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Desire Quote by Sadegh Hedayat

“From the bottom of my heart I desired to surrender myself to the sleep of oblivion. If only oblivion were attainable, if it could last forever, if my eyes as they closed could gently transcend sleep and dissolve into non-being and I should lose consciousness of my existence for all time to come…” quote by Sadegh Hedayat
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““From the bottom of my heart I desired to surrender myself to the sleep of oblivion. If only oblivion were attainable, if it could last forever, if my eyes as they closed could gently transcend sleep and dissolve into non-being and I should lose consciousness of my existence for all time to come, if it were possible for my being to dissolve in one drop of ink, in one bar of music, in one ray of colored light, and then these waves and forms were to grow and grow to such infinite size that in the end they faded and disappeared—then I should have attained my desire.””

Sadegh Hedayat

About This Quote

Source Novel: The Blind Owl, 1937

The narrator longs for oblivion, seeking dissolution in art and ultimate non‑existence.

In simple terms: Desire to escape life through art and endless oblivion.

Key Takeaway

Explore creative expression as a means to confront mortality.

Themes

existentialism art death longing transcendence

Mood

melancholic introspective

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • writing
  • music
  • visual arts
  • meditation
  • grief processing

Key Concepts

philosophy literary symbolism psychology

Questions to Reflect On

  • What does oblivion represent for you?
  • Can art provide a healthy outlet for existential dread?
A Different Perspective

Seeking oblivion may ignore the value of lived experience.

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