Conscience Quote by Gustave Flaubert
“I sometimes feel a great ennui, profound emptiness, doubts which sneer in my face in the midst of the most spontaneous satisfactions. Well, I would not exchange all that for anything, because it seems to me, in my conscience, that I am doing my duty, that I am obeying a superior fatality, that I am following the Good and that I am in the Right.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: “Sentimental Education” by Gustave Flaubert, 1869
The narrator feels deep boredom and emptiness despite fleeting pleasures, yet believes this suffering serves a higher moral purpose and duty.
In simple terms: Boredom coexists with duty and moral conviction.
Key Takeaway
Accept that discomfort can accompany meaningful work.
Themes
existential ennui
morality
inner conflict
purpose
spiritual duty
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- artistic creation
- personal crisis
- philosophical contemplation
- daily routine
Key Concepts
nihilism
existentialism
duty
self‑reflection
Questions to Reflect On
- What purpose does your discomfort serve?
- Can duty exist without personal fulfillment?
A Different Perspective
The quote may romanticize suffering, overlooking the need for genuine well‑being.
