Literary notes about Secluded (AI summary)
The term "secluded" in literature is often used to evoke a powerful sense of isolation and quiet intimacy, whether in nature or society. In writings that focus on the natural world, authors like Henry David Thoreau use the word to describe a shaded, peaceful spot under a spreading pine ([1]), while Walt Whitman sings of deep hidden recesses from which the carol of the bird emerges ([2]). In contrast, literary works sometimes employ "secluded" to emphasize separation from society or even to suggest mystery and a refuge from conflict—José Rizal points out how a colony can no longer be hidden from the world ([3]), and Tolstoy portrays secret passages where intimate encounters unfold ([4]). Whether highlighting a physical sanctuary, a retreat from societal demands, or the psychological isolation of a character, the word enriches the narrative by deepening the atmosphere and inviting the reader into a realm apart from the ordinary.
- There, in a very secluded and shaded spot, under a spreading white pine, there was yet a clean, firm sward to sit on.
— from Walden, and On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau - From deep secluded recesses, From the fragrant cedars and the ghostly pines so still, Came the carol of the bird.
— from Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman - “The colony can no longer be kept secluded from the world.
— from The Philippines a Century Hence by José Rizal - It was the third time that day that, with an ecstatic and artless smile, she had met him in secluded passages.
— from War and Peace by graf Leo Tolstoy
