Literary notes about Harmony (AI summary)
In literature, "harmony" assumes a wide range of meanings, from describing aesthetic balance to symbolizing inner unity and societal order. At times it is used to highlight discord, where a character’s attire may be out of sync with her ambitions [1], while in other passages it denotes the very essence of deep human connection and unity, imbuing relationships with soulful resonance [2]. The term also frequently appears in vivid descriptions that liken natural beauty or artistic constructions to a perfectly arranged musical composition [3] and in philosophical contexts where it embodies the seamless integration of matter and spirit [4]. Thus, writers employ "harmony" both as a literal measure of balance in objects and as a metaphor for the ideal state of human and cosmic order.
- Vauquer’s dress, which was not in harmony with her projects.
— from Father Goriot by Honoré de Balzac - Harmony was the soul of our companionship, and the diversity and contrast that subsisted in our characters drew us nearer together.
— from Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley - The emerald charmeuse on a lawn in summer would be a poem of harmony.
— from Etiquette by Emily Post - The Virgilian harmony is not translatable, but by substituting harmonious sounds in another language for it.
— from The Works of Charles and Mary Lamb — Volume 2 by Charles Lamb and Mary Lamb
