Gustave Flaubert: 'I love my work with a frenetic and perverse love, as an ascetic loves the hair shirt which scratches his belly.'

I love my work with a frenetic and perverse love, as an ascetic loves the hair shirt which scratches his belly.

Gustave Flaubert, a renowned French writer and one of the key figures in literary realism, once said, 'I love my work with a frenetic and perverse love, as an ascetic loves the hair shirt which scratches his belly.' Through this quote, Flaubert beautifully expresses his deep passion for his craft. He compares his love for writing, his work, to the love an ascetic might have for the hair shirt, an instrument of self-mortification. In essence, Flaubert is conveying that his love for his work is intense, almost bordering on the extreme, just as an ascetic's love for something that brings him discomfort. This quote sheds light on the nature of artists and the relationship they have with their work, and it has significant implications for the understanding of passion and dedication.The straightforward interpretation of Flaubert's quote is that he has an intense and somewhat unconventional love for his work. It captures how artists often have unique and profound relationships with their craft, driven by fervor and a willingness to endure challenges and sacrifices. Flaubert's choice of comparing this love to an ascetic's affection for a hair shirt is intriguing. Ascetics willingly subject themselves to physical discomfort as a means of spiritual discipline, and here, Flaubert implies that his love for his work is similarly rooted in a certain level of masochism that comes with embracing the challenges and struggles inherent in creating art.However, let's consider an unexpected philosophical concept to further explore the significance of Flaubert's quote. The concept of "philosophical hedonism" is one such idea that can inject a fresh perspective into the discussion. On the surface, hedonism may seem incompatible with Flaubert's description of his love for his work as perverse and frenetic. Hedonism typically emphasizes pleasure and the pursuit of personal gratification. Nevertheless, this concept can help us delve deeper into the quote by analyzing the underlying motivations behind Flaubert's passionate love for his work.Philosophical hedonism argues that true pleasure and fulfillment can be found not only in immediate and superficial gratification but also through the pursuit of long-term goals and immersive, enriching experiences. According to this perspective, Flaubert's fervent and unconventional love for his work can be seen as an example of finding profound pleasure in the dedicated pursuit of his craft. The discipline and sacrifices he willingly endures become part of the pleasure he derives from writing itself.In this light, Flaubert's comparison of his love for writing to an ascetic's love for a hair shirt takes on a deeper meaning. The hair shirt scratches the ascetic's belly, causing discomfort, but it serves as a source of spiritual fulfillment. Similarly, Flaubert finds satisfaction in the challenges and struggles that his work entails. The act of writing becomes his spiritual journey, with each scratch attributed to the hair shirt as a mark of progress, a testament to his dedication and passion.Flaubert's quote invites us to reflect on our own relationships with our endeavors. It asks us to consider the extent to which we are willing to engage with our passions and the underlying motivations driving our pursuit. By embracing the concept of philosophical hedonism, we can broaden our understanding of the connection between love, work, and fulfillment. Flaubert's intense and sometimes perverse love for his craft serves as an inspiration for artists and individuals alike, urging us to find joy not only in the immediate fruits of our labor but also in the very act of pursuing our aspirations.