• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / Language / What does the phrase “ivory tower” mean and Where did the term “ivory tower” come from?

What does the phrase “ivory tower” mean and Where did the term “ivory tower” come from?

July 28, 2020 by Karen Hill

When Charles-Augustin Sainte-Beuve, French literary critic of the early nineteenth century, coined the term “ivory tower” he thought of it as applicable to the aerie of a poet, a place where he could retire from the world, a retreat.

The term occurs in his own poem, Pensies d’Aotit (Thoughts of August), written in October, 1837, and dedicated to Francois Villemain.

The third stanza, in which Victor Hugo and Alfred de Vigny, both poets, are mentioned, runs in part:

Hugo, dur partisan
combattit sous l’armure,
Et tint haut sa banniere ou milieu du murmure:
Il la maintient encore; et Vigny, plus secret,
Comme en sa tour d’ivoire, avant midi, rentrait.

(Hugo, strong partisan
fought in armor,
And held high his banner in the midst of the tumult;
He still holds it; and Vigny, more discreet,
As if in his tower of ivory, retired before noon.)

Nevertheless, although Saint-Beuve may be credited as the originator of the thought, its intent is more pertinently expressed by Jules de Gaultier in La Guerre et les Destinees de l’Art, as given also in the Christopher Morley edition of Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations (1948):

The poet, retired in his Tower of Ivory, isolated, according to his desire, from the world of man, resembles, whether he wishes or not, another solitary figure, the watcher enclosed for months at a time in a lighthouse at the head of a cliff.

Though long held by the poets, the “ivory tower” has been invaded by others in recent years. It is still aloof from the common run and is still a sanctum, but, whether secluded or not, it is now a remote observation post that is open to philosophers, college professors, various writers, an occasional editor, and others who may, as from a place of vantage, watch the world go by.

Related Facts

  • Where did the Eiffel Tower come from and How did Gustave Eiffel build the Eiffel Tower in France?
  • Where Does Ivory Come From?
  • Who Invented Ivory Soap and How Did Ivory Soap Get Its Name?
  • Why Is The Ivory Coast The Richest Country in West Africa?
  • Will the Leaning Tower of Pisa Ever Fall?
  • Why Does the Leaning Tower of Pisa Lean?

Filed Under: Language

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « Where does the phrase “something rotten in Denmark” come from and What does it mean?
Next Post: Where does the expression “whipping boy” come from and What does “whipping boy” mean? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2020 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy