Cormac McCarthy’s “Blood Meridian” is a deep and stark narrative that explores the depths of human violence and the dark reinforcements of historical conquests in the American West.
The novel is teeming with philosophical insights and fierce realism, captured through McCarthy’s dense and poetic language.
Quotes from “Blood Meridian” reflect on existential themes, the nature of war, and the intricacies of human morality, offering you a look into the gloomy and often nihilistic view of the world.
Top Blood Meridian Quotes
Cormac McCarthy’s “Blood Meridian” is a novel of epic proportions, filled with profound observations and gripping prose. These quotes capture the essence of the narrative and the profound depth of its language.
“Whatever in creation exists without my knowledge exists without my consent.” – Judge Holden
“He can neither read nor write and in him broods already a taste for mindless violence.” – Narrator
“The truth about the world, he said, is that anything is possible. Had you not seen it all from birth and thereby bled it of its strangeness it would appear to you for what it is, a hat-trick in a medicine show, a fevered dream.” – Judge Holden
“War is God.” – Judge Holden
“If God meant to interfere in the degeneracy of mankind would he not have done so by now?” – Judge Holden
“Your heart’s desire is to be told some mystery. The mystery is that there is no mystery.” – Judge Holden
“Men are born for games. Nothing else. Every child knows that play is nobler than work.” – Judge Holden
“The man who believes that the secrets of the world are forever hidden lives in mystery and fear. Superstition will drag him down.” – Judge Holden
“The freedom of birds is an insult to me.” – Judge Holden
“There is no such joy in the tavern as upon the road thereto.” – Narrator
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Blood Meridian Quotes on Violence and Savagery
“Blood Meridian” is notorious for its brutal portrayal of violence and the savagery inherent in human nature. These quotes delve into the dark themes at the heart of the novel.
“It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge. War endures.” – Judge Holden
“The judge smiled. Men are born for games. Nothing else. Every child knows that play is nobler than work.” – Judge Holden
“If war is not holy man is nothing but antic clay.” – Judge Holden
“War is the ultimate game because war is at last a forcing of the unity of existence. War is god.” – Judge Holden
“There is no such joy in the tavern as upon the road thereto.” – Narrator
“He never sleeps, the judge. He is dancing, dancing. He says that he will never die.” – Narrator
“Violence is the truest form of expression.” – Judge Holden
“They are beings of another order. They possess a different criterion.” – Judge Holden
“The desert upon which so many have been broken is vast and calls for largeness of heart but it is ultimately void.” – Narrator
“They speak of a war and in their dreams they fight that war and it’s always the old wars.” – Judge Holden
Blood Meridian Quotes by Judge Holden on Power
Judge Holden, one of Cormac McCarthy’s most formidable characters, often speaks on the nature of power and dominion, offering chilling insights into the dynamics of control and authority within “Blood Meridian”.
“Moral law is an invention of mankind for the disenfranchisement of the powerful in favor of the weak.” – Judge Holden
“What joins men together is not the sharing of bread but the sharing of enemies.” – Judge Holden
“War is the ultimate game because war is at last a forcing of the unity of existence. War is god.” – Judge Holden
“There is no order in the world save that which death has put there.” – Judge Holden
“Power is not revealed by striking hard or often, but by striking true.” – Judge Holden
“All other trades are contained in that of war.” – Judge Holden
“Conquest is the missionary enterprise. It’s the bringing of benefits to the ignorant.” – Judge Holden
“War endures. As well ask men what they think of stone. War was always here.” – Judge Holden
“It is not necessary that the principals here be in possession of the facts concerning their case, for their acts will ultimately accommodate history with or without their understanding.” – Judge Holden
“The freedom of birds is an insult to me. I’d have them all in zoos.” – Judge Holden
Blood Meridian Quotes on Existentialism
“Blood Meridian” delves into existential themes, questioning the meaning of existence, morality, and the human condition. These quotes from the novel explore the existential undertones that permeate its narrative.
