# Art and Artistic Identity in Calvary

> Theme guide for Calvary by Octave Mirbeau.

The protagonist's identity as a writer and artist is central, with his creative ambitions clashing with his personal turmoil, and characters like Lirat representing the tension between artistic purity and worldly corruption.

## Where it surfaces

- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/calvary_se/chapters/iii): The narrator grapples with his lack of originality and talent, feeling that his writing is a mere imitation of others, and longs for the supreme joy of creating something truly his own.
- [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/calvary_se/chapters/viii): Lirat reminds the narrator of his artistic gift and the noble joys of creation, contrasting with his current fallen state.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/calvary_se/themes/art_and_artistic_identity
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/calvary_se/themes