Quote#Art
To say that a great genius is half-mad, while recognizing his…
Quote byJames Joyce · 1882–1941
Commonly attributed — not confirmed in an authoritative edition. Cited on Wikiquote to: "Realism and Idealism in English Literature (Daniel Defoe - William Blake)," lecture, Università Popolare, Trieste (February 27-28, 1912), printed in James Joyce: Occasional, Critical and Political Writing (2002) edited by Kevin Barry [Oxford University Press, ], p. 179.
English (original)
To say that a great genius is half-mad, while recognizing his artistic prowess, is worth as much as saying that he was rheumatic, or that he suffered from diabetes. Madness, in fact, is a medical expression to which a balanced critic should pay no more heed than he would to the accusation of heresy brought by the theologian, or to the accusation of immorality brought by the public prosecutor.
— James Joyce
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