--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When Crimsworth praises Frances’s devoir…" description: "\"“When Crimsworth praises Frances’s devoir and counsels her to cultivate her faculties, she replies not in words, but with a smile ‘in her eyes...almost..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faa/claire-harman-158198_charlotte-bronte_when-crimsworth-praises-frances-s-devoir_2207792.jpg" --- # When Crimsworth praises Frances’s devoir and counsels her… ![“When Crimsworth praises Frances’s devoir and counsels her to cultivate her faculties, she replies not in words, but with a smile ‘in her eyes...almost triumphant,’ which seems to mean the following: ‘I am glad you have been forced to discover so much of my nature; you need not so carefully…” quote by Claire Harman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faa/claire-harman-158198_charlotte-bronte_when-crimsworth-praises-frances-s-devoir_2207792.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faa/claire-harman-158198_charlotte-bronte_when-crimsworth-praises-frances-s-devoir_2207792.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faa/claire-harman-158198_charlotte-bronte_when-crimsworth-praises-frances-s-devoir_2207792.jpg) > ““When Crimsworth praises Frances’s devoir and counsels her to cultivate her faculties, she replies not in words, but with a smile ‘in her eyes...almost triumphant,’ which seems to mean the following: ‘I am glad you have been forced to discover so much of my nature; you need not so carefully moderate your language. Do you think I am myself a stranger to myself? What you tell me in terms so qualified, I have known fully from a child.’ No words are uttered; that would be unseemly, and, the author implies, somewhat redundant.”” [Claire Harman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-harman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Frances uses a triumphant smile to convey deep self‑knowledge, rejecting the need for verbal explanation. **In simple terms:** She shows self‑understanding without words. Key Takeaway Value non‑verbal expression of inner truth. Themes self‑awareness communication feminism voice identity Mood reflective empowering thoughtful Type Charlotte-bronte:1 Feminism:1 Patriarchy:0 Voice:1 Words Uttered:0 Crimsworth Praises:0 Praises Frances:0 Eyes Triumphant:1 Triumphant Mean:1 When to use this quote - literary criticism - personal growth - gender studies Key Concepts non‑verbal cues self‑knowledge literary analysis psychology Questions to Reflect On - What does the smile reveal about Frances? - How can silence convey power? A Different Perspective Assumes readers share cultural context of the novel. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Charlotte-bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charlotte-bronte-2/) [Crimsworth Praises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/crimsworth-praises-4876289/) [Eyes Triumphant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eyes-triumphant-4876291/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Patriarchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patriarchy/) [Praises Frances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praises-frances-4876290/) [Triumphant Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/triumphant-mean-4876292/) [Voice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voice/) [Words Uttered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words-uttered-371279/) ## Related quotes > [The look in Marlee's eyes was triumphant, and the smile hiding behind her cup of tea said, 'Gotcha'!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiera-cass/the-look-in-marlee-s-eyes-was-triumphant-and-the-smile-hiding-behind/) [Kiera Cass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiera-cass/) > [“This night is not calm; the equinox still struggles in its storms. 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