"Every age has its own poetry; in every age the circumstances of history choose a nation, a race, a class to take up the torch by creating situations that can be expressed or transcended only through poetry"
- Jean-Paul Sartre
About this Quote
Jean-Paul Sartre's quote talks to the idea that poetry is a reflection of the times in which it is composed. He recommends that each age has its own distinct poetry, shaped by the circumstances of history. He suggests that certain countries, races, and classes are selected to use up the torch of poetry, producing situations that can only be expressed or gone beyond through the medium of poetry. This suggests that poetry is a powerful tool for communicating the emotions and experiences of a specific time and place. It is a method of catching the essence of a moment in history, and of communicating the feelings and thoughts of a particular group of people. In this method, poetry can be seen as a form of social commentary, allowing us to acquire insight into the lives of those who lived prior to us.
"A lawyer without history or literature is a mechanic, a mere working mason; if he possesses some knowledge of these, he may venture to call himself an architect"
"We have our own history, our own language, our own culture. But our destiny is also tied up with the destinies of other people - history has made us all South Africans"
"It is humiliating to remain with our hands folded while others write history. It matters little who wins. To make a people great it is necessary to send them to battle even if you have to kick them in the pants. That is what I shall do"