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
..but it seemed to him that the tie between husband and wife, if breakable in prosperity, should be indissoluble in misfortune.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A strong marital bond is expected to withstand hardships, unlike during times of prosperity.
In this quote, Edith Wharton reflects upon the enduring nature of the bond between a husband and wife, suggesting that their connection should be especially robust in times of adversity. The implication is that while many relationships may falter when faced with success or ease, true partnerships are proven through the trials of misfortune, highlighting the idea that love and commitment are most vital in challenging times.
Themes
MarriageRelationshipLoveAdversityCommitment
In practice
Example use cases
During a wedding speech, one might use this quote to emphasize the importance of standing together in tough times.
More from Edith Wharton
All quotes βThey seemed to come suddenly upon happiness as if they had surprised a butterfly in the winter woods
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Set wide the window. Let me drink the day.
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And I wonder, among all the tangles of this mortal coil, which one contains tighter knots to undo, & consequently suggests more tugging, & pain, & diversified elements of misery, than the marriage tie.
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 otherβs 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
Edith WhartonRead
There are two ways to spread happiness; either be the light who shines it or be the mirror who reflects it.
Edith WhartonRead
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