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
What Shakespeare was able to do in English he would certainly not have done in French.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Victor Hugo emphasizes the uniqueness of Shakespeare's genius in English, suggesting that it could not be replicated in another language.
In this quote, Victor Hugo highlights the idea that Shakespeare's mastery and the depth of his expression are intrinsically tied to the English language. He implies that the nuances, cultural context, and poetic rhythm found in Shakespeare's works would be lost or diminished if translated into French, thereby underscoring the significance of language in artistic expression.
Themes
ShakespeareLanguageLiteratureTranslationExpression
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a discussion about the importance of language in literature classes.
More from Victor Hugo
All quotes βWhen 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 Cosetteβs 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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