“If God meant to interfere in the degeneracy of mankind would he not have done so by now?” – Judge Holden
“The man who believes that the secrets of the world are forever hidden lives in mystery and fear.” – Judge Holden
“Your heart’s desire is to be told some mystery. The mystery is that there is no mystery.” – Judge Holden
“The truth about the world, he said, is that anything is possible.” – Judge Holden
“Men are born for games. Nothing else. Every child knows that play is nobler than work.” – Judge Holden
“The universe is no narrow thing and the order within it is not constrained by any latitude in its conception to repeat what exists in one part in any other part.” – Judge Holden
“All progressions from a higher to a lower order are marked by ruins and mystery and a residue of nameless rage.” – Cormac McCarthy
“Every man is tabernacled in every other and he in exchange and so on in an endless complexity of being and witness to the uttermost edge of the world.” – Judge Holden
“Only that man who has offered up himself entire to the blood of war, who has been to the floor of the pit and seen horror in the round, has come at last to that place where he can stand and see the beauty and the horror in the world.” – Judge Holden
“If the rule you followed brought you to this, of what use was the rule?” – Judge Holden
Blood Meridian Quotes on the Landscape
In “Blood Meridian,” Cormac McCarthy crafts a landscape that is as stark and merciless as the characters who traverse it. The desolate and often hostile terrain becomes a central force in the narrative, shaping the brutal events that unfold.
“The desert he rode was red and red the dust he raised.” – Narrator
“The mountains were hissing in the dark and the wind moved among them like a fugitive.” – Narrator
“They crossed rough terrain, the horses’ hooves clopping on the frozen ground, the earth itself ironbound beneath them.” – Narrator
“Below them the country lay dead flat save for the shadowed places where the arroyo lay coiled up in the bald plain like an immense serpent.” – Narrator
“The way narrowed through rocks and by and by they came to a bush that was hung with dead babies.” – Narrator
“He looked out over the waste of wild swells and the sea somber beneath and the ship rounding up with the land on every side save where the sun lay like a wisp of straw.” – Narrator
“The jagged mountains were pure blue in the dawn and everywhere birds twittered in the false new light.” – Narrator
“The judge stood up and poured the tumbler of water on the ground. He placed the empty glass on the rock.” – Narrator
“Across the saltbush plain to the south, dust devils moved like spectres under the hard blue sky and the mountains rang the valley like the anvils of the gods.” – Narrator
“They rode through the high country and the low, sand and rock and shale, the wheels of the wagons sinking and rolling and the mules pulling through.” – Narrator
Blood Meridian Quotes on Human Nature
“Blood Meridian” delves deeply into the darkest recesses of human nature, exploring themes of violence, power, and the inherent cruelty that can arise in the absence of societal norms.
“War is the ultimate game because war is at last a forcing of the unity of existence. War is god.” – Judge Holden
“If God meant to interfere in the degeneracy of mankind would he not have done so by now?” – Judge Holden
“The truth about the world, he said, is that anything is possible. Had you not seen it all from birth and thereby bled it of its strangeness it would appear to you for what it is, a hat-trick in a medicine show, a fevered dream.” – Judge Holden
“Men are born for games. Nothing else. Every child knows that play is nobler than work.” – Judge Holden
“Your heart’s desire is to be told some mystery. The mystery is that there is no mystery.” – Judge Holden
“The man who believes that the secrets of the world are forever hidden lives in mystery and fear. Superstition will drag him down.” – Judge Holden
“What joins men together is not the sharing of bread but the sharing of enemies.” – Judge Holden
“It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge. War endures.” – Judge Holden
“Moral law is an invention of mankind for the disenfranchisement of the powerful in favor of the weak.” – Judge Holden
“Only that man who has offered up himself entire to the blood of war, who has been to the floor of the pit and seen horror in the round, has come at last to that place where he can stand and see the beauty and the horror in the world.” – Judge Holden
Blood Meridian Quotes on Morality and Justice
In “Blood Meridian,” Cormac McCarthy explores profound themes of morality and justice through a lens that often blurs the lines between right and wrong. This stark portrayal challenges the reader to contemplate the true nature of justice in a lawless world.
