Henry james Quote by Henry James
““On 10 August 1914, five days after war was declared, Henry James, in a letter to a friend, expressed his revulsion at the prospect of war, and articulated the illusion that had preceded it: 'Black and hideous to me is the tragedy that gathers, and I'm sick beyond cure to have lived on to see it. You and I, the ornaments of our generation, should have been spared the wreck of our beliefs that through the long years we had seen civilization grow and the worst become impossible.””
About This Quote
Source Letter to a friend, August 10 1914
War reveals the horror of civilization’s collapse; the tragedy feels unbearable and senseless.
In simple terms: War is a tragic, senseless collapse.
Key Takeaway
Recognize the cost of conflict and seek peace.
Themes
war
civilization
tragedy
illusion
humanity
Mood
somber
reflective
urgent
Type
philosophical
historical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- political activism
- peace studies
- education
- literary analysis
- public discourse
Key Concepts
existentialism
historical critique
moral philosophy
Questions to Reflect On
- How do societies justify war?
- What can individuals do to prevent such tragedies?
A Different Perspective
War can be rationalized, obscuring its true devastation.
![“Quote of the day: Quote of the day: We work in the dark - we do what we can - we give what we have. Our doubt is our passion, and our passion is our task. The rest is the madness of art. [info][add][mail][note] Henry James (1843 - 1916)” quote by Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fba/henry-james-417_art_quote-of-the-day-quote-of-the-day-we-wor_2126649.jpg)
![“The thing [Henry James'] novel is about is always there. It is like a church lit but without a congregation to distract you, with every light and line focused on the high altar. And on the altar, very reverently placed, intensely there, is a dead kitten, an egg-shell, a bit of string.” quote by H.G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/19f/h-g-wells-2-1299_books_the-thing-henry-james-novel-is-about-is_138893.jpg)
![“[A novel by Henry James] is like a church lit but without a congregation to distract you, with every light and line focused on the high altar. And on the altar, very reverently place, intensely there, is a dead kitten, an egg-shell, a bit of string.” quote by H. G. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/699/h-g-wells-1122_altars_a-novel-by-henry-james-is-like-a-church_158550.jpg)
