I saw that all beings are fated to happiness: action is not life, but a way of wasting some force, an enervation. Morality is the weakness of the brain.

Meaning of the quote

This quote suggests that all people are meant to be happy, but taking action and trying too hard to be 'moral' can actually make us feel tired and drained of energy. The poet believes that being overly concerned with rules and doing the 'right' thing is a sign of weakness in the brain, and that simply living and experiencing life is more important than constantly worrying about morality.

About Arthur Rimbaud

Arthur Rimbaud was a pioneering French poet known for his surreal, unconventional writing style. He made a significant impact on modern literature and the arts, with his work prefiguring the surrealist movement. Rimbaud’s literary career was brief, as he abandoned writing at the young age of 20 after publishing his final major work, ‘Illuminations’.

More about the author

More quotes from Arthur Rimbaud

I have stretched ropes from steeple to steeple; garlands from window to window; golden chains from star to star, and I dance.

Arthur Rimbaud

French poet (1854-1891)

I’m intact, and I don’t give a damn.

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I am the slave of my baptism. Parents, you have caused my misfortune, and you have caused your own.

Arthur Rimbaud

French poet (1854-1891)

I saw that all beings are fated to happiness: action is not life, but a way of wasting some force, an enervation. Morality is the weakness of the brain.

Arthur Rimbaud

French poet (1854-1891)

Idle youth, enslaved to everything; by being too sensitive I have wasted my life.

Arthur Rimbaud

French poet (1854-1891)

Morality is the weakness of the brain.

Arthur Rimbaud

French poet (1854-1891)

Romanticism has never been properly judged. Who was there to judge it? The critics!

Arthur Rimbaud

French poet (1854-1891)

Only divine love bestows the keys of knowledge.