“Eros will have naked bodies; Friendship naked personalities.”
Image credits：Aronsyne,”Lewis, age 48″,CC BY-SA 4.0,C.S.-Lewis – C. S. Lewis – Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- November 29, 1898 – November 22, 1963
- Born in Ireland
- Writer, scholar
- Had a major influence on fantasy literature and religious thought through his many works, including the Chronicles of Narnia series and The Poetics of Christianity
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Quote
“Eros will have naked bodies; Friendship naked personalities.”
Explanation
This quote reflects C. S. Lewis’s profound understanding of human relationships, particularly the distinctions he drew between different forms of love. As a scholar and Christian thinker, Lewis elaborated on these ideas in his work The Four Loves. Eros refers to romantic or passionate love, where the focus is often on physical attraction and intimacy. By contrast, Friendship, as Lewis suggests, centers on the deeper connection between individuals, exposing their “naked personalities”—their true selves.
In Lewis’s time, mid-20th-century Western society often emphasized romantic love as the pinnacle of human relationships. Lewis, however, argued that Friendship was equally vital and perhaps more enduring because it requires no pretense or external validation. This insight resonates today, as modern life often prioritizes romantic relationships while undervaluing the meaningful connections formed through friendship.
For example, while romantic relationships might start with physical attraction, friendships arise from shared interests or values. In a modern context, this could manifest in a group of colleagues bonding over their love for creative work or activists uniting for a common cause. Lewis’s distinction reminds us to cultivate friendships where our true selves can be appreciated, not just our appearances.
