A man at work, making something which he feels will exist because he is working at it and wills it, is exercising the energies of his mind and soul as well as of his body. Memory and imagination help him as he works.
William MorrisRead
I pondered all these things, and how men fight and lose the battle, and the thing that they fought for comes about in spite of their defeat, and when it comes turns out not to be what they meant, and other men have to fight for what they meant under another name.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the futility of battles fought for ideals, as the outcomes often diverge from the original intentions.
William Morris reflects on the nature of human struggle and the irony that despite the efforts and battles fought for certain ideals or goals, those goals may materialize in ways that do not align with what was truly intended. It suggests that new generations may have to fight for a true representation of those ideals, often under different circumstances or names, highlighting the complexity and unpredictability of human endeavors.
Themes
StruggleDefeatIdealsBattleFutility
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the meaning of success in life.
More from William Morris
All quotes →It is right and necessary that all should have work to do which shall be worth doing and be of itself pleasant to do, and which should be done under such conditions as would make it neither over-wearisome nor over-anxious.
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How often it consoles me to think of barbarism once more flooding the world, and real feelings and passions, however rudimentary, taking the place of our wretched hypocrisies.
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With the arrogance of youth, I determined to do no less than to transform the world with Beauty. If I have succeeded in some small way, if only in one small corner of the world, amongst the men and women I love, then I shall count myself blessed, and blessed, and blessed, and the work goes on.
William MorrisRead
A good way to rid one's self of a sense of discomfort is to do something. That uneasy, dissatisfied feeling is actual force vibrating out of order; it may be turned to practical account by giving proper expression to its creative character.
William MorrisRead
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