Literary notes about Uncertain (AI summary)
The term “uncertain” is used in literature as a versatile word that captures ambiguity, unpredictability, and the evocative nuance of doubt. It appears in philosophical reflections where it underscores the interplay between opposites—as in the dual nature of characters or ideas that are both alluring and enigmatic [1]—and to mark the indeterminate flow of events or time, such as when the timing of historical events is described as occurring at uncertain periods [2]. Authors also employ it to depict personal indecision and the precariousness of human fate, whether questioning the clarity of life’s direction [3] or the hidden motives behind actions [4]. In these varied contexts, “uncertain” enriches the narrative by inviting readers to embrace ambiguity and the unknowable aspects of experience, mirroring the complexity of both time and the human spirit.
- The uncertain also has its charms, the Sphinx, too, is a Circe, and Circe, too, was a philosopher."—Thus
— from Beyond Good and Evil by Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche - These examinations are held at Paris, Strasburg, and Montpelier, at uncertain periods, as the wants of the service may require.
— from The Declaration of Independence of the United States of America by Thomas Jefferson - ‘If Linton died,’ I answered, ‘and his life is quite uncertain, Catherine would be the heir.’
— from Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë - Something wild and doubtful in his expression made it appear uncertain whether he meant to strangle or to embrace his wife.
— from The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale by Joseph Conrad
