31 Best Thomas Shelby Quotes About Life, Love & Women

Introduction

Thomas Shelby, portrayed by the British actor Cillian Murphy is one the most iconic characters in TV history.

His character is distinctly defined by his ability to maintain both an enigmatic and commanding presence along with a relentless drive and a complex network of personal and professional connections.

On a deeper level, Thomas Shelby’s character explores the psychological effects of combat, the moral ambiguities of leadership, and the struggle for control and respect in a turbulent society like England around the 1920s.

In this blog post, I’ve shared 31 Thomas Shelby quotes about life, love, and women, as well as Tommy Shelby’s quotes spoken to Grace. So, Let’s start reading…

10 Best Thomas Shelby Quotes About Life

You can change what you do but you cant change what you want

You can change what you do, but you can’t change what you want.

Thomas Shelby
When you plan something well theres no need to rush

When you plan something well, There’s no need to rush.

Thomas Shelby
Lies travel faster than the truth

Lies travel faster than the truth.

Thomas Shelby
When fortune drops something valuable into your lap you dont just dump it on the bank of the cut

When fortune drops something valuable into your lap, you don’t just dump it on the bank of the cut.

Thomas Shelby

Brief Analysis

This Thomas Shelby quote about Life suggests us to recognize the value in what we’ve been given. We need to hold onto it, protect it, and use it to our advantage.

That valuable thing Fortune dropped in our lap is a tool in our storehouse. We use it to build our power and to secure our future. Just like Tommy would, we take that gift and make it work for us. 

Plus, life is a relentless game of chess, and every piece counts. So we should not let good fortune slip through our fingers as this Tommy Shelby quote indicates.

So, we should take what we’re given, respect its worth, and use it to carve out our place in this world. That’s what it means to never dump something valuable on the bank of the cut.

Also Read: 37 Calvin and Hobbes Quotes on Life, Growing Up, Friendship & Happiness (Calvin and Hobbes Funny Quotes)

Five for peace two for truce one abstention. Lets get on with the war

Five for peace, two for truce, one abstention. Let’s get on with the war.

Thomas Shelby
The only way to guarantee peace is by making the prospect of war seem hopeless

The only way to guarantee peace is by making the prospect of war seem hopeless.

Thomas Shelby
Those of you who are last will soon be first. And those of you who are downtrodden will rise

Those of you who are last will soon be first. And those of you who are downtrodden will rise.

Thomas Shelby
The only way to survive in this world is to be smarter than the next man

The only way to survive in this world is to be smarter than the next man.

Thomas Shelby

Brief Analysis

In the world we live in, survival isn’t just about physical strength or brute force. No, it’s about intellect, cunning, and strategic thinking.

People are driven by their desires, fears, and ambitions. By understanding these, we can manipulate situations to our advantage as this Thomas Shelby quote about life shows.

Plus, we thrive by outthinking those around us and staying one step ahead in the journey of life. That’s how we rise above the rest and find out our place in this brutal world.

In the end, it’s our wits that will keep us alive and lead us to victory. Every move calculated, every decision weighed, always a step ahead in the relentless pursuit of survival and dominance.

Sometimes death is a kindness

Sometimes death is a kindness.

Thomas Shelby
A good man needs to hold out sometimes

A good man needs to hold out sometimes.

Thomas Shelby

10 Thomas Shelby Quotes About Love

Love can be communicated in languages beyond words. And these languages are just as valid

Love can be communicated in languages beyond words. And these languages are just as valid. Magic happens when our values, thoughts, and actions align. This is integrity.

Thomas Shelby

Brief Analysis

Love isn’t bound by language. It’s in silent but powerful expressions that love finds its truest form as this Thomas Shelby quote about love portrays.

And then there’s the magic, the rare alignment of values, thoughts, and actions. Every move we make, every decision we take, echoes our deepest values.

Tommy Shelby’s life is a testament to this. Through all the betrayals, wars, and losses, he remains steadfast. His actions always reflect his values—family, loyalty, and survival.

In short, love and integrity are interwoven. They go beyond words and speeches. They’re in the silent promises we make to ourselves and to those we care about.

Love is a dangerous thing. It can make a man do things he never would have dreamed of

Love is a dangerous thing.

It can make a man do things he never would have dreamed of.

Thomas Shelby
You once said to me that men like us can never be loved. She loves me she told me— she loves me

You once said to me, that men like us can never be loved. She loves me, she told me—she loves me.

Thomas Shelby
I learnt long ago to hate my enemies but Ive never loved one before

I learnt long ago to hate my enemies, but I’ve never loved one before.

Thomas Shelby
I dont believe in love. Its just a weakness that people use to justify their own mistakes

I don’t believe in love.

It’s just a weakness that people use to justify their own mistakes.

Thomas Shelby

Brief Analysis

Sometimes, love becomes an excuse for people to explain away their failures and missteps. It’s easier to blame the heart than to admit to our own flaws and errors in judgment.

In love, people often take risks and compromise. And in the world Thomas Shelby inhabits, compromise is dangerous. It’s a sign of weakness that others can exploit.

We are not asked to dismiss this emotion. But we should stay sharp, and focused, and not let anything – or anyone – get in the way.

To conclude, this savage Thomas Shelby quote reminds us that love, for all its beauty, is also a risk. And in such a ruthless world, it’s a risk he’s not willing to take.

Also Read: 74 Best Winnie the Pooh Quotes on Friendship, Life, Love, Goodbye, Memories, Adventure & Honey

You are still the one that I love the only one I dream of

You are still the one that I love, the only one I dream of.

