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
Verse in itself does not constitute poetry. Verse is only an elegant vestment for a beautiful form. Poetry can express itself in prose, but it does so more perfectly under the grace and majesty of verse. It is poetry of soul that inspires noble sentiments and noble actions as well as noble writings.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote highlights the distinction between verse and poetry, where verse is merely a style that enhances the beauty of poetic expression.
Victor Hugo asserts that while verse is a refined form of expression, true poetry transcends the constraints of verse, being able to manifest beautifully in prose as well. The essence of poetry lies in its ability to evoke noble thoughts and actions, and it is through verse that its beauty is most effectively conveyed, showcasing the significance of both form and substance in artistic expression.
Themes
PoetryVerseArtExpressionBeautyNobility
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech about the importance of form in artistic expression.
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.
Victor HugoRead
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
Similar quotes
What I love so much about drag is that it has politics at its very core; drag performers aren't afraid to talk about politics in our community and the changes we need to see systemically in society.
Sasha VelourRead
So What or Kind of Blue were done in that era, the right hour, the right day. It's over; it's on the record.
Miles DavisRead
I don't design clothes, I design dreams.
Ralph LaurenRead
I think that Bob Dylan knows this more than all of us: you don't write the songs anyhow. So if you're lucky, you can keep the vehicle healthy and responsive over the years. If you're lucky, your own intentions have very little to do with this.
Leonard CohenRead
To sing is to love and affirm, _x000D_ to fly and to soar, _x000D_ to coast into the hearts of the people _x000D_ who listen _x000D_ to tell them that life is to live, _x000D_ that love is there, _x000D_ that nothing is a promise, _x000D_ but that beauty exists, _x000D_ and must be hunted for and found.
Joan BaezRead
There is nothing as mysterious as a fact clearly described. I photograph to see what something will look like photographed.
Garry WinograndRead