“Horseness is the whatness of allhorse. Streams of tendency and eons they worship. God: noise in the street: very peripatetic.”
Explore This Quote Further
Analysis of Quote from James Joyce
In this quote, James Joyce delves into the concept of what it means to be a horse, exploring the essence of horseness. Joyce uses enigmatic language to describe how horses are defined by their innate qualities and tendencies. He then alludes to the worship of these timeless qualities, suggesting a sense of reverence for the essence of a horse. The reference to God and the bustling noise of the street adds layers to the complexity of the statement, hinting at deeper philosophical themes. Joyce's words invite readers to contemplate the nature of existence and the significance of individual essence.
Understanding the Essence of "Horseness" in Modern Times
In this quote by James Joyce, the concept of "Horseness" is explored as the very essence of what makes a horse a horse. The idea of streams of tendencies and eons worshipping this essence challenges us to consider the deeper meanings behind the things we often take for granted. Today, in the midst of a constantly evolving world, this quote serves as a reminder to seek the core truths and values that define our existence. It encourages us to look beyond the surface level and appreciate the complexities and nuances that shape our reality.
James Joyce on the essence of horseness
"“Horseness is the whatness of allhorse. Streams of tendency and eons they worship. God: noise in the street: very peripatetic.” - James Joyce"
Reflective Questions:
This quote by James Joyce, from his novel "Ulysses", delves into the complexity of existence and the interconnectedness of all things. As you ponder over these words, consider the following questions:
- What do you think Joyce is trying to convey about the essence of "horseness" and its universality?
- How do you interpret the idea of streams of tendency and eons worshipping in the context of the quote?
- In what ways can the concept of God being portrayed as "noise in the street" be understood?
- How does the notion of being peripatetic resonate with the overall message of the quote?
- How do you relate this quote to your own understanding of existence and interconnectedness in the world?
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“What must it be, then, to bear the manifold tortures of hell forever? Forever! For all eternity! Not for a year or an age but forever. Try to imagine the awful meaning of this. You have often seen the sand on the seashore. How fine are its tiny grains! And how many of those tiny grains go to make up the small handful which a child grasps in its play. Now imagine a mountain of that sand, a million miles high, reaching from the earth to the farthest heavens, and a million miles broad, extending to remotest space, and a million miles in thickness, and imagine such an enormous mass of countless particles of sand multiplied as often as there are leaves in the forest, drops of water in the mighty ocean, feathers on birds, scales on fish, hairs on animals, atoms in the vast expanse of air. And imagine that at the end of every million years a little bird came to that mountain and carried away in its beak a tiny grain of that sand. How many millions upon millions of centuries would pass before that bird had carried away even a square foot of that mountain, how many eons upon eons of ages before it had carried away all. Yet at the end of that immense stretch time not even one instant of eternity could be said to have ended. At the end of all those billions and trillions of years eternity would have scarcely begun. And if that mountain rose again after it had been carried all away again grain by grain, and if it so rose and sank as many times as there are stars in the sky, atoms in the air, drops of water in the sea, leaves on the trees, feathers upon birds, scales upon fish, hairs upon animals – at the end of all those innumerable risings and sinkings of that immeasurably vast mountain not even one single instant of eternity could be said to have ended; even then, at the end of such a period, after that eon of time, the mere thought of which makes our very brain reel dizzily, eternity would have scarcely begun.”