They are all alike you know. They hold their tongues for years and you think you're safe, but when the opportunity comes they remember everything.
Edith WhartonRead
As he paid the hansom and followed his wife's long train into the house he took refuge in the comforting platitude that the first six months were always the most difficult in marriage. 'After that I suppose we shall have pretty nearly finished rubbing off each other’s angles,' he reflected; but the worst of it was that May's pressure was already bearing on the very angles whose sharpness he most wanted to keep
Interpretation
What this quote means
Marriage often begins with challenges that couples must navigate together.
This quote reflects the initial struggles that couples face during the early stages of marriage. It suggests that the first six months can be particularly difficult as partners learn to understand and adapt to each other's differences. The mention of 'rubbing off each other’s angles' symbolizes the compromises and adjustments needed in a relationship, highlighting the tension between personal identity and marital harmony.
Themes
MarriageRelationshipsChallengesAdjustmentsCommitment
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a wedding speech to emphasize the journey of marriage.
More from Edith Wharton
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