Imaginative truth is the most immediate way of presenting ultimate reality to a human being... ultimate reality is what we call God.
R. S. ThomasRead
The furies are at home in the mirror; it is their address. Even the clearest water, if deep enough can drown. Never think to surprise them. Your face approaching ever so friendly is the white flag they ignore. There is no truce with the furies. A mirror's temperature is always zero. It is ice in the veins. It's camera is an x-ray. It is a chalice held out to you in silent communion, where gaspingly you partake of a shifting identity never your own.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote explores the confrontation with one's inner turmoil and the realization that self-awareness can expose uncomfortable truths.
R. S. Thomas's quote delves into the concept of facing the 'furies' within ourselves, indicating that acknowledging our deeper emotions and inner chaos can be a tumultuous journey. The imagery of mirrors serving as both an address for these furies and as a chilling reflection of our own identity suggests that true self-recognition can reveal aspects of ourselves that we might find unsettling or difficult to accept, emphasizing that there is no respite from this confrontation.
Themes
FuriesMirrorIdentitySelf-AwarenessInner TurmoilTruth
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about personal growth during a workshop.
More from R. S. Thomas
All quotes →A recurring ideal, I find, is that of simplicity. At times there comes the desire to write with great precision and clarity, words so simple and moving that they bring tears to the eyes.
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Man is a dream about a shadow. But when some splendour falls upon him from God, a glory comes to him and his life is sweet.
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Poetry is that / which arrives at the intellect / by way of the heart.
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