"One of the qualities of liberty is that, as long as it is being striven after, it goes on expanding. Therefore, the man who stands in the midst of the struggle and says, "I have it," merely shows by doing so that he has just lost it"

In this quote, Henrik Ibsen highlights a fundamental aspect of liberty. He recommends that a person of its qualities is its continuous growth, as long as individuals continue to strive for it. Ibsen highlights that real liberty is never a fixed achievement that can be gotten and maintained indefinitely. Instead, he argues that those who assert they have obtained it are, in truth, revealing their ignorance. By stating "I have it," they demonstrate their inability to understand the fluid nature of liberty. Hence, Ibsen's message prompts individuals to remain in the struggle for liberty without succumbing to complacency, as that would ultimately lead to its loss.