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Literary notes about duration (AI summary)

The term "duration" in literature is employed in a variety of ways that illuminate both its abstract, philosophical dimensions and its concrete, experiential manifestations. Philosophers such as Locke and Hume use "duration" as a central construct in their theories of time and existence—arguing that all parts of time are measurable yet intrinsically boundless ([1], [2], [3], [4], [5]). Meanwhile, in narrative and descriptive contexts authors evoke "duration" to highlight fleeting moments or to delineate periods of notable intensity and consequence. For instance, Poe and Dickens capture the ephemeral nature of life’s moments, whether in orchestrating suspense and mystery or in evoking the brief spark of beauty ([6], [7], [8], [9]), while others, like Darwin or Clausewitz, reference duration in relation to natural intervals and historical measures, underlining its role as a benchmark for change or stability ([10], [11], [12]). This dual usage—both as an abstract concept and as a marker of lived experience—reflects the versatility and profound significance of duration in literary discourse.
  1. Our Measure of Time applicable to Duration before Time.
    — from An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, Volume 1 by John Locke
  2. The ideas of EXISTENCE, DURATION, and MOBILITY, are common to them both.
    — from An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, Volume 1 by John Locke
  3. Infinity, in its original Intention, attributed to Space, Duration, and Number.
    — from An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, Volume 1 by John Locke
  4. Time in general is to duration as place to expansion.
    — from An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, Volume 1 by John Locke
  5. Every part of duration is duration too; and every part of extension is extension, both of them capable of addition or division in infinitum.
    — from An Essay Concerning Humane Understanding, Volume 1 by John Locke
  6. You cannot be made to see how the mere duration of the corpse on the shore could operate to multiply traces of the assassins.
    — from The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 1 by Edgar Allan Poe
  7. It was of very brief duration, but, while it lasted resembled nothing in the world of which I had any previous experience.
    — from The Works of Edgar Allan Poe — Volume 1 by Edgar Allan Poe
  8. The joy of king and retainers is, however, of short duration.
    — from Beowulf: An Anglo-Saxon Epic Poem
  9. It was of very brief duration, but, while it lasted resembled nothing in the world of which I had any previous experience.
    — from The Works of Edgar Allan Poe, The Raven Edition by Edgar Allan Poe
  10. But we shall be able to gauge with some security the duration of these intervals by a comparison of the preceding and succeeding organic forms.
    — from The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection by Charles Darwin
  11. Within the duration of this relaxed state of exhaustion, the appearance of a proportionate number of fresh troops is decisive.
    — from On War by Carl von Clausewitz
  12. This will be the case, not only as regards extent, but also as regards duration.
    — from On War by Carl von Clausewitz

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