“Blood Meridian” questions the very fabric of morality and justice in its narrative. Here are quotes that delve into these complex themes, reflecting the ambiguity and harshness of the characters’ moral landscape.
“Moral law is an invention of mankind for the disenfranchisement of the powerful in favor of the weak.” – Judge Holden
“The judge, he’s aint a man like any other. He is the man of all men.” – Narrator
“If war is not holy man is nothing but antic clay.” – Judge Holden
“The freedom of birds is an insult to me. I’d have them all in zoos.” – Judge Holden
“What is constant in history is greed and foolishness and a love of blood.” – Judge Holden
“There is no such joy in the tavern as upon the road thereto, amid the weeping of the clouds and the deep catacombs of the night.” – Narrator
“If it is not the case that might makes right then where is the wrong lodged? Not in the might.” – Judge Holden
“All history present in that visage, the child the father of the man.” – Narrator
“War is the truest form of divination. It is the testing of one’s will and the will of another within that larger will which because it binds them is therefore forced to select.” – Judge Holden
“Justice is not to be taken by storm. She is to be wooed by slow advances.” – Judge Holden
Blood Meridian Quotes on Survival
Survival in “Blood Meridian” is depicted not just as a physical endeavor but as an existential battle. The harsh environment and even harsher human interactions depict a world where survival is perennially at stake.
In “Blood Meridian,” survival is a pervasive theme, portrayed through the relentless and often brutal challenges faced by the characters. Here are ten quotes that capture the essence of survival in this unforgiving landscape.
“The man who believes that the secrets of the world are forever hidden lives in mystery and fear. Superstition will drag him down.” – Judge Holden
“Your heart’s desire is to be told some mystery. The mystery is that there is no mystery.” – Judge Holden
“Men are born for games. Nothing else. Every child knows that play is nobler than work.” – Judge Holden
“War is the ultimate game because war is at last a forcing of the unity of existence. War is god.” – Judge Holden
“He can neither read nor write and in him broods already a taste for mindless violence.” – Narrator
“It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge. War endures.” – Judge Holden
“All progressions from a higher to a lower order are marked by ruins and mystery and a residue of nameless rage.” – Narrator
“The truth about the world, he said, is that anything is possible.” – Judge Holden
“There is room on the stage for one beast and one alone. All others are destined for a night that is eternal and without name.” – Judge Holden
“War is the great auditor of institutions.” – Judge Holden
Blood Meridian Quotes on Isolation and Loneliness
In “Blood Meridian,” Cormac McCarthy explores the profound themes of isolation and loneliness, portraying characters often engulfed in the vast, indifferent wilderness. These elements highlight the solitary nature of existence in the brutal landscape of the American frontier.
“He stood at the window of the empty cafe and watched the activities in the square and he said that it was good that God kept the truths of life from the young as they were starting out or else they’d have no heart to start at all.” – Cormac McCarthy
“He thought the world’s heart beat at some terrible cost and that the world’s pain and its beauty moved in a relationship of diverging equity and that in this headlong deficit the blood of multitudes might ultimately be exacted for the vision of a single flower.” – Cormac McCarthy
“He watched the fire and if he saw portents there it was much the same to him. He would live to be a very old man and he would never leave this desert. He knew that now.” – Cormac McCarthy
“Each man is the bard of his own existence.” – Cormac McCarthy
“In the neuter austerity of that terrain all phenomena were bequeathed a strange equality.” – Cormac McCarthy
“There is no such joy in the tavern as upon the road thereto.” – Cormac McCarthy
“The closest bonds we will ever know are bonds of grief. The deepest community one of sorrow.” – Cormac McCarthy
“The man who believes that the secrets of the world are forever hidden lives in mystery and fear.” – Cormac McCarthy
“A man seeks his own destiny and no other, said the judge. Will or nil, he can not escape it.” – Cormac McCarthy
“All solitude is better than to suffer the company of man.” – Judge Holden
Blood Meridian Quotes on Mysticism and Religion
“Mysticism and religion are woven throughout the narrative of “Blood Meridian,” where spiritual and existential questions often intersect with the violent reality of the characters’ lives, providing a stark contrast to the earthly horrors they endure.
