Comments on: Literary Tattoos

By: Mere

Mere — Thu, 20 Aug 2015 05:11:35 +0000

Entire passages are a bit excessive, and the pictures above, yes, are horrible tattoos. But getting a single line from a song, or a few lines from a book or poem? What’s wrong with that? Especially if it is something particularly meaningful. A lot of literary tattoos are something specific. Don’t even with the Sylvia Plath quotes. Most of the peoplle who get a Plath quote tattoo get it as a recovery tattoo for mental illness, and Sylvia Plath is amazing. You sound extremely uneducated, and I know of many tattoo artists that have words tattooed on their body. Would you tell them that the body shouldn’t be “readable”??

By: Illy

Illy — Sun, 20 Apr 2014 14:11:57 +0000

Wow these comments are harsh. Your body is your own body. If you love Harry Potter, go get a Harry Potter tattoo. I’m an english literature student and I love books, there’s nothing pretentious about loving a particular line or author just like someone might love a picture, a song quote or a movie line. Get a grip. Someone else’s tattoo is not harming you so get over it.

By: Monika

Monika — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 19:29:23 +0000

Well, what kinda hit me was the sentence “…it’s better than all the poor unfortunate people who’ve chosen stuff from Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and poems by Sylvia Plath”. Think it’s totally inappropriate. I have a tatt, but it’s not literary yet (the other will be). I plan to get a HP tatt (one, the other will be quotes from my favorite poets and writers) and I really am not “poor” or “unfortunate” (“crazy” is the right word). You get tattoo because it means st to you. If someone decides to have an ass tattoo, I won’t be rude (through gestures nor words). This kind of behaviour is sad, really.

By: Kitty

Kitty — Sat, 20 Nov 2010 22:31:26 +0000

if it’s a mantra that has followed you for several years, then go ahead, keep it short and put it someplace discrete. but if you’re reading diane steele at night and getting the shit inked on you the next morning, or if you stole the line from a cult movie you saw quoting a book you never read… i mean, i dunno, man. doodle that shit in your diary. unless you’re, like 75, or you do it as a joke when you’re drunk.
the sublime idea is way cooler than the james joyce necklace.

By: RedHeadFashionista

RedHeadFashionista — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:27:15 +0000

Mary Z – I know what you mean. It does terrify me a bit that there are few things I can do now without thinking ‘oh no, am I pretentious?’

By: RedHeadFashionista

RedHeadFashionista — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 15:18:41 +0000

Bessie the Buddhacow – Oooh, that words and wings one would make a great tattoo.
Rebecca – That T S Elliot exchange…I cried with laughter. I probably know someone like that.

By: The Bad Kate

The Bad Kate — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 03:20:38 +0000

Even though every second person on the street has at least one tattoo these days, I STILL almost always take a second, horrified look when I see one, because my brain usually reads it as either a bruise or a terrible birthmark in a passing glance.

That said, if one must have a literary tattoo, at least get it calligraphed beautifully, like these: http://bdunlap.blogspot.com/search/label/tattoos

By: Mary Z

Mary Z — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 23:58:36 +0000

I think it’s sad that we’re in a time now that people can’t get tattoos with quotes from poems, books, films, etc., without some one thinking they are trying to show off how intelligent they are and coming off as ‘pretentious.’ Without talking to the person, you really couldn’t know. At the same time I wish people wouldn’t have ruined it, by being pretentious.

On another note- Due to the fact that I’m picky about tattoo artists, and broke (a terrible combination), I only have one tattoo. It’s one that, going in to get, I knew many other people had. It’s just the song title ‘No Lies, Just Love’ by Bright Eyes on my inner upper forearm. I have my own reasons, and I’m ridiculously happy with the font. I’ll probably end up getting something else by Bright Eyes in the future. Here’s a picture:
http://i56.tinypic.com/15g486f.jpg

If love something enough to put it into, not on, your body, it shouldn’t matter the font, and it shouldn’t matter to someone else. It’s a little confusing to me why people who’s bodies the ink isn’t in hate them so much. I love when people get tattoos of words but in a way that it forms an image too. That’s pretty amazing hah.

By: Dont Forget The Y

Dont Forget The Y — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 23:40:39 +0000

Three out of my eight tattoos are literary. One serious, one sentimental, and one completely idiotic and I love them all. If you don’t, just look away. There are a lot of douchey things in life, tattoos included.

By: Natty

Natty — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 17:06:19 +0000

What I hate more than literary tattoos are those stupid statements, e.g. “only god can judge me” or “get rich or die trying” or even those stupid abbreviations – such as M.O.B. I dont mine literary tattoos or lyrics too much to be honest – I like any tattoo as long as it has been well done. I simply hate shit tats done by people who havent got a clue.