Fear no more," said Clarissa. Fear no more the heat o' the…
““Fear no more," said Clarissa. Fear no more the heat o' the sun; for the shock of Lady Bruton asking Richard to lunch without her made the moment in which she had stood shiver, as a plant on the river-bed feels the shock of a passing oar and shivers: so she rocked: so she shivered. Millicent Bruton, whose lunch parties were said to be extraordinarily amusing, had not asked her. No vulgar jealousy could separate her from Richard. But she feared time itself, and read on Lady Bruton's face, as if it had been a dial cut in impassive stone, the dwindling of life; how year by year her share was sliced; how little the margin that remained was capable any longer of stretching, of absorbing, as in the youthful years, the colours, salts, tones of existence, so that she filled the room she entered, and felt often as she stood hesitating one moment on the threshold of her drawing-room, an exquisite suspense, such as might stay a diver before plunging while the sea darkens and brightens beneath him, and the waves which threaten to break, but only gently split their surface, roll and conceal and encrust as they just turn over the weeds with pearl.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Clarissa confronts her fear of aging and mortality, feeling time’s relentless erosion of life’s vibrancy, yet she remains poised at life’s thresholds.
In simple terms: Clarissa fears aging and time’s loss, feeling life’s colors fade.
Key Takeaway
Embrace life’s moments despite inevitable change.
Themes
mortality
time
fear
anticipation
existence
Mood
melancholic
contemplative
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- literary analysis
- therapy sessions
- creative writing
Key Concepts
aging
psychological tension
human condition
Questions to Reflect On
- How does confronting mortality shape personal growth?
- What can we learn from Clarissa’s emotional landscape?
A Different Perspective
The passage may romanticize suffering, overlooking empowerment through acceptance.