Personal relations are the important thing for ever and ever, and not this outer life of telegrams and anger.
E. M. ForsterRead
He educated Maurice, or rather his spirit educated Maurice's spirit, for they themselves became equal. Neither thought "Am I led; am I leading?" Love had caught him out of triviality and Maurice out of bewilderment in order that two imperfect souls might touch perfection.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote emphasizes the transformative power of love and education, suggesting that true connections elevate individuals beyond their flaws.
E. M. Forster highlights the profound and mutual growth that occurs when two individuals genuinely connect through love and shared experiences. As they educate each other's spirits, they find equality and transcend their imperfections, revealing how love can liberate individuals from the mundane and lead them towards a greater understanding of themselves and one another.
Themes
LoveEducationConnectionGrowthSpiritualityEquality
In practice
Example use cases
In a wedding toast celebrating the couple's journey together.
More from E. M. Forster
All quotes →A poem is true if it hangs together. Information points to something else. A poem points to nothing but itself.
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One must be fond of people and trust them if one is not to make a mess of life.
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Oxford is Oxford: not a mere receptacle for youth, like Cambridge. Perhaps it wants its inmates to love it rather than to love one another.
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The fact is we can only love what we know personally. And we cannot know much. In public affairs, in the rebuilding of civilization, something less dramatic and emotional is needed, namely tolerance.
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One person with passion is better than forty people merely interested.
E. M. ForsterRead
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