Thomas Shelby
A few days without you and I completely lost my mind

A few days without you and I completely lost my mind.

Thomas Shelby
A real man chooses to honor love respect adore and be faithful to one woman

A real man chooses to honor, love, respect, adore, and be faithful to one woman.

Thomas Shelby
Theres no such thing as loyalty. Its just a word people use to make themselves feel better

There’s no such thing as loyalty. It’s just a word people use to make themselves feel better.

Thomas Shelby

Brief Analysis

In the world we live in, people are loyal as long as it benefits them. Words like ‘loyalty’ are often used to mask the underlying self-interest as this quote from Thomas Shelby portrays.

People used to say anything to give themselves a sense of honor. But when push comes to shove, loyalty is often the first thing to go out the window.

It’s not that we should become cynical and trust no one. We can appreciate loyalty when we see it, but we should also be prepared for the times when it falters.

In essence, loyalty is a comforting illusion, it can shatter when reality hits. And when it does, it’s best to face whatever comes our way, just like Thomas Shelby would.

We used to come here shed wait for hours for me when I couldnt make it. And Id wait for her if her family kept her in

We used to come here, she’d wait for hours for me, when I couldn’t make it. And I’d wait for her if her family kept her in.

Thomas Shelby

7 Thomas Shelby Quotes About Women

I imagine being shot by a woman hurts the same as being shot by a man. Just a bit more shameful

I imagine being shot by a woman hurts the same as being shot by a man. Just a bit more shameful.

Thomas Shelby

Brief Analysis

When a woman is the one to pull the trigger of the g*n, it’s not just a bullet that hits a man. It’s a challenge, a disruption of the natural order a man has come to accept.

Being shot by a woman often stings men. It’s because she’s had to fight even harder to overcome the prejudices and obstacles that men have put in place.

Moreover, the shame comes from realizing that he’s been outwitted in a way he hadn’t expected. It’s a slap of reality that often cuts deeper than any wound.

Ultimately, this Thomas Shelby quote about women portrays that the shame is about the realization that even a king can be caught unawares. It’s a reminder of the ever-changing dynamics of power and respect.

So fing close. Oh and theres a woman. Yeah. A woman I love. And I got close. Nearly got fing everything

So fing close. Oh, and there’s a woman. Yeah. A woman I love. And I got close. Nearly got fing everything.

Thomas Shelby
We respect women not bitches

We respect women, not b*tches.

Thomas Shelby
A healed woman is powerful a focused man is dangerous

A healed woman is powerful, a focused man is dangerous.

Thomas Shelby
Fast women and slow horses will ruin your life

Fast women and slow horses will ruin your life.

Thomas Shelby

Brief Analysis

Fast women represent fleeting pleasure that can lead to long-term pain. They’re often associated with drama, instability, and trouble.

A “slow horse” is a metaphor for poor decisions that drain resources and energy without yielding any benefits. It’s a symbol of bad judgment, of backing the wrong horse in life’s races.

The quote by Thomas Shelby warns us about the dual dangers of fleeting pleasures and poor investments. Fast women and slow horses are pitfalls that can derail even the most carefully laid plans.

So, this quote from Thomas Shelby explains that in a world full of risks and temptations, we must be unwavering in our pursuit of greatness. Only then can we avoid the fate of being ruined by fast women and slow horses?

John this company is a modern enterprise and believes in equal rights for women

John, this company is a modern enterprise
and believes in equal rights for women.

Thomas Shelby
Shes in the past. The past is not my concern. The future is no longer my concern either

She’s in the past. The past is not my concern. The future is no longer my concern, either.

Thomas Shelby

4 Tommy Shelby Quotes to Grace

Everyones a whore Grace. We just sell different parts of ourselves

Everyone’s a wh*re, Grace. We just sell different parts of ourselves.

Thomas Shelby

Brief Analysis

We all have something we trade for what we want or need and give up parts of ourselves. Sometimes it’s our time, sometimes our values, sometimes our dreams.

In this world, we’re all making deals, big and small. It’s about understanding the price you’re willing to pay and living with it as this Peaky Blinders Thomas Shelby quote shows.

Moreover, we’re all in this game, trading parts of ourselves to survive, to succeed, to protect what we love. It’s a cold truth, but it’s one that Tommy Shelby understands all too well.

To conclude, we all make sacrifices and compromises in life, trading away parts of ourselves to get what we want. It’s an honest reflection on the nature of human existence.

Grace I warn you Ill break your heart. Tommy Already broken

Grace: “I warn you, I’ll break your heart.”
Tommy: “Already broken.”

Thomas Shelby
Look Grace I know you werent born to be with a man like me

Look, Grace, I know you weren’t born to be with a man like me.

Thomas Shelby
I know you like to be asked properly. Grace can I have this dance

I know you like to be asked properly.
Grace, can I have this dance?

Thomas Shelby
Enjoyed reading this post? Share it on your socials
Kazim
Kazim

I'm a former writer with a bachelor's degree in English literature. I’ve always believed that words are a powerful medium for personal growth and transformation.

That’s why I founded Art of Poets on Instagram back in 2018 to share meaningful, motivational words with others. Today, it inspires a community of over 2.4 Million readers on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and this website which I launched in March 2023.

While I choose to remain anonymous, my passion for sharing inspiring quotes and blog posts on personal growth will always be fueled by the belief that words can truly transform our lives.