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Quotes by Jean de La Fontaine: A Masterful Fable Writer and Literary Luminary

Jean de La Fontaine, born on July 8, 1621, in Château-Thierry, France, remains one of the most celebrated and influential figures in French literature. Renowned for his fables, La Fontaine’s works continue to captivate readers with their timeless wisdom, moral lessons, and insightful portrayals of human nature.

La Fontaine’s early life was marked by a passion for literature and an insatiable curiosity. He embarked on a career as a poet and writer, exploring various genres, including comedy and tragedy. However, it was his fables that brought him enduring acclaim and solidified his place in literary history.

La Fontaine’s fables, comprising over 240 tales, are his most celebrated and enduring contribution to literature. Drawing inspiration from Aesop and other classical sources, La Fontaine infused his fables with wit, humor, and profound moral lessons. His anthropomorphic characters, such as the wise fox and the clever crow, allowed him to explore human vices and virtues, social dynamics, and universal truths.

Beneath the surface charm and entertainment value of La Fontaine’s fables lies a deeper layer of meaning and wisdom. Each fable served as a vehicle for exploring ethical dilemmas, offering social commentary, and providing astute observations on human behavior. La Fontaine’s skillful use of allegory and symbolism imbued his fables with profound insights into the human condition.

La Fontaine’s fables have had a lasting impact on literature and culture. Their enduring popularity can be attributed to their ability to entertain and educate readers of all ages. La Fontaine’s storytelling prowess, combined with his masterful command of language and verse, made his fables an integral part of French literary canon.

Beyond his fables, La Fontaine also composed other notable works, including poems and plays. His literary achievements earned him recognition and admiration from contemporaries and future generations of writers. His ability to capture the essence of human nature and convey complex ideas through deceptively simple tales has solidified his place as one of the greatest literary figures in French literature.

Jean de La Fontaine’s fables continue to enchant and enlighten readers around the world. His ability to weave moral lessons, wit, and philosophical depth into concise tales reflects his literary genius and profound understanding of human nature. La Fontaine’s legacy as a master storyteller endures, reminding us of the power of fables to entertain, educate, and provoke contemplation. Through his timeless works, Jean de La Fontaine has left an indelible mark on literature, inspiring readers to reflect on their own actions, question societal norms, and strive for moral growth.

Sadness flies away on the wings of time.

Jean de La Fontaine

We read on the foreheads of those who are surrounded by a foolish luxury, that fortune sells what she is thought to give.

Jean de La Fontaine

We must laugh before we are happy, for fear we die before we laugh at all.

Jean de La Fontaine

We like to see others, but don’t like others to see through us.

Jean de La Fontaine

There is nothing useless to men of sense.

Jean de La Fontaine

There is no road of flowers leading to glory.

Jean de La Fontaine

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The strongest passion is fear.

Jean de La Fontaine

The fastidious are unfortunate; nothing satisfies them.

Jean de La Fontaine

Rather suffer than die is man’s motto.

Jean de La Fontaine

A pessimist and an optimist, so much the worse; so much the better.

Jean de La Fontaine

A person often meets his destiny on the road he took to avoid it.

Jean de La Fontaine

A hungry stomach cannot hear.

Jean de La Fontaine

The argument of the strongest is always the best.

Jean de La Fontaine

Nothing is as dangerous as an ignorant friend; a wise enemy is to be preferred.

Jean de La Fontaine

It is a double pleasure to deceive the deceiver.

Jean de La Fontaine

It is impossible to please all the world and one’s father.

Jean de La Fontaine

It is twice the pleasure to deceive the deceiver.

Jean de La Fontaine

Let ignorance talk as it will, learning has its value.

Jean de La Fontaine

Luck’s always to blame.

Jean de La Fontaine

Man is so made that when anything fires his soul, impossibilities vanish.

Jean de La Fontaine

In short, Luck’s always to blame.

Jean De La Fontaine

Never sell the bear’s skin before one has killed the beast.

Jean de La Fontaine

Patience and time do more than strength or passion.

Jean de La Fontaine

Nothing is more dangerous than a friend without discretion; even a prudent enemy is preferable.

Jean de La Fontaine

One often has need of one, inferior to himself.

Jean de La Fontaine

One returns to the place one came from.

Jean de La Fontaine

People must help one another; it is nature’s law.

Jean de La Fontaine

Rare as is true love, true friendship is rarer.

Jean de La Fontaine

People who make no noise are dangerous.

Jean de La Fontaine

Neither wealth or greatness render us happy.

Jean de La Fontaine

Be advised that all flatterers live at the expense of those who listen to them.

Jean de La Fontaine

I bend and do not break.

Jean de La Fontaine

Anyone entrusted with power will abuse it if not also animated with the love of truth and virtue, no matter whether he be a prince, or one of the people.

Jean de La Fontaine

Better a living beggar than a buried emperor.

Jean de La Fontaine

Beware, so long as you live, of judging men by their outward appearance.

Jean de La Fontaine

But the shortest works are always the best.

Jean de La Fontaine

By the work one knows the workman.

Jean de La Fontaine

Death never takes the wise man by surprise, he is always ready to go.

Jean de La Fontaine

Every flatterer lives at the expense of him who listens to him.

Jean de La Fontaine

Every journalist owes tribute to the evil one.

Jean de La Fontaine

Everyone believes very easily whatever they fear or desire.

Jean de La Fontaine

Everyone calls himself a friend, but only a fool relies on it; nothing is commoner than the name, nothing rarer than the thing.

Jean de La Fontaine

Everyone has his faults which he continually repeats: neither fear nor shame can cure them.

Jean de La Fontaine

Help thyself and Heaven will help thee.

Jean de La Fontaine

Friendship is the shadow of the evening, which increases with the setting sun of life.

Jean de La Fontaine

Dressed in the lion’s skin, the ass spread terror far and wide.

Jean de La Fontaine

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