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I grow ominously tired of official confinement. Thirty…

“I grow ominously tired of official confinement. Thirty years have I served the Philistines, and my neck is not subdued to the yoke. You don't know how wearisome it is to breathe the air of four pent walls without relief day after day, all the golden hours of the day between ten and four without…” quote by Charles Lamb
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“I grow ominously tired of official confinement. Thirty years have I served the Philistines, and my neck is not subdued to the yoke. You don't know how wearisome it is to breathe the air of four pent walls without relief day after day, all the golden hours of the day between ten and four without ease or interposition ... these pestilential clerk-faces always in one's dish. O for a few years between the grave and the desk!”

Charles Lamb

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Extended confinement leads to deep weariness and a yearning for freedom, as the speaker laments endless repetitive work.

In simple terms: Being trapped in routine causes fatigue and desire for change.

Key Takeaway

Seek balance and breaks from monotony.

Themes

work confinement freedom fatigue routine

Mood

melancholic contemplative

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • career planning
  • mental health
  • creative pursuits

Key Concepts

existential weariness bureaucracy personal liberty

Questions to Reflect On

  • What small changes can break monotony?
  • How does routine affect creativity?
A Different Perspective

Not all confinement is negative; some find purpose in routine.

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