many souls in their young nudity are tumbled out among…
““many souls in their young nudity are tumbled out among incongruities and left to ‘find their feet’ among them, while their elders go about their business. Nor can I suppose that when Mrs Casaubon is discovered in a fit of weeping six weeks after her wedding, the situation will be regarded as tragic. Some discouragement, some faintness of heart at the new real future which replaces the imaginary, is not unusual, and we do not expect people to be deeply moved by what is not unusual. That element of tragedy which lies in the very fact of frequency, has not yet wrought itself into the coarse emotion of mankind; and perhaps our frames could hardly bear much of it. If we had a keen vision and feeling of all ordinary human life, it would be like hearing the grass grow and the squirrel’s heart beat, and we should die of that roar which lies on the other side of silence. As it is, the quickest of us walk about well wadded with stupidity.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The passage reflects on how ordinary life's subtle tragedies are often unnoticed, and how heightened sensitivity to all human experience would be overwhelming.
In simple terms: Ordinary tragedies go unnoticed; feeling everything would be too much.
Key Takeaway
Recognize subtle suffering without being overwhelmed.
Themes
human nature
perception
tragedy
empathy
Mood
reflective
melancholic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- marriage
- grief
- daily life
- social observation
Key Concepts
existential awareness
psychological insight
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we balance awareness of everyday pain with living?
- Can we appreciate subtle emotions without being crushed?
A Different Perspective
Being overly attuned to every minor sorrow can paralyze action.