“It makes no difference what men think of war…War endures. As well ask men what they think of stone. War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him. The ultimate trade awaiting the ultimate practitioner.”
“Blood Meridian” by Cormac McCarthy is often regarded as one of the greatest American novels of the 20th century. The book is set in the mid-19th century and follows a nameless protagonist, known only as “the Kid,” as he joins a group of Indian-hunters led by the ruthless Judge Holden. The novel is a brutal, unflinching portrayal of violence and the human condition.
In this particular quote, Judge Holden is speaking, and he expresses a deeply fatalistic view of war and violence. Let’s break it down:
-
“It makes no difference what men think of war…War endures.”
- Holden is suggesting that human opinions on war are irrelevant because war is an eternal, unchanging force. It persists regardless of what people think or believe about it.
-
“As well ask men what they think of stone.”
- This comparison implies that war, like stone, is a fundamental and enduring aspect of the world. Just as stones exist without concern for human thoughts, so does war.
-
“War was always here. Before man was, war waited for him.”
- Holden posits that war is a primordial force, existing even before humanity. This suggests that conflict and violence are intrinsic to the nature of the universe.
-
“The ultimate trade awaiting the ultimate practitioner.”
- This part of the quote frames war as a trade or profession, one that is supreme and ultimate, requiring a practitioner who is similarly ultimate. It implies that those who engage in war are fulfilling a role that is both ancient and profoundly significant.
Judge Holden’s philosophy in “Blood Meridian” is often interpreted as a form of nihilism or existentialism, where he sees violence and conflict as inherent to the human condition and the natural world. His character is both a literal and symbolic representation of violence and chaos, and his speeches, including this one, reflect his belief in the inevitability and constancy of war.
Overall, this quote encapsulates one of the central themes of “Blood Meridian”: the omnipresence and inevitability of violence in human history and nature.