Family Quote by Victor Hugo
““The Revolution came; events succeeded each other with precipitation; the parliamentary families, decimated, pursued, hunted down, were dispersed. M. Charles Myriel emigrated to Italy at the very beginning of the Revolution. There his wife died of a malady of the chest, from which she had long suffered. He had no children. What took place next in the fate of M. Myriel? The ruin of the French society of the olden days, the fall of his own family, the tragic spectacles of '93, which were, perhaps, even more alarming to the emigrants who viewed them from a distance, with the magnifying powers of terror,—did these cause the ideas of renunciation and solitude to germinate in him? Was he, in the midst of these distractions, these affections which absorbed his life, suddenly smitten with one of those mysterious and terrible blows which sometimes overwhelm, by striking to his heart, a man whom public catastrophes would not shake, by striking at his existence and his fortune? No one could have told: all that was known was, that when he returned from Italy he was a priest.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Les Misérables (Chapter on M. Myriel)
The passage questions whether personal tragedy and societal upheaval shaped M. Myriel’s turn to solitude and renunciation, hinting at inner transformation despite external chaos.
In simple terms: Trauma may lead to spiritual withdrawal.
Key Takeaway
Seek meaning beyond external turmoil.
Themes
suffering
transformation
solitude
spirituality
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
narrative
philosophical
When to use this quote
- war
- personal loss
- career change
- spiritual crisis
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
historical context
Questions to Reflect On
- What inner changes followed your hardships?
- Can suffering foster compassion?
A Different Perspective
Not all crises result in withdrawal; some inspire action.
