Phrase: Artaud

"Masterpieces of the past are good for the past: they are not good for us" (74).

I found this phrase remarkably similar to Marx's statement in the Brumaire about letting the dead bury the dead. Artaud does not think people should appreciate previous masterpieces simply because they were masterpieces in earlier times. He is interested in creating artwork that is relevant in the present moment and reflects the essence of human existence. Marx is of a similar opinion in reference to social revolutions. He does not want people looking to the past for guidance when they should be looking to the future.