original 1911 novel, Peter and Wendy. But the core idea—that physical death is not the most tragic end a person can face—is even older. This exploration reveals layers of meaning behind a simple, adventurous phrase.
The Turning Point in Hook
In Steven Spielberg’s Hook, the quote arrives at a pivotal moment. Peter Banning, a cynical adult lawyer, has forgotten his past as Peter Pan. The mischievous fairy Tinkerbell brings him back to Neverland to save his children from the clutches of Captain Hook. However, Peter is no longer the fearless leader of the Lost Boys. He is afraid of heights, responsibility, and adventure itself. He has lost his “happy thought.”
Despondent and defeated, Peter sits alone, believing he has failed. He tells Tinkerbell that he wants to die. It is then that a flicker of his old self returns. With a quiet, thoughtful tone, he murmurs, “To die would be an awfully big adventure.” This is the turning point for his character. The line signifies his first step back toward embracing the spirit of Peter Pan. He starts to see the world not through the fearful eyes of an adult, but through the curious and brave eyes of a child. It is a moment of profound self-realization, where the fear of death is replaced by a sense of wonder.
J.M. Barrie’s Original Intent
To fully understand the quote, we must go back to its source: J.M. Barrie’s novel. Barrie wrote the line for a scene filled with tension and peril. Peter Pan is stranded on a rock in the Mermaids’ Lagoon as the tide rises. Facing what seems to be certain doom, he is not afraid. Instead, he thinks about his fate with a calm curiosity.
Barrie writes, “To die will be an awfully big adventure.” In this context, the line perfectly encapsulates Peter’s unique nature. He is the embodiment of eternal youth. Consequently, he does not view death with the same finality or dread as adults do. For him, it is simply the next unknown, another exciting journey to embark upon. This perspective highlights the fundamental difference between the innocence of childhood and the learned fears of adulthood. It is a powerful statement about living life to the fullest, without being paralyzed by the inevitable end.
The Philosophical Roots of an Adventurous Idea
Interestingly, the sentiment behind Barrie’s famous line predates Peter Pan by more than a century. Source The French poem at the beginning of this article offers a similar, though more somber, perspective. Written by French poet Stanislas de Boufflers, it explores the idea of two deaths. .
The poem translates to:
“We die twice, I see it well:
>
To cease to love and be lovable,
>
That is an unbearable death:
>
To cease to live is nothing.”
Boufflers argues that the true death is emotional and spiritual. A life without love, connection, and joy is the “unbearable” end. In contrast, the mere cessation of physical life is “nothing.” This powerful idea reframes our understanding of mortality. It suggests that the quality of our life is far more important than its length. A loveless existence is a tragedy, while a physical death is just a transition.
While Barrie may not have directly translated Boufflers’ words, the core philosophy is strikingly similar. Both writers diminish the fear of physical death by comparing it to something else. For Boufflers, it is the loss of love. For Barrie, it is the potential for a grand adventure. Both challenge the reader to reconsider what they should truly fear. Peter Banning in Hook was experiencing Boufflers’ “unbearable death”—a life devoid of joy and imagination—before he rediscovered the adventurous spirit of Peter Pan.
Why the Quote Endures
The line’s enduring appeal comes from its multifaceted meaning. On the surface, it is a call to adventure and fearlessness. It inspires us to face challenges, including our own mortality, with courage and a sense of wonder. This is the version that resonates most strongly from the Peter Pan stories and the film Hook. It speaks to the child within all of us who once believed anything was possible.
On a deeper level, the quote serves as a powerful reminder to live authentically. Peter Banning’s journey is a cautionary tale. He became so consumed by the anxieties of adult life that he lost the very essence of who he was. His rediscovery of the quote is a rediscovery of himself. It teaches us that a life lived without joy, passion, and love is a kind of death in itself. Therefore, the real adventure is not dying, but living a life so full that death is just another chapter.
In conclusion, Robin Williams’ delivery of “To die would be an awfully big adventure” is iconic for a reason. It taps into a deep, historical current of thought that questions our relationship with life and death. From an 18th-century French poem to a classic children’s novel and finally to a blockbuster film, the idea has been passed down through generations. It reminds us that the greatest tragedy is not to cease living, but to never have truly lived at all.