Abode Quote by James Joyce
“The romantic temper, so often and so grievously misinterpreted and not more by others than by its own, is an insecure, unsatisfied, and impatient temper which sees no fit abode here for its ideals and chooses therefore to behold them under insensible figures. As a result of this choice it comes to disregard certain limitations. Its figures are blown to wild adventures, lacking the gravity of solid bodies, and the mind that has conceived them ends by disowning them.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce, 1916
The romantic temperament is an insecure, restless mindset that idealizes abstractly, leading to reckless fantasies and neglect of practical limits.
In simple terms: Romantic minds chase idealized visions, ignoring reality.
Key Takeaway
Ground your ideals in reality.
Themes
romance
insecurity
idealism
recklessness
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- artistic creation
- personal relationships
- career ambitions
- spiritual quests
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
creative imagination
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you keep dreams realistic?
- What limits do you ignore when idealizing?
A Different Perspective
Idealism can become delusional without balance.
![“May I strike my heart's keys clearly, and may none fail because of slack, uncertain, or fraying strings. May the tears that stream down my face make me more radiant: may my hidden weeping bloom… How we waste our afflictions!... [T]hey're really our wintering foliage, our dark greens of meaning…” quote by Rainer Maria Rilke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/7c7/rainer-maria-rilke-193_abode_may-i-strike-my-heart-s-keys-clearly-and_52479.jpg)
