Everything is complicated; if that were not so, life and poetry and everything else would be a bore.
Wallace StevensRead
It is the unknown that excites the ardor of scholars, who, in the known alone, would shrivel up with boredom.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The pursuit of knowledge thrives on the mysteries and challenges of the unknown rather than just existing knowledge.
This quote by Wallace Stevens emphasizes that true intellectual excitement and passion come from exploring the unknown. Scholars are driven by curiosity and the desire to uncover new truths, while a stagnant reliance on what is already known can lead to dullness and lack of inspiration. It highlights the importance of embracing uncertainty as a catalyst for learning and growth.
Themes
UnknownKnowledgeCuriosityScholarsInspiration
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a lecture to inspire students to engage with challenging material.
More from Wallace Stevens
All quotes βMost modern reproducers of life, even including the camera, really repudiate it. We gulp down evil, choke at good.
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After one has abandoned a belief in God, poetry is that essence which takes its place as life's redemption.
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Why should she give her bounty to the dead? What is divinity if it can come Only in silent shadows and in dreams?
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Wallace StevensRead
Unfortunately there is nothing more inane than an Easter carol. It is a religious perversion of the activity of Spring in our blood.
Wallace StevensRead
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