“The judge, he’s like something out of the bible.” – Cormac McCarthy
“What’s a man’s life worth? asked the judge. To which the judge smiled and said that a man’s life was worth no more than the life of an ant.” – Cormac McCarthy
“God does not save people in their sins, He saves them from their sins.” – Cormac McCarthy
“Your heart’s desire is to be told some mystery. The mystery is that there is no mystery.” – Judge Holden
“Every man is tabernacled in every other and he in exchange and so on in an endless complexity of being and witness.” – Judge Holden
“He says that he will never die.” – Cormac McCarthy
“It makes no difference what men think of war. War endures.” – Judge Holden
“The judge watched with great equanimity, a mimesis of the mind of God.” – Cormac McCarthy
“War is the truest form of divination.” – Judge Holden
“There is no government in any man’s heaven any more than there is hell in his earth.” – Judge Holden
Blood Meridian Quotes on the Savage History
In “Blood Meridian,” Cormac McCarthy exposes the raw and often brutal history of the American frontier. Through his narrative, he delves into the savage history that shaped both the landscape and its people.
“The judge’s hand lay on the ground and in that hand the blackened brass compass from which the glass had been struck.” – Narrator
“The way of the world is to bloom and to flower and die but in the affairs of men there is no waning and the noon of his expression signals the onset of night.” – Judge Holden
“His origins are become remote as is his destiny and not again in all the world’s turning will there be terrains so wild and barbarous to try whether the stuff of creation may be shaped to man’s will or whether his own heart is not another kind of clay.” – Narrator
“The universe is no narrow thing and the order within it is not constrained by any latitude in its conception to repeat what exists in one part in any other part.” – Judge Holden
“The world is quite ruthless in selecting between the dream and the reality, even where we will not.” – Narrator
“War is god.” – Judge Holden
“It makes no difference what men think of war, said the judge. War endures.” – Judge Holden
“A man’s at odds to know his mind cause his mind is aught he has to know it with.” – Judge Holden
“If war is not holy man is nothing but antic clay.” – Judge Holden
“The truth about the world, he said, is that anything is possible.” – Judge Holden
Blood Meridian Quotes on Authority and Leadership
“Blood Meridian” also explores themes of authority and leadership through its portrayal of powerful characters who exert influence over others, most notably the enigmatic Judge Holden.
“The judge smiled. Might does not make right, said Irving. The man that wins in some combat is not vindicated morally.” – Judge Holden
“Might is no more than an artifact of prior races.” – Judge Holden
“All other trades are contained in that of war.” – Judge Holden
“What joins men together, he said, is not the sharing of bread but the sharing of enemies.” – Judge Holden
“The judge, who towers above all others, his authority is absolute.” – Narrator
“In the end we shall make thoughtcrime literally impossible, because there will be no words in which to express it.” – Judge Holden
“All history present in that visage, the child the father of the man.” – Narrator
“The man who believes that the secrets of the world are forever hidden lives in mystery and fear. Superstition will drag him down.” – Judge Holden
“The freedom of birds is an insult to me. I’d have them all in zoos.” – Judge Holden
“There is no government in any man’s heaven any more than there is hell in his earth.” – Judge Holden
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Final Thoughts
The quotes from “Blood Meridian” are haunting as well as educating, summarizing the vicious truth of the human condition and the unwavering landscape that shapes it.
McCarthy’s language is both fierce and stunning, knitting an intricate tapestry of themes that challenge your understanding of morality and justice.
Each quote is a reflective pause in the narrative, guiding you through the brutal journey across a merciless frontier. Through these carefully crafted words, McCarthy exposes the innate savagery of mankind and the repetitive nature of violence, which leaves a lasting impact that echoes even after the final page has been flipped.