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
If you look in the eyes of the young, you see flame. If you look in the eyes of the old, you see light.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the contrasting perspectives and vitality seen in youth versus the wisdom and experience in old age.
Victor Hugo's quote emphasizes the difference in outlook between the young and the old. The 'flame' in the eyes of the young symbolizes passion, energy, and the potential for growth, while the 'light' in the eyes of the old signifies wisdom, reflection, and a depth of knowledge gained through life experiences. Together, they capture the full spectrum of the human experience and the values that each stage of life brings.
Themes
YouthAgeWisdomExperiencePassion
In practice
Example use cases
In a graduation speech to inspire young students.
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.
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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.
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Taste is the common sense of genius.
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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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