Hegel remarks somewhere that all great world-historic facts and personages appear, so to speak, twice. He forgot to add: the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce.

Summary

This quote, often attributed to Karl Marx, suggests that significant events and people in history tend to repeat themselves but in different forms. The first time they occur, they often bring about serious and tragic consequences. However, when they reappear, they can take on a farcical or absurd quality. It indicates that history has a tendency to repeat certain patterns and that these repetitions can sometimes be seen as ironic or comical in their absurdity. Overall, the quote suggests a cyclical nature to history and highlights the potential for both tragedy and farce in human affairs.