Rhett Butler – Character Quotes

Always providing you have enough courage—or money—you can do without a reputation.

Scarlett (about her dream):"Oh, Rhett, it's awful to be hungry."
Rhett:"It must be awful to dream of starvation after a seven-course dinner including that enormous crawfish."

... he’d rather be shot than marry a stupid fool.

“I don’t even intend to kiss you, either.”
“Then why is your mouth all pursed up in that ridiculous way?”

Women had a hardness and endurance unknown to men, despite the pretty idea taught me in childhood that women are frail, tender, sensitive creatures.

I love you, Scarlett, because we are so much alike, renegades, both of us, dear, and selfish rascals.

Scarlett:"Besides, I’d just as soon kiss a pig.”
Rhett:“There’s no accounting for tastes.."

She was so like you, so willful, so brave and gay and full of high spirits, and I could pet her and spoil her--just as I wanted to pet you. But she wasn't like you--she loved me. It was a blessing that I could take the love you didn't want and give it to her. . . . When she went, she took everything.

And you look gorgeous when you are mad. I’ll squeeze you again-there—just to see if you will really get mad. You have no idea how charming you were that day at Twelve Oaks when you were mad and throwing things.

Laugh, if you like, but I wanted to take care of you, to pet you, to give you everything you wanted. I wanted to marry you and protect you and give you a free rein in anything that would make you happy. You'd had such a struggle. No one knew better than I what you'd gone through and I wanted you to stop fighting and let me fight for you. I wanted you to play, like a child--for you were a child, a brave, frightened, bullheaded child. I think you are still a child. No one but a child could be so headstrong and so insensitive.

Eavesdroppers often hear highly entertaining and instructive things.

"I don't see how you have the gall to face me!" she cried.
"On the contrary! How have you the gall to face me?"

Marry for convenience and love for pleasure.

I want you more than I have ever wanted any woman—and I’ve waited longer for you than I’ve ever waited for any woman.