It seemed to be a necessary ritual that he should prepare himself for sleep by meditating under the solemnity of the night sky... a mysterious transaction between the infinity of the soul and the infinity of the universe.
Victor HugoRead
There have been in this century only one great man and one great thing: Napoleon and liberty. For want of the great man, let us have the great thing.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of liberty over individual greatness.
Victor Hugo reflects on the significance of liberty as a paramount value, suggesting that even in the absence of remarkable leaders like Napoleon, society should strive for the ideal of freedom. The quote implies that the collective pursuit of liberty is more vital than any single individual's achievements or influence.
Themes
LibertyGreatnessFreedomNapoleonSociety
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech about human rights, one might say, 'As Victor Hugo once stated, we should prioritize liberty over individual greatness.'
More from Victor Hugo
All quotes →When two mouths, made sacred by love, draw near to each other to create, it is impossible, that above that ineffable kiss there should not be a thrill in the immense mystery of the stars.
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At that moment of love, a moment when passion is absolutely silent under omnipotence of ecstasy, Marius, pure seraphic Marius, would have been more capable of visiting a woman of the streets than of raising Cosette’s dress above the ankle. Once on a moonlit night, Cosette stopped to pick up something from the ground, her dress loosened and revealed the swelling of her breasts. Marius averted his eyes.
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Thought is the work of the intellect, reverie is its self-indulgence. To substitute day-dreaming for thought is to confuse a poison with a source of nourishment.
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Taste is the common sense of genius.
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Forget not, never forget that you have promised me to use this silver to become an honest man.... Jean Valjean, my brother: you belong no longer to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I am buying for you. I withdraw it from dark thoughts and from the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God!
Victor HugoRead
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