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
I exist," murmurs someone whose name is Everyone. "I'm young and in love; I am old and I want rest; I work, I prosper, I do good business, I have houses to rent, money in State Securities; I am happy, I have wife and children; I like all these things and I want to go on living, so leave me alone."... There are moments when all this casts a deep chill on the large-minded pioneers of the human race.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the complexity of human existence, including the joy of love, the burden of responsibilities, and the desire for peace.
Victor Hugo's quote captures the essence of a person's life experience, expressing the conflicting emotions and desires that arise from living. The speaker acknowledges their various roles and achievements while simultaneously expressing a wish for solitude, suggesting that the demands of life can lead to a sense of chill or disconnection from those striving for broader goals. It illustrates the tension between personal fulfillment and societal expectations.
Themes
ExistenceLoveHappinessResponsibilityLife
In practice
Example use cases
In a graduation speech, one might say, 'As we celebrate our achievements, remember that existence itself is a journey filled with love and challenges, just like Victor Hugo suggested.'
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.
Victor HugoRead
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.
Victor HugoRead
Taste is the common sense of genius.
Victor HugoRead
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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It is always the first and last steps that are the hardest to take. We walk away and try not to turn back, or we stand just outside the gates, terrified to find what's waiting for us now that we've returned. In between, we stumble blindly from one place and life to the next. We try to do the best we can. There are moments like this, however, when we are neither coming nor going, and all we have to do is sit and look back on the life we have made.
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She would wonder what had hurt her when she found her face wet with tears, and then would wonder how she could have been hurt without knowing it.
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Because the only people for me are the mad ones.
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What are the best things and the worst things in your life, and when are you going to get around to whispering or shouting them?
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