“Harmodius and Aristogiton, Brutus, Chereas, Stephanus, Cromwell, Charlotte Corday, Sand, have all had their moment of agony when it was too late. Our hearts quiver so, and human life is such a mystery that, even in the case of a civic murder, even in a murder for liberation, if there be such a thing, the remorse for having struck a man surpasses the joy of having served the human race.”
Another quote from
Hugo's Les Miserables. It is
spoken by Combeferre, following the early deaths of the night.
Perhaps the quote gives me more meaning because I have just finished
reading Julius Caesar. The mentioning of Brutus' name catches my
attention.
This
quote reminds us all that homicide is still a wrong thing to do, regardless the motive
that lies behind it. Enjolras has killed someone in the name of
revolution, in the name of general welfare. Does it sweep away his
feeling of guilt? No. Just as Brutus, killing Caesar for the people
of Rome, does it make him feel better? No.
I
respect Jean Valjean for his decision. He insists on not killing
anybody, no matter what. He warns them, his shots never miss, but no
one's hurt. It's better to do so than carrying a guilty conscience
with you.
That's
my quote for this week. What about yours?
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Weekend Quote is hosted by Half-Filled Attic. Feel free to join. You can:
-----------------------------------------------------------------
- Give the context of the quote
- Give your opinion whether you agree or disagree with it
- Share your experience related to the quote
- Share similar quotes you remember
- Or anything else. Just have fun with the quote.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment