Mentally, perhaps she was already three parts glass. So…
““Mentally, perhaps she was already three parts glass. So intense was her desire to set up a commemorative window to herself that, when it was erected, she believed she must leave behind in it, for ever, a little ghost. And should this be so, then what joy to be pierced each morning with light; her body flooded through and through by the sun, or in the evening to glow with a harvest of dark colours, deepening into untold sadness with the night… What ecstasy! It was the Egyptian sighing for his pyramid, of course.””
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 describes a woman whose longing creates a metaphorical window, letting light and darkness shape her emotions, likening it to an Egyptian pyramid's eternal sigh.
In simple terms: Desire can turn a person into a vessel for light and darkness, like a window or pyramid.
Key Takeaway
Recognize how longing frames perception of joy and sorrow.
Themes
desire
perception
metaphor
Mood
poetic
contemplative
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- art criticism
- psychological analysis
- creative writing
- spiritual contemplation
Key Concepts
existentialism
romanticism
Questions to Reflect On
- What does the “window” symbolize for you?
- How does longing change your experience of daily moments?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may over‑dramatize ordinary feelings.