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loadingBeauty is in the Eye of the Beholder: A Philosophical Reflection on Love, Truth, and the Good Life
Hind MoutaoikilR&D Manager
Thu May 08 2025
The phrase “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is one of those timeless adages that has made its way into the lexicon of everyday conversation, a familiar refrain used to explain the subjectivity of beauty and personal taste. Yet behind its simplicity lies a profound philosophical insight. Where did this expression originate, and what deeper wisdom can we glean from it? To truly grasp its significance, we must explore both the roots of the phrase and its broader implications for how we see the world — and how we live within it.
The Origins of the Phrase
Though often attributed to ancient philosophers, the phrase “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” as we know it did not appear until the 19th century. Its earliest recorded usage is found in the 1878 novel Molly Bawn by Irish writer Margaret Wolfe Hungerford. In the novel, Hungerford weaves the phrase into a meditation on romance, perception, and self-image, suggesting that beauty — whether found in people, objects, or experiences — is not an absolute, fixed quality, but something that lives in the perspective of the observer.
While Hungerford coined the phrase in its modern form, its philosophical roots reach back to ancient Greece. Plato, in dialogues such as the Symposium, explores the nature of beauty as something that transcends mere physical attraction, hinting at an inner form of beauty connected to truth and goodness. In these dialogues, Socrates suggests that beauty is a subjective experience — an inner perception shaped by the beholder’s mind and soul. Beauty, for Socrates, is not merely what the eyes see, but what the heart and intellect recognize as meaningful, worthy, and true.
Margaret Wolfe Hungerford: The Woman Behind the Words
Margaret Wolfe Hungerford (1855–1918) was a prolific Irish novelist, with the pen name "The Duchess". She was much loved in her time for her romantic fiction. Born in County Cork, Ireland, she was educated at home by her father, who encouraged her literary ambitions. Orphaned at a young age, Hungerford turned to writing both as a livelihood and as a creative outlet, achieving early success with her debut novel The Two Sentimentals. But it was Molly Bawn that secured her literary legacy — not only for its popularity but for introducing a phrase that would endure across centuries.
Hungerford’s novels, though written in the popular romance genre, often carried subtle reflections on the complexities of human relationships, personal perception, and the delicate dance between appearance and reality. In coining “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” she offered a simple yet profound observation: that what we call beautiful is shaped by the inner world of the viewer, not dictated by universal standards.
The Subjectivity of Beauty
The insight embedded in Hungerford’s phrase is deceptively simple: beauty is subjective. What one person finds beautiful, another may overlook, dismiss, or even reject. This idea has been echoed throughout philosophical history, from David Hume’s reflections on aesthetic taste to Immanuel Kant’s theory of judgment. Kant famously argued that while we speak of beauty as if it should be universally agreed upon, in reality, it arises from individual feeling — a pleasure taken in the mere contemplation of an object, without need for possession or purpose.
In art, this subjectivity is evident in the diversity of tastes and interpretations. A modern abstract painting may evoke awe in one viewer and confusion in another; a classic sculpture may inspire reverence in one and indifference in another. Even within cultures, standards of beauty evolve over time, revealing the fluid and contextual nature of aesthetic judgment.
But the subjectivity of beauty extends beyond art into our relationships and daily lives. We see it in the way people fall in love with different qualities, physical or intangible; in the way a mother gazes at her child; in the unique beauty one finds in a familiar landscape or a cherished memory. Beauty, in this sense, is not a universal attribute waiting to be discovered, but a dynamic interplay between object and observer.
Socrates and the Inner Eye
Returning to Socratic philosophy, we find that this subjective vision of beauty is not a denial of truth, but a call to deeper perception. In the Symposium, Socrates recounts the teachings of Diotima, a mysterious wise woman who guides him toward an understanding of beauty that moves from physical attraction to the love of wisdom, virtue, and the eternal. Beauty begins with the senses, but it culminates in the contemplation of the Good — an ascent from appearance to essence.
In this dialogue, beauty is not merely about external form; it is an awakening of the soul’s longing for what is true, meaningful, and life-affirming. To behold beauty, then, is to see with more than the eyes: it is to perceive with the heart, to intuit with the mind, to feel with the depths of one’s being. Beauty becomes a bridge between the visible and the invisible, the temporal and the eternal.
This insight invites us to expand our understanding of beauty beyond aesthetic pleasure, linking it to love, truth, and the art of living well. To truly see beauty, Socrates suggests, is to be transformed by it — to let it call us toward a richer, fuller way of being.
A Reflection on the Good Life
What, then, does it mean to live a beautiful life? If beauty lies in the eye of the beholder, perhaps the task is not to conform to external ideals but to cultivate an inner vision capable of recognizing beauty in its many forms. A beautiful life is not necessarily one of outward perfection, but one marked by openness, gratitude, compassion, and wonder. It is a life attentive to the small, fleeting moments of grace: the smile of a stranger, the colors of a sunset, the quiet dignity of aging hands.
It is also a life that acknowledges the beauty in imperfection, in fragility, in the brokenness that makes us human. As the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi teaches, there is beauty in the incomplete, the impermanent, and the imperfect — a beauty that invites humility and acceptance.
Ultimately, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” reminds us that we are not passive observers of beauty but active participants in its creation. We shape the world we see by how we choose to look at it. And in choosing to see beauty — even amid difficulty, even amid imperfection — we participate in a deeper truth: that beauty is not just a matter of appearances, but a way of being present to life’s unfolding mystery.
May we behold beauty not only with our eyes but with our hearts, and in doing so, may we craft a life radiant with love, truth, and the quiet courage to see — and to serve — the good.
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Hind Moutaoikil
R&D Manager
Hind is a Data Scientist and Computer Science graduate with a passion for research, development, and interdisciplinary exploration. She publishes on diverse subjects including philosophy, fine arts, mental health, and emerging technologies. Her work bridges data-driven insights with humanistic inquiry, illuminating the evolving relationships between art, culture, science, and innovation.
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