Here I am trying to live, or rather, I am trying to teach the death within me how to live

Here I am trying to live, or rather, I am trying to teach the death within me how to live

Jean Cocteau, a French poet, playwright, and filmmaker, was known for his avant-garde approach to art and his exploration of themes such as life, death, and the human experience. One of his most famous quotes, “Here I am trying to live, or rather, I am trying to teach the death within me how to live,” encapsulates his complex and introspective view of existence.

Cocteau’s statement can be interpreted in various ways, but at its core, it speaks to the struggle of reconciling the inevitability of death with the desire to fully embrace life. For Cocteau, life and death were not separate entities but rather intertwined aspects of the human experience. He believed that in order to truly live, one must first come to terms with their own mortality and learn to accept the impermanence of existence.