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Humor has justly been regarded as the finest perfection of poetic genius.
Thomas Carlyle
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Humor is seen as a pinnacle of poetic creativity.

In this quote, Thomas Carlyle suggests that humor is not merely an amusement but represents a deep level of artistic excellence. A poet’s ability to weave humor into their work showcases a mastery of language and insight into human nature, elevating their poetry to a higher standard of genius.

Themes

HumorPoetryGeniusArtCreativity

In practice

Example use cases

During a poetry reading, this quote can be used to highlight the importance of humor in literary works.

More from Thomas Carlyle

The work an unknown good man has done is like a vein of water flowing hidden underground, secretly making the ground green.
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Thirty millions, mostly fools.
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There is a great discovery still to be made in literature, that of paying literary men by the quantity they do not write.
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For the superior morality, of which we hear so much, we too would desire to be thankful: at the same time, it were but blindness to deny that this superior morality is properly rather an inferior criminality, produced not by greater love of Virtue, but by greater perfection of Police; and of that far subtler and stronger Police, called Public Opinion.
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Enjoying things which are pleasant; that is not the evil; it is the reducing of our moral self to slavery by them that is.
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Clean undeniable right, clear undeniable might: either of these once ascertained puts an end to battle. All battle is a confused experiment to ascertain one and both of these.
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