Bears Quote by John Fowles
“The absurdly neurotic role you and the rest of your kind have always attributed to me Erato, the Goddess Muse of Erotic Poetry bears no relation at all to reality. As a matter of fact, I was trained as a clinical psychologist. Who simply happens to have specialized in the mental illness that you, in your ignorance, call literature.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: The French Lieutenant's Woman, 1969
The speaker mocks the romanticized view of the muse, revealing a clinical, psychological perspective on literature.
In simple terms: The muse is portrayed as a psychologist, not a mythic figure.
Key Takeaway
Recognize literature's psychological roots.
Themes
myth vs reality
psychology
literature
identity
ignorance
Mood
ironic
critical
introspective
Type
satirical
analytical
When to use this quote
- academic critique
- creative writing workshops
- mental health discussions
- literary analysis
Key Concepts
psychoanalysis
authorial voice
satire
Questions to Reflect On
- How does clinical training change one's view of art?
- Can myth and science coexist in understanding literature?
A Different Perspective
The claim may overstate the clinical lens, ignoring artistic intuition.
![“[Hillary Clinton] is giving money to N.I.M.H. [National Institute for Mental Health] ultimately to conduct more experiments on two- to four-year-olds. What they're going to do is conduct a lot of clinical studies which actually drug two- to four-year-olds.” quote by Peter Breggin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ddc/peter-breggin-22000_clinicals_hillary-clinton-is-giving-money-to-n-i-m_57008.jpg)
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