Beauty without intelligence is like a hook without bait.
I always do the first line well, but I have trouble doing the others.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects the challenges that creativity poses, highlighting how initial inspiration can be easier than maintaining momentum.
Molière's quote expresses a common struggle among artists and writers: the difficulty of sustaining creativity after the initial idea or inspiration. While starting strong can be exhilarating and motivating, continuing to produce quality work can be fraught with obstacles, leading to frustration and self-doubt. This sentiment resonates with anyone involved in creative endeavors, where the pressure to consistently perform can overshadow initial enthusiasm.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
Use this quote in a creative writing workshop to illustrate the common hurdles writers face.
More from Moliere
All quotes →Betrayed and wronged in everything, I’ll flee this bitter world where vice is king, And seek some spot unpeopled and apart Where I’ll be free to have an honest heart. - Molière, The Misanthrope
Long is the road from conception to completion.
Oh, I may be devout, but I am human all the same.
Hypocrisy is a fashionable vice, and all fashionable vices pass for virtue.
How easy love makes fools of us.
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My personal experience has been that in my 25 years of writing, I have not been asked to do more than four or five commercial one-shot scripts. These were performed on major national hook-ups but produced for me no immediate additional jobs or requests. One script for BBC was done around the world with an all-star cast.
I listen to everything - from Sarah McLachlan and Alanis Morissette all the way down to rap like Scarface, UGK and Lauryn Hill.
It was Chicago with its World's Fair which vivified the national desire for civic beauty.
Acting is largely about putting on masks, and music is about removing them.