There is no feeling, except the extremes of fear and grief, that does not find relief in music.
T. S. EliotRead
Desire itself is movement_x000D_ _x000D_ Not in itself desirable;_x000D_ _x000D_ Love is itself unmoving,_x000D_ _x000D_ Only the cause and end of movement,_x000D_ _x000D_ Timeless, and undesiring_x000D_ _x000D_ Except in the aspect of time_x000D_ _x000D_ Caught in the form of limitation_x000D_ _x000D_ Between un-being and being.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote explores the nature of desire and love, suggesting that while desire is a dynamic force, love is inherently stable and timeless.
T. S. Eliot's quote delves into the philosophical understanding of desire and love, positing that desire itself propels movement and change but lacks intrinsic value. In contrast, love is portrayed as a constant, unaffected by the transience of time, existing in a state that transcends mere wanting, and it is caught in the paradox of moving between being and un-being.
Themes
DesireLoveMovementTimelessnessPhilosophy
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the complexities of human emotions at a philosophical seminar.
More from T. S. Eliot
All quotes →Half of the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important. They don't mean to do harm. But the harm does not interest them.
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I am an Anglo-Catholic in religion, a classicist in literature and a royalist in politics.
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If you aren't in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?
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For I have known them all already, known them all— Have known the evenings, mornings, afternoons, I have measured out my life with coffee spoons.
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In the faint moonlight, the grass is singing
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