Famous quote by Edmond De Goncourt

"Today I begin to understand what love must be, if it exists... When we are parted, we each feel the lack of the other half of ourselves. We are incomplete like a book in two volumes of which the first has been lost. That is what I imagine love to be: incompleteness in absence"

About this Quote

Edmond De Goncourt's reflection on love looks into the profound sense of unity and incompleteness that typically accompanies deep psychological connections. By beginning with the words "Today I start to understand", he means love as a continuously progressing concept, suggesting that understanding love includes time and personal growth.

Goncourt utilizes the metaphor of being "parted" from a liked one to stimulate the sense of yearning and incompleteness that absence instills. He explains this sensation as the separation from "the other half of ourselves", reinforcing the idea that love creates a bond so deep that people become synergistic, forming a more total whole. This interdependence does not suggest a loss of individuality but rather an enhancement of one's own self through connection with another. The yearning for reconnection becomes a testimony to the love shared, emphasizing its significance and the way it enriches life.

The simile "like a book in two volumes of which the very first has been lost" raises the concept of incompleteness. A book split into 2 volumes recommends that each part holds its own story, but neither can fully communicate the intended story without the other. This images captures how love adds to a fuller understanding of life; without the existence of this love, experiences might feel lacking and unresolved.

Eventually, Goncourt's contemplation represents love as an emotional and existential collaboration that, when interfered with, casts a shadow of incompleteness and yearning. Love ends up being a driving force that imbues life with meaning and connection, making its lack especially poignant. His words invite readers to appreciate love's extensive influence on their sense of identity and wholeness, highlighting both its appeal and its challenges in lack.

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About the Author

France Flag This quote is written / told by Edmond De Goncourt between May 26, 1822 and July 16, 1896. He/she was a famous Writer from France. The author also have 15 other quotes.
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