“The poet makes himself a seer through a long, tremendous,planned detachment of all his senses. All the forms of love,of suffering, of madness; he himself seeks and in himselfexhausts all poisons, so as to keep only the quintessential.A self torture that takes all his faith, all his superhumanstrength, that makes him, among his fellow men, The SickMan, The Criminal, The Accursed, and The Supreme Sage!For he reaches the unknown! Because he has cultivated hissoul, rich already, more than anyone else and if maddenedin his pursuit, he should in the end lose all understandingof his. . . .”—Arthur Rimbaud”
Explore This Quote Further
Quote Analysis:
In this quote by Arthur Rimbaud, the poet describes the intense process of detachment and self-torture that a poet undergoes to become a "seer." By detaching oneself from all senses and exhausting all forms of love, suffering, and madness, the poet is able to distill only the essence of these experiences. This intense process, which requires faith and superhuman strength, leads the poet to become an outcast among his fellow men, seen as sick, criminal, accursed, and yet ultimately the supreme sage. Through this process, the poet is able to reach the unknown and cultivate a rich soul, surpassing all others in understanding and insight.
Relevance in the Modern World
In this quote by Arthur Rimbaud, he describes the intense process that a poet must undergo in order to reach a state of poetic enlightenment. This idea of detachment and self-torture in pursuit of the unknown may seem extreme, but it speaks to the dedication and sacrifice that artists must often make in order to create meaningful work. In today's world, where distractions and noise abound, this concept serves as a reminder of the importance of focus and dedication in creative pursuits.
Arthur Rimbaud on the Role of the Poet
“The poet makes himself a seer through a long, tremendous, planned detachment of all his senses. All the forms of love, of suffering, of madness; he himself seeks and in himself exhausts all poisons, so as to keep only the quintessential. A self-torture that takes all his faith, all his superhuman strength, that makes him, among his fellow men, The Sick Man, The Criminal, The Accursed, and The Supreme Sage! For he reaches the unknown! Because he has cultivated his soul, rich already, more than anyone else and if maddened in his pursuit, he should in the end lose all understanding of his. . . .”—Arthur Rimbaud"
Reflection Questions:
Reflecting on Arthur Rimbaud's words, consider the following questions:
- How do you interpret the idea of the poet making themselves a seer through detachment of their senses?
- What do you think is meant by the poet seeking and exhausting all forms of love, suffering, and madness in themselves?
- Do you believe that cultivating one's soul to reach the unknown requires a level of sacrifice and madness, as Rimbaud suggests?
- In what ways can the pursuit of understanding and enlightenment lead to madness, as described by Rimbaud?
- How do you view the concept of the poet as "The Sick Man, The Criminal, The Accursed, and The Supreme Sage" in relation to their pursuit of truth and knowledge?
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