Contents
- 1 Who said consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds?
- 2 What does with consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do mean?
- 3 What is meant by foolish consistency?
- 4 What’s a hobgoblin look like?
- 5 Why are hobgoblins bad for the idea of consistency?
- 6 What does the phrase’a foolish consistency is the’mean?
Who said consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds?
It is the source of one of Emerson’s most famous quotations: “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines.” This essay is an analysis into the nature of the “aboriginal self on which a universal reliance may be grounded.” Emerson emphasizes the …
What does with consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do mean?
Consistency of opinion and complacency in one’s ideas and opinions is a terrible compromise of one’s individuality, Emerson insists–“With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do.” There can be no growth or development in the person who does not change his thoughts.
Which one of Emerson’s essays contains the famous line A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds?
Self-Reliance
A great person does not have to think consistently from one day to the next. This remark comes from the essay “Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
What is meant by foolish consistency?
In saying in Self-Reliance that “a foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds,” Emerson means that you should not allow your current ideas and opinions to be dictated by what you used to think. Only those with little minds are afraid to change their minds when a better idea occurs to them.
What’s a hobgoblin look like?
Appearance. Hobgoblins seem to be small, hairy little men who wear brown, ragged clothes or nothing at all. In most stories, these creatures are depicted as small or even tiny, but like most original legends of fairies, they were not much smaller than humans.
What does ” foolish consistency is the Hobgoblin of little minds ” mean?
What does “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines” in “Self-Reliance” mean?
Why are hobgoblins bad for the idea of consistency?
Hobgoblins would bring up in people’s mind the idea of a minor evil or nuisance. Relating these evil but somewhat silly creatures to consistency diminishes and devalues the idea of consistency, changing it from a virtue to a vice.
What does the phrase’a foolish consistency is the’mean?
Emerson’s quote is best understood with more than a single line. “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall.
Why did Emerson use the Hobgoblin as a metaphor?
In this statement, Emerson uses hobgoblin as a metaphor, comparing the abstract term “consistency” to the concrete image of a hobgoblin. This works well for Emerson’s purposes, as he wants to belittle and warn his readers away from consistency. Hobgoblins would bring up in people’s mind the idea of a minor evil or nuisance.