Cruel Quote by A.E. Coppard
““Pedersen was always wooing her. Sometimes he was gracious and kind, but at other times when his failure wearied him he would be cruel and sardonic, with a suggestive tongue whose vice would have scourged her were it not that Marie was impervious, or too deeply inured to mind it. She always grinned at him and fobbed him off with pleasantries, whether he was amorous or acrid. 'God Almighty,' he would groan, 'she is not good for me, this Marie. What can I do for her? She is burning me alive and the Skaggerack could not quench me, not all of it. The devil! What can I do with this? Some day I shall smash her across the eyes, yes, across the eyes.' So you see the man really loved her. ("The Tiger")””
About This Quote
Source Short Story: The Tiger, 1935
A man’s obsessive love oscillates between affection and cruelty, revealing the destructive power of unbridled passion.
In simple terms: Obsessive love can become violent.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and curb destructive passion.
Themes
love
obsession
violence
psychology
power dynamics
Mood
dark
intense
Type
literary
psychological
When to use this quote
- intimate relationships
- mental health counseling
- literary analysis
Key Concepts
attachment theory
emotional volatility
masculine identity
Questions to Reflect On
- How to differentiate love from control?
- What helps break cycles of passionate aggression?
A Different Perspective
Romanticizing obsession can normalize abuse.
