Henri de Montherlant, said those words, they are often quoted by writers to explain their creativity. pessimism and misfortune spur them on.
Do you agree, that's the way it works?
2007-04-18 20:43:42 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
Certain people write to earn a living; it can be jaunty and ooze happiness from every drivel drenched page (can be entertaining, but just escapist nonsense). A true writer; someone driven by nature to write, to expound ideas and creative whim, tends towards melancholic by design. Happiness fails to realise into words; it can be present - perhaps in the spaces betwixt sentences, perhaps written in white.
2007-04-18 22:58:18 · answer #1 · answered by Silkie1 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well firstly a study found a clear link between genius and depression. So more geniuses are depressed than happy.
Often happy stories are not very interesting, so while they are written, they are ignored. But read some online poetry, and what do you get, pages and pages of boring depressing stuff.
So there is more to art than being happy or sad.
We need something intense so that it can through a shadow on the page. Often happy events are not deeply ingrained within us. To see them, we must contrast them with out things.
A happy movie, that is all happy, has no depth or feeling.
A happy movie, with sad moments, will let us see everthing. It is like a match in a dark room, it's light is brilliant. But in broad daylight it is invisible.
2007-04-18 21:11:54 · answer #2 · answered by flingebunt 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No it doesn't work like that and I believe it to be a misquote as it is not what the writer meant by that.
He is talking about contrast.
It is not that misfortune makes you write. It is the tide between good fortune and misfortune that make life worth 'reporting'. Just being happy is boring. Nothing happens so what should you write about?
2007-04-18 20:51:33 · answer #3 · answered by Puppy Zwolle 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well I think it's true for remembering the past. Everything seems to be in a shade of rose when I remember the past. I always think, "Wow, those were happy times", but at the time I did not recognize or appreciate it.
2007-04-19 07:31:46 · answer #4 · answered by Optimistic 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, A Christmas Carol had a happy ending. I never read the book, so maybe I am wrong, but the cartoon had a happy ending.
2007-04-18 20:55:43 · answer #5 · answered by Bud#21 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Or maybe they all use the writing process as a cathartic experience to exorcise their demons, and don't feel so driven to write about the happiness?
2007-04-18 20:48:05 · answer #6 · answered by Queen of the Night 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think so. Must admit most of it went over my head. Actually all of it did. But I will bear it in mind in the future. Great question, have you got any more like it?
2007-04-18 20:47:48 · answer #7 · answered by Zecca 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