Beauty's a doubtful good, a glass, a flower, Lost, faded…
“Beauty's a doubtful good, a glass, a flower, Lost, faded, broken, dead within an hour; And beauty, blemish'd once, for ever's lost, In spite of physic, painting, pain, and cost.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Beauty is portrayed as fleeting and fragile, subject to decay despite human attempts to preserve it through art or science.
In simple terms: Beauty is transient and vulnerable.
Key Takeaway
Beauty cannot be permanently captured.
Themes
impermanence
aesthetic philosophy
human hubris
mortality
Mood
melancholic
contemplative
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- art criticism
- philosophical debate
- personal reflection
- cultural analysis
Key Concepts
ephemerality
illusion
subjectivity
entropy
Practical Applications
- writing poetry
- teaching aesthetics
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this suggest about our attempts to immortalize beauty?
- How does this view affect our appreciation of art?