Folly Quote by Virginia Woolf
““What could be more absurd? Yet it is nature's folly, not ours. When she set about her chief masterpiece, the making of man, she should have thought of one thing only. Instead, turning her head, looking over her shoulder, into each one of us she let creep instincts and desires which are utterly at variance with his main being, so that we are streaked, variegated, all of a mixture; the colours have run. Is the true self this which stands on the pavement in January, or that which bends over the balcony in June? Am I here, or am I there? Or is the true self neither this nor that, neither here nor there, but something so varied and wandering that it is only when we give the rein to its wishes and let it take its way unimpeded that we are indeed ourselves?””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Mrs Dalloway, 1925
Human nature is fragmented, and true identity emerges when we follow our inner desires without restraint.
In simple terms: Self is fluid, not fixed.
Key Takeaway
Embrace your inner desires.
Themes
identity
nature
self
existence
Mood
contemplative
melancholic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal growth
- creative writing
- psychological exploration
- self‑acceptance
Key Concepts
fragmentation
selfhood
inner desire
fluidity
Questions to Reflect On
- What part of yourself do you suppress?
- How can you balance desire and responsibility?
A Different Perspective
Unrestrained desire can lead to chaos.
