"The poetic atmosphere of the fields, to which he was so susceptible, excited to delirium the intensity of the unfathomed cravings which were consuming him."
"She fancied that she could see behind that curtain, which the wind blew back and forth across the window, the whole brilliant, fairy-like scene of her younger years, the tower of the old manor-house, the venerable oaks in the great park, the white goat she had loved, the field in which she had plucked corn-flowers."
I often catch myself in reveries just staring at the way the light hits the wall just so- or the spiderweb floating in the small breeze that escaped into my room.
"[...] they regretfully left that spot, where their hearts had spoken secretly but forcibly to each other."
***
"He wept for the dream which had taken him away for an instant from the world, and had given him more joy in a few moments of illusion then he had known in a whole life-time of reality."
And that is what it means to be a romantic: to yearn after the unreal, while being unhappy with the real.
"Must we part with every ray of sunlight in order to assure the solidity of our own walls of ice?"
We have to extinguish any type of light in order to live in the darkness...
"Since have loved Valentine I have been another man; I feel that I exist. The dark veil which shrouded my destiny is torn away on every side. I am no longer alone on earth; I am no longer distressed by my nothingness (...)"
"Those fleeting moments, cast into their lives like a dream, formed already in their eyes a whole existence, which it seemed to them must last forever."
So little, and yet seems so eternal!
"He dared not even utter the world love, which frightens even love itself."
It's very odd how something so misused and misunderstood can lose its virginity by categorizing and labeling it. It is not mean to be labeled, but to let be. Flow and wander, not written on a greeting card.
"He considered that love was profaned bv taking from it the veil of mystery. He would have liked to encompass the women with so much respect that no one would know the object of her choice, and that people would be afraid of offending her by naming him to her."
Such a different view from the society of the time, and more so even now. Society kills this beautiful mystery by having love "placarded at the door of the mayors' office and in the church." The world placarded completely describes the vulgarity of it all- there isn't any delicacy about it. But one must learn to compromise! Unless one would like to be completely secluded- one must live among society. Benedict hinted at this seclusion a couple of times, and it is nice in theory- but one cannot avoid society completely- or the lovers will end up killing each other. I am saying this because that's exactly what happened in Anna Karenina by Tolstoy. They had fled from society, and yet, although it was supposed to be perfect, she killed herself because of jealousy. Paradise doesn't exist for a couple, because the flaws are too great to be ignored in total seclusion. At least, society provides a momentary distraction- a distraction that is necessary to be able to admire the one one loves. And also seeing the other among society can be quite charming- for society conveniently offers obstacles, which greatly strengthens a relationship in bloom.
Arnolfini Wedding Portrait (1434)
"If the soul is not an empty breath which the wind blows away, mine will live always near you."
This acknowledges the fragile state of humanity, and how nothing is under our control.
"It was a fatal moment, sure to come sooner or later. It is most presumptuous to hope to overcome a passion, when two people see each other everyday, and are only twenty years old."
It is as if the inevitability of it all mocks these two- as if to say "Why are you even trying? How ridiculous you are!"
"Their life was a perpetual combat, a storm constantly renewed, a bliss without bounds, and a hell from which there was no issue."
Is such a "storm" healthy and natural? Passion is violent by nature, but is there a limit to that violence? Can it destroy just the same way it created?
***
"This Valentine, naturally calm and reserved, had become passionate to the point of delirium as a result of a combination of pitiless misfortunes and seductions which had developed within her unsuspected powers of resisting and of loving. The longer and more resolute her resistance, the more violent her fall. The more strength she had mastered to combat passion, the more elements of force and duration did passion find in her."
The amazing thing is that this was all within her- repressed. It is truly beyond our powers- to combat such a passion...the more one represses what needs to come out, the more trouble it will cause when it finally does- it will escape either way.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Horrible ending! It reminds me of Romeo and Juliet- how they did give in to their passions- although with a lot less guilt. Valentine was not constituted for this sort of "escape" to the point where she was "fanatical in her impiety". The most devoted monk could be the most treacherous demon, if rebellion builds inside of his breast. If the being rebels against the constant repression, then it will shockingly when it does escape out of mere exhaustion and vengeance. I did like the complete realistic plot of it all- and the way it was described- who knows? This story might've happened thousands of times in different forms. For who hasn't been under some kind of passion or another?
There is an interesting connection between weddings and society, it being- society dictating weddings, and the concept of marriage in general.
Anyways I have no idea how I found this article, but here is portrayed the ridiculous nature of weddings, and my favorite being:
I guess this is emphasizing the need to publicly display something, which obviously isn't just love. These "themes" as simple as they can be, make a big deal about something that is sacred. But of course, society, as the society from Sand's time, feels the need to advertise. Anyways- I found this very entertaining.
Posts
