Beauty Quote by W. Somerset Maugham
““The best I can suggest is that when the Absolute manifested itself in the world evil was the natural correlation of good. You could never have had the stupendous beauty of the Himalayas without the unimaginable horror of a convulsion of the earth's crust. The Chinese craftsman who makes a vase in what they call eggshell porcelain can give it a lovely shape, ornament it with a beautiful design, stain it a ravishing colour and give it a perfect glaze, but from its very nature he can't make it anything but fragile. If you drop in on the floor it will break into a dozen fragments. Isn't possible in the same way that the values we cherish in the world can only exist in combination with evil?””
About This Quote
Source Essay: “The Great and the Small”, 1932
Good and evil are interdependent; the existence of profound beauty requires the presence of profound horror.
In simple terms: Beauty and horror coexist.
Key Takeaway
Accept duality of values.
Themes
dualism
philosophy
ethics
beauty
evil
interdependence
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
reflective
When to use this quote
- art criticism
- philosophical debate
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
theodicy
contrast
fragility
Questions to Reflect On
- Can good exist without any evil?
- What responsibilities arise from recognizing this duality?
A Different Perspective
The notion of inherent evil may overlook human agency.
