A lime-and-blue striped hammock stretched between two small hurdles, one leaning over, against a white background.

Original artwork, not a still

The Education of Henry Adams

Henry Brooks Adams

We combat obstacles in order to get repose, and, when got, the repose is insupportable.

Behind the line

What it means

Our interpretation.

This notes an irony of effort: we fight through obstacles to earn rest, and once we finally have it, it's unbearable. The speaker suggests struggle and calm are tangled together, and that peace can feel intolerable once the fight is gone.

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