True enough, the country is calm. Calm as a morgue or a grave, would you not say?

True enough, the country is calm. Calm as a morgue or a grave, would you not say?

Vaclav Havel, the renowned Czech playwright, dissident, and politician, was known for his sharp wit and keen observations about the state of his country. In the quote, “True enough, the country is calm. Calm as a morgue or a grave, would you not say?” Havel captures the eerie stillness and stagnation that characterized Czechoslovakia under communist rule.

During the years of Soviet domination, Czechoslovakia was indeed a country that appeared calm on the surface. The oppressive regime stifled dissent and maintained a facade of order and stability. However, beneath this veneer of calmness lay a society paralyzed by fear, conformity, and a lack of freedom. Havel’s comparison of the country to a morgue or a grave is a powerful metaphor for the lifeless and suffocating atmosphere that pervaded Czechoslovakia during this time.

Havel himself experienced firsthand the repressive nature of the communist regime. As a dissident and vocal critic of the government, he was repeatedly arrested, harassed, and censored. Despite these challenges, Havel remained steadfast in his commitment to speaking out against injustice and advocating for a more open and democratic society.