Quote by Desiderius Erasmus, The Praise o
If a person were to try stripping the disguises from actors while they play a scene upon stage, showing to the audience their real looks and the faces they were born with, would not such a one spoil the whole play ? And would not the spectators think he deserved to be driven out of the theatre with brickbats, as a drunken disturber ?... Now what else is the whole life of mortals but a sort of comedy, in which the various actors, disguised by various costumes and masks, walk on and play each one his part, until the manager waves them off the stage ? Moreover, this manager frequently bids the same actor to go back in a different costume, so that he who has but lately played the king in scarlet now acts the flunkey in patched clothes. Thus all things are presented by shadows.
Summary
This quote suggests that life itself is akin to a comedy, where individuals play different roles and wear masks to portray different characters. Just as stripping the disguises off actors during a play would ruin the experience and be condemned by the audience, revealing the true nature of individuals in life would also disrupt the natural flow. The quote further emphasizes that our lives are constantly changing, and we are called to play various roles as directed by an unknown manager, representing the fleeting and transient nature of existence. Overall, the quote probes at the idea of perception and the concept of reality versus illusion.
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