My health may be better preserved if I exert myself less, but in the end doesn't each person give his life for his calling?
Clara SchumannRead
I once believed that I possessed creative talent, but I have given up this idea; a woman must not desire to compose — there has never yet been one able to do it. Should I expect to be the one?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects a struggle with self-belief in artistic talent, particularly in the context of societal gender norms.
Clara Schumann's quote reveals her internal conflict regarding her artistic aspirations and the societal limitations placed on women in the 19th century. She questions whether she, as a woman, can ever achieve the creative greatness expected in the realm of composition, highlighting the discouragement faced by women artists of her time. This sentiment echoes the broader theme of the struggle against gender biases that restrict individuality and talent.
Themes
CreativityGenderSelf-BeliefSocietyArtistic Talent
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used during a discussion on the challenges female artists face.
More from Clara Schumann
All quotes →There is nothing greater than the joy of composing something oneself and then listening to it.
Clara SchumannRead
Composing gives me great pleasure... there is nothing that surpasses the joy of creation, if only because through it one wins hours of self-forgetfulness, when one lives in a world of sound.
Clara SchumannRead
I cannot give a single concert at which I do not play one piece after the other in an agony of terror because my memory threatens to fail me. This fear torments me for days beforehand.
Clara SchumannRead
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