Chronicles Quote by William Makepeace Thackeray
“To describe love-making is immoral and immodest; you know it is. To describe it as it really is, or would appear to you and me as lookers-on, would be to describe the most dreary farce, to chronicle the most tautological twaddle. To take note of sighs, hand-squeezes, looks at the moon, and so forth--does this business become our dignity as historians? Come away from those foolish young people--they don't want us; and dreary as their farce is, and tautological as their twaddle, you may be sure it amuses them, and that they are happy enough without us.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Vanity Fair, 1848
The author mocks the pretentiousness of describing romantic encounters, suggesting such accounts are trivial and serve only to amuse the participants.
In simple terms: Describing love is pointless and shallow.
Key Takeaway
Focus on substance over superficial narratives.
Themes
romance
pretension
historical writing
Mood
skeptical
ironic
Type
critical
satirical
When to use this quote
- literary analysis
- relationship counseling
- creative writing
- academic critique
Key Concepts
satire
social critique
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we feel compelled to record intimate moments?
- Can honesty replace melodrama?
A Different Perspective
Such descriptions may still hold value for personal insight.
