Gustave Flaubert Quotes

An author is a fool who, not content with boring those he lives with, insists on boring future generations. – Gustave Flaubert

There is no truth. There is only perception. – Gustave Flaubert

The only way to deal with life’s absurdities is to keep them under a microscope. – Gustave Flaubert

Genius is nothing more nor less than childhood recaptured at will. – Gustave Flaubert

To be stupid, and selfish, and to have good health are the three requirements for happiness. – Gustave Flaubert

The art of writing is the art of discovering what you believe. – Gustave Flaubert

One can be the master of what one does, but never of what one feels. – Gustave Flaubert

Success is a consequence and must not be a goal. – Gustave Flaubert

I believe that if one always looked at the skies, one would end up with wings. – Gustave Flaubert

Language is a cracked kettle on which we beat out tunes for bears to dance to, while all the time we long to move the stars to pity. – Gustave Flaubert

The heart, like the stomach, wants a varied diet. – Gustave Flaubert

Passionate love, I adore you, though at times you’re quite insane. – Gustave Flaubert

One mustn’t ask apple trees for oranges, France for sun, women for love, life for happiness. – Gustave Flaubert

Artists who seek perfection in everything are those who cannot attain it in anything. – Gustave Flaubert

The chief danger in life is that you may take too many precautions. – Gustave Flaubert

All human wisdom is summed up in two words: wait and hope. – Gustave Flaubert

There is no way to be a perfect writer, but there are a thousand ways to be a good one. – Gustave Flaubert

What is beautiful is a joy for all seasons. – Gustave Flaubert

The most glorious moments in your life are not the so-called days of success, but rather those days when out of dejection and despair you feel rise in you a challenge to life. – Gustave Flaubert

Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world. – Gustave Flaubert

The artist must be in his work as God is in creation, invisible and all-powerful; one must sense him everywhere but never see him. – Gustave Flaubert

One must sow in tears before harvesting in joy. – Gustave Flaubert

Human speech is like a cracked kettle on which we tap crude rhythms for bears to dance to, while we long to make music that will melt the stars. – Gustave Flaubert

Sometimes the most mundane things can become extraordinary if you look at them with fresh eyes. – Gustave Flaubert

The principal thing in this world is to keep one’s soul aloft. – Gustave Flaubert

There is no truth. There is only perception. – Gustave Flaubert

I am irritated by my own writing. I am like a violinist whose ear is true, but whose fingers refuse to reproduce precisely the sound he hears within. – Gustave Flaubert

Mystery is the lodestone of literature. – Gustave Flaubert

The art of writing is the art of discovering what you believe. – Gustave Flaubert

I am a man of principle, and the principal principle that governs me is the principle of giving people what they want. – Gustave Flaubert

Be regular and orderly in your life so you can be violent and original in your work. – Gustave Flaubert

Writing is like prostitution. First you do it for love, and then for a few close friends, and then for money. – Gustave Flaubert

All the characters in my novels are imaginary, but all have something of me in them. – Gustave Flaubert

A work of art is a refuge from the world, a place where you can find solace and inspiration. – Gustave Flaubert

Genius is the capacity for taking infinite pains. – Gustave Flaubert

True art is the expression of an artist’s soul, the embodiment of his deepest emotions and thoughts. – Gustave Flaubert

The role of literature is to push the boundaries of what is possible, to challenge our preconceptions and expand our minds. – Gustave Flaubert

Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable. – Gustave Flaubert

The only way to deal with life’s absurdities is to embrace them and find humor in them. – Gustave Flaubert

To be a great artist, one must have passion, dedication, and a willingness to take risks. – Gustave Flaubert

Art is not a reflection of reality, but a reflection of the artist’s interpretation of reality. – Gustave Flaubert

Words have power. They can heal, inspire, and transform. – Gustave Flaubert

Art is the bridge between the conscious and unconscious mind. – Gustave Flaubert

Great literature should make us question our beliefs and challenge our assumptions. – Gustave Flaubert

The beauty of art lies in its ability to evoke emotions and provoke thought. – Gustave Flaubert

Art should be a mirror that reflects the beauty and truth of the world. – Gustave Flaubert

Art is a form of escape, a way to transcend the limitations of everyday life. – Gustave Flaubert

The purpose of art is to disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed. – Gustave Flaubert

Art is not about perfection, but about expressing the imperfections and complexities of life. – Gustave Flaubert

The purpose of literature is to illuminate the human condition and offer insights into the world we live in. – Gustave Flaubert