Genius' was a word loosely used by expatriot Americans in Paris and Rome, between the Versailles Peace treaty and the Depression, to cover all varieties of artistic, literary and musical experimentalism. A useful and readable history of the literary Thirties is Geniuses Together by Kay Boyle-Joyce, Hemingway, Scott Fitzgerald, Pound, Eliot and the rest. They all became famous figures but too many of them developed defects of character-ambition, meanness, boastfulness, cowardice or inhumanity-that defrauded their early genius. Experimentalism is a quality alien to genius. It implies doubt, hope, uncertainty, the need for group reassurance; whereas genius works alone, in confidence of a foreknown result. Experiments are useful as a demonstration of how not to write, paint or compose if one's interest lies in durable rather than fashionable results; but since far more self-styled artists are interested in frissons á la mode rather than in truth, it is foolish to protest. Experimentalism means variation on the theme of other people's uncertainties.
Robert GravesTags: genius eliot pound fitzgerald hemingway experimentalism
Genius and insanity are fraternal twins.
Carl HeneganAlmost all genius up to now was one-sided—the result of a sickly constitution. One type had too much sense of the external, the other too much inner sense. Seldom could nature achieve a balance between the two—a complete constitution of genius. Often a perfect proportion arose by chance, but this could never endure because it was not comprehended and fixed by the spirit—they remained fortunate moments. The first genius that penetrated itself found here the exemplary germ of an immeasurable world. It made a discovery which must have been the most remarkable in the history of the world—for with it there begins a whole new epoch for humanity—and true history of all kinds becomes possible for the first time at this stage—for the way that had been traversed hitherto now makes up a proper whole that can be entirely elucidated. That point outside the world is given, and now Archimedes can fulfill his promise.
NovalisTags: genius
In poems, equally as in philosophic disquisitions, genius produces the strongest impressions of novelty while it rescues the most admitted truths from the impotence caused by the very circumstance of their universal admission.
Samuel Taylor ColeridgeTags: truth poetry genius novelty truths admission
Let us not compare the genius with the clever; ocean with the lake!
Mehmet Murat ildanTags: genius
Genius in general is poetic. Where genius has been active it has been poetically active. The truly moral person is a poet.
NovalisTags: poetry morality poetic philosophy genius novalis
One man's insanity is another man's genius; someday the world will recognize the genius in my insanity.
Joyce Carol OatesOh! how near are genius and madness! Men imprison them and chain them, or raise statues to them.
Denis DiderotMost geniuses are geniuses because of the way they manage their natural talents. He was one because of the way he took advantage of the world's defects.
Albert Sánchez PiñolGenius is both the sail and the wind; that’s why he continues his journey without stopping!
Mehmet Murat ildanTags: genius
« first previous
Page 21 of 27.
next last »
Data privacy
Imprint
Contact
Diese Website verwendet Cookies, um Ihnen die bestmögliche Funktionalität bieten zu können.