“Prose is architecture, not interior decoration, and the Baroque is over.”
- July 21, 1899 – July 2, 1961
- American
- Novelist, poet, journalist
- Wrote masterpieces such as “The Old Man and the Sea,” “A Farewell to Arms,” and “For Whom the Bell Tolls,” and won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1954
Quote
“Prose is architecture, not interior decoration, and the Baroque is over.”
Explanation
In this quote, Hemingway draws a sharp distinction between clarity and ornamentation in writing. He compares prose to architecture, suggesting that it should be structurally sound and functional, with each word and sentence serving a purpose, much like the solid, practical design of a building. In contrast, interior decoration is about superficial embellishment—things that are nice to look at but don’t fundamentally alter the function or integrity of the structure. Hemingway’s assertion that “the Baroque is over” is a direct critique of overly ornate, embellished styles of writing, such as those seen during the Baroque period in art and literature, where complexity and decoration often took precedence over clarity and substance. For Hemingway, good writing should be clear, direct, and efficient, without unnecessary flourishes.
Hemingway’s own writing style, which became famous for its economy of language and simplicity, reflects his belief in this approach. In his novels, such as The Old Man and the Sea and A Farewell to Arms, he stripped away unnecessary adjectives and elaborations, focusing instead on the essence of the story. This minimalist style, often referred to as the Iceberg Theory, relies on the idea that much of the meaning is beneath the surface, and the clean, sparse prose should support that meaning without overwhelming it. The Baroque, with its rich, ornate language, would have been antithetical to Hemingway’s view that prose should serve the story, not the writer’s ego or the reader’s desire for aesthetic indulgence.
In the modern context, this quote serves as a reminder that in writing (and even in other forms of creative work), there is value in simplicity and efficiency. In an age where digital media, short-form writing, and attention spans are more prevalent, Hemingway’s call to move away from excessive ornamentation and focus on core meaning still resonates. Whether in journalism, fiction, or communication, the emphasis on clear and effective language remains critical, as it allows the true substance of the work to come through without being buried under unnecessary complexity. Hemingway’s quote challenges modern writers to avoid over-complication and instead build their work on a foundation of clarity and purpose.
