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If I dropped a tear upon your hand, may it wither it up!…

“If I dropped a tear upon your hand, may it wither it up! If I spoke a gentle word in your hearing, may it deafen you! If I touched you with my lips, may the touch be poison to you! A curse upon this roof that gave me shelter! Sorrow and shame upon your head! Ruin upon all belonging to you!” quote by Charles Dickens
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“If I dropped a tear upon your hand, may it wither it up! If I spoke a gentle word in your hearing, may it deafen you! If I touched you with my lips, may the touch be poison to you! A curse upon this roof that gave me shelter! Sorrow and shame upon your head! Ruin upon all belonging to you!”

Charles Dickens

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

A curse of bitterness and revenge spreads sorrow and ruin to all associated.

In simple terms: Hatred harms everyone involved.

Key Takeaway

Avoid vengeance.

Themes

revenge curse destruction

Mood

tragic reflective

Type

literary ethical

When to use this quote

  • legal disputes
  • relationship breakups
  • political conflicts
  • social media feuds

Key Concepts

moral philosophy psychology family dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

  • What alternatives exist to revenge?
  • How does bitterness affect the self?
A Different Perspective

Revenge can feel justified.

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