Here the free spirit of mankind, at length, Throws its last fetters off; and who shall place A limit to the giant's unchained strength, Or curb his swiftness in the forward race!
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Bryant celebrates humanity’s freeing from constraints, questioning any limits on its unstoppable progress.
- In plain terms
- Humanity sheds its chains and races forward without limits.
- What can you take from it?
- Embrace progress and resist imposed restrictions.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What are healthy limits to progress?
- How do we balance freedom with responsibility?
Another view
Unchecked progress can have negative consequences.
More from William Cullen Bryant
Thine eyes are springs in whose serene And silent waters heaven is seen; Their lashes are the herbs that look On their young figures in the brook.
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Permalink to quote #5 He who, from zone to zone, Guides through the boundless sky thy certain flight, In the long way that I must tread alone, Will lead my steps aright.
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