Dreaming Quote by Marcel Proust
““Sometimes, as Eve was born from one of Adam’s ribs, a woman was born during my sleep from a cramped position of my thigh. Formed from the pleasure I was on the point of enjoying, she, I imagined, was the one offering it to me. My body, which felt in hers my own warmth, would try to find itself inside her, I would wake up. The rest of humanity seemed very remote compared to this woman I had left scarcely a few moments before; my cheek was still warm from her kiss, my body aching from the weight of hers. If, as sometimes happens, she had the features of a woman I had known in life, I would devote myself entirely to this end: to finding her again, like those who go off on a journey to see a longed-for city with their own eyes and imagine that one can enjoy in reality the charm of a dream. Little by little, the memory of her would fade, I had forgotten the girl of my dream.””
About This Quote
The speaker describes a fleeting, dream‑like encounter with a woman who feels both intimate and unattainable, likening the pursuit of her to a quest for a distant, ideal city.
In simple terms: A dream lover appears briefly, then fades, leaving longing.
Key Takeaway
Cherish the memory but accept its transience.
Themes
longing
dreams
intimacy
quest
memory
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- nighttime dreams
- unrequited love
- creative inspiration
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
idealization
ephemeral desire
psychological projection
Questions to Reflect On
- What does this dream reveal about your waking desires?
- How can you honor longing without losing yourself?
A Different Perspective
Dreams may distort reality and create unrealistic expectations.
![“For her [Françoise], wealth was like a necessary condition without which virtue would lack both merit and charm. She made so little distinction between the two that she came to see their qualities as interchangeable, expecting material comfort from virtue and moral edification from wealth.” quote by Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/573/marcel-proust-114_character_for-her-fran-oise-wealth-was-like-a-nece_2687.jpg)
