One can acquire everything in solitude except character.
StendhalRead
Politics in a literary work, is like a gun shot in the middle of a concert, something vulgar, and however, something which is impossible to ignore.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Politics disrupts the beauty of art, much like an unexpected gunshot disrupts a concert.
In this quote, Stendhal illustrates the jarring presence of politics within art, likening it to a disruptive and violent sound amid a harmonious performance. This highlights the tension between beauty and reality, suggesting that while political themes may seem out of place in artistic expressions, they demand our attention and reflection, regardless of their incongruity.
Themes
PoliticsArtDisruptionBeautyInfluence
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech on the intersection of creativity and activism, one might quote Stendhal to illustrate the unavoidable presence of political themes in the arts.
More from Stendhal
All quotes βTrue love makes the thought of death frequent, easy, without terrors; it merely becomes the standard of comparison, the price one would pay for many things.
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In love, unlike most other passions, the recollection of what you have had and lost is always better than what you can hope for in the future.
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A very small degree of hope is sufficient to cause the birth of love.
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If you don't love me, it does not matter, anyway I can love for both of us.
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Pleasure is often spoiled by describing it.
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William FaulknerRead