“Love is jealous, and ingenious in self-torture in proportion as it is pure and intense.”
- February 26, 1802 – May 22, 1885
- Born in France
- Author, poet, playwright
- Written novels and poems such as “Les Miserables” and “Notre-Dame de Paris,” he was a representative figure of French Romantic literature and had a worldwide influence.
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Quote
“Love is jealous, and ingenious in self-torture in proportion as it is pure and intense.”
Explanation
In this quote, Victor Hugo explores the complex and often painful nature of love. He suggests that the purity and intensity of love can lead to jealousy and self-inflicted suffering. The more genuine and deep a person’s love is, the stronger the emotions it elicits, and with those emotions can come feelings of insecurity and possessiveness. Jealousy in love is portrayed as a form of self-torture—a mental and emotional strain that the lover endures as a result of their intense feelings. This suffering is not necessarily a negative reflection of love but an inherent part of the depth of emotional attachment, where the lover is so deeply invested in the relationship that any threat to it, real or imagined, causes anguish.
Hugo’s words reflect the contradictory nature of love—while it is one of the most powerful and beautiful emotions, it can also bring pain and conflict. The emotional intensity of love often makes us vulnerable to its darker side, where jealousy and self-doubt arise, particularly when the love is unreciprocated or challenged.
In modern terms, this quote speaks to the complexity of love and the emotional turbulence that often accompanies it. The more pure and uncompromising our love is, the more we are susceptible to the emotional extremes of jealousy and self-doubt. It reminds us that love is not just about happiness and affection, but also about the vulnerability and pain that come with deeply caring for someone. It is a reminder that love’s intensity can lead to moments of self-torment, but these emotions are often tied to the strength of our connection with another person.
