Quote by Frederic Chopin?

Question

"Stuttgart. How strange! This bed on which I shall lie has been slept on by more than one dying man, but today it does not repel me! Who knows what corpses have lain on it and for how long? But is a corpse any worse than I? A corpse too knows nothing of its father, mother or sisters or Titus. Nor has a corpse a sweetheart. A corpse, too, is pale, like me. A corpse is cold, just as I am cold and indifferent to everything. A corpse has ceased to live, and I too have had enough of life.... Why do we live on through this wretched life which only devours us and serves to turn us into corpses? The clocks in the Stuttgart belfries strike the midnight hour. Oh how many people have become corpses at this moment! Mothers have been torn from their children, children from their mothers - how many plans have come to nothing, how much sorrow has sprung from these depths, and how much relief!... Virtue and vice have come in the end to the same thing! It seems that to die is man's finest action - and what might be his worst? To be born, since that is the exact opposite of his best deed. It is therefore right of me to be angry that I was ever born into this world! Why was I not prevented from remaining in a world where I am utterly useless? What good can my existence bring to anyone? ... But wait, wait! What's this? Tears? How long it is since they flowed! How is this, seeing that an arid melancholy has held me for so long in its grip? How good it feels - and sorrowful. Sad but kindly tears! What a strange emotion! Sad but blessed. It is not good for one to be sad, and yet how pleasant it is - a strange state..."

This quote were from the journal of Frederic Chopin as he died from Tuberculosis in a hospital I believe, he was a world famous composer debatably as good as Beethoven, Bach, or Mozart. His quotes were also famous, however I don't understand this one, my music teacher who is an expert on these things doesn't either. Can someone explain? What do the tears mean at the end?

Oh btw, if you don't know who this is massive shame on you, but

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fr%C3%A9d%C...

Thanks in advance everyone!

Answer 1

Oh, I find this brilliant.

In the first part of the entry, he seems to be reflecting on his surroundings in Stuttgart, Germany. He seems to be relfecting on all the corpses before them, and how they once had a story and an identity, but now are just lifeless numbers. He starts to compare himself to a corpse, being that tuberculosis is a terrible illness, he probably feels worse than death. He seems at this stage, apathetic toward life, as any illness like that would make you and he starts to contemplate why you even live in the first place.

"Why do we live on through this wretched life which only devours us and serves to turn us into corpses?" (Chopin)

Then he snaps out of his thought of death and observes the clock in Stuttgart striking midnight. And he wonders how many people just died, quite a morbid thought. He goes on to say how because one person has died, relationships have been torn apart, "mothers have veeb torn from their children...etc". And he talks about how sorrowful death is, but how much of a relief it is to have the burden of living lifted from your shoulders. Virtue and Vice (to opposites) become the same in the end, because in the end of life, after death, nothing matters.  And when he says "to die is a man's finest action and what might be his worst? To be born, since that is the exact opposite of his best deed!", he's basically saying that at this point in his life, in the pain that he is in, death seems to be the most beautiful route, and ligically speaking, being born is the opposite, so it would have to be the worst (in his mind.) It almost seems like hes going through the 5 stages of grief, with the sentnace "it is therefore right of me to be angry that I was ever born into this world!...What good can my existence bring to anyone?" He seemed to be in the 4th stage of grief, depression. And then there is a different section about tears. What my interpretation of this is, is that he may be crying in happiness but as well in sorrow. Mix emotions if you will. Tuberculosis is a painful disease and he may be sad that his life he's leaving his loved ones with the guilt of his death to be dealt with, but he will finally be able to rest in peace. He comments on how strange it is to be happy and sad at the same time, and that he knows its not good to feel sad, but it feels good. I think its a bunch of self pity and anguish, personally.