Quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

You are aware of only one unrest;Oh, never learn to know the other!Two souls, alas, are dwelling in my breast,And one is striving to forsake its brother.Unto the world in grossly loving zest,With clinging tendrils, one adheres;The other rises forcibly in questOf rarefied ancestral spheres.If there be spirits in the airThat hold their sway between the earth and sky,Descend out of the golden vapors thereAnd sweep me into iridescent life.Oh, came a magic cloak into my handsTo carry me to distant lands,I should not trade it for the choicest gown,Nor for the cloak and garments of the crown.

You are aware of only one unrest;Oh, never learn to know the

Summary

This quote, taken from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's poem "Faust," describes the internal conflict within the speaker's soul. The speaker acknowledges the presence of two contrasting attitudes or desires. One part of the soul is drawn towards worldly pleasures and desires to indulge in sensual experiences ("clinging tendrils"). However, there is another part that seeks higher spiritual and intellectual pursuits, aiming for transcendence and knowledge of the divine ("rarefied ancestral spheres"). The speaker longs for a transformation that would allow them to transcend earthly confines and experience a more magical and vibrant existence. This quote contemplates the tension between the earthly and the spiritual, highlighting the complexity of human nature.

Topics

World Magic Spirit Escape Unrest

By Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

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