Quote by Andreas Gryphius: “Man, what are you? A breath, a shade, a dust.”

Gryphius starkly questions the essence of human existence, reducing it to its most ephemeral and material forms. He emphasizes humanity's insignificance and ultimate return to dust, a classic memento mori.

This powerful line from 'Es ist alles eitel' is a direct reflection of Gryphius's experiences during the Thirty Years' War, which decimated much of Central Europe. The widespread death and suffering fostered a profound sense of human vulnerability and the fragility of life.

German Baroque poet and playwright whose work was shaped by the devastation of the Thirty Years' War. His sonnets are among the finest in the German language, combining intense religious feeling with a preoccupation with transience, death, and the futility of earthly ambition.