It was better, he thought, to fail in attempting exquisite things than to succeed in the department of the utterly contemptible.
Arthur MachenRead
We lead two lives, and the half of our soul is madness, and half heaven is lit by a black sun. I say I am a man, is the other that hides in me?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects the duality of human nature, balancing between madness and enlightenment.
Arthur Machen's quote explores the complexity of human existence, suggesting that every individual embodies two contrasting aspects: one that is chaotic or 'mad' and another that is illuminated or 'heavenly'. It prompts reflection on the inner struggles and dichotomous nature of humanity, where individuals may grapple with their darker impulses while also aspiring to higher ideals.
Themes
DualityMadnessHeavenSoulHuman Nature
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about mental health or existentialism, this quote could illustrate the struggle between sanity and madness.
More from Arthur Machen
All quotes →Every branch of human knowledge, if traced up to its source and final principles, vanishes into mystery.
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There are sacraments of evil as well as of good about us, and we live and move to my belief in an unknown world, a place where there are caves and shadows and dwellers in twilight. It is possible that man may sometimes return on the track of evolution, and it is my belief that an awful lore is not yet dead.
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And there were other rocks that were like animals, creeping, horrible animals, putting out their tongues, and others were like words I could not say, and others like dead people lying on the grass. I went on among them, though they frightened me, and my heart was full of wicked song they put into it; and I wanted to make faces and twist myself about the way they did, and I went on and on a long way till at last I liked the rocks and they didn’t frighten me any more
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