Famous quote by Tristan Tzara

"The rest, called literature, is a dossier of human imbecility for the guidance of future professors"

About this Quote

Tristan Tzara, a key figure in the Dada motion, was understood for his progressive and often iconoclastic views on art and literature. The quote, "The rest, called literature, is a file of human imbecility for the assistance of future professors", shows a noticeably Dadaist sentiment, encapsulating the motion's contempt for conventional cultural standards and established hierarchies in the arts.

In this quote, Tzara is most likely critiquing the traditional literary canon and the institutionalization of literature through academia. By referring to literature as a "file of human imbecility", Tzara is challenging the idea of literature as a repository of human wisdom and insight. Rather, he suggests it is a reflection of human folly, possibly filled with pretentiousness and doing not have real worth, which is then perpetuated by scholastic organizations.

The phrase "for the assistance of future professors" highlights the cyclical nature of literary study and criticism. Tzara suggests that professors and scholars are entrusted with perpetuating this so-called 'imbecility,' rather than encouraging true creativity and creativity. In doing so, literature becomes less a vibrant type of expression and more a fixed body of work to be endlessly evaluated and deconstructed without producing substantial development or innovation.

This point of view lines up with Dadaism's broader rejection of factor, reasoning, and aestheticism, highlighting instead randomness and irrationality as pathways to authenticity. By lowering literature to a compilation of human foolishness, Tzara provocatively concerns the authenticity and function of literary scholarship.

Regardless of its cynical tone, this declaration welcomes reflection on the value and function of literature in society. It challenges us to reassess what is held in high regard and prompts consideration of what may be lost in a strictly academic method to literary studies. Ultimately, Tzara's subversive review encourages a reevaluation of imagination and the ways in which it is both curated and consumed.

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About the Author

France Flag This quote is from Tristan Tzara between April 16, 1896 and December 25, 1963. He/she was a famous Artist from France. The author also have 2 other quotes.
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