--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Oh cold, cold, rigid, dreadful Death, set…" description: "\"“Oh cold, cold, rigid, dreadful Death, set up thine altar here, and dress it with such terrors as thou hast at thy command: for this is thy dominion! B..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/837/dickens-charles-44393_death_oh-cold-cold-rigid-dreadful-death-set-up_324445.jpg" --- # Oh cold, cold, rigid, dreadful Death, set up thine altar… ![“Oh cold, cold, rigid, dreadful Death, set up thine altar here, and dress it with such terrors as thou hast at thy command: for this is thy dominion! But of the loved, revered, and honoured head, thou canst not turn one hair to thy dread purposes, or make one feature odious. It is not that the hand…” quote by Dickens, Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/837/dickens-charles-44393_death_oh-cold-cold-rigid-dreadful-death-set-up_324445.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/837/dickens-charles-44393_death_oh-cold-cold-rigid-dreadful-death-set-up_324445.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/837/dickens-charles-44393_death_oh-cold-cold-rigid-dreadful-death-set-up_324445.jpg) > ““Oh cold, cold, rigid, dreadful Death, set up thine altar here, and dress it with such terrors as thou hast at thy command: for this is thy dominion! But of the loved, revered, and honoured head, thou canst not turn one hair to thy dread purposes, or make one feature odious. It is not that the hand is heavy and will fall down when released; it is not that the heart and pulse are still; but that the hand was open, generous, and true; the heart brave, warm, and tender; and the pulse a man's. Strike, Shadow, strike! And see his good deeds springing from the wound, to sow the world with life immortal.”” [Dickens, Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickens-charles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even death cannot corrupt the noble qualities of love and generosity; true virtue endures beyond mortality. **In simple terms:** Goodness survives death. Key Takeaway Cultivate kindness despite fear of death. Themes mortality virtue love Mood hopeful inspirational Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - caregiving - leadership - artistic creation - social reform Key Concepts humanism spirituality Questions to Reflect On - What acts of kindness can outlast you? - How does love resist death? A Different Perspective Focusing on death can obscure the power of compassion. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Good deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-deeds/) [Goodness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goodness/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) ## Related quotes > [This is the sacrifice: the endless possibility that is offered up on the altar of the form...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-buber/this-is-the-sacrifice-the-endless-possibility-that-is-offered-up-on/) [Martin Buber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-buber/) > [I acknowledge that the sacrament of the altar is very God's body in form of bread, but it is in another manner God's body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/i-acknowledge-that-the-sacrament-of-the-altar-is-very-god-s-body-in/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [“Beyond the table, there is an altar, with candles lit for Billie Holiday and Willa Carter and Hypatia and Patsy Cline. Next to it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-maria-machado/beyond-the-table-there-is-an-altar-with-candles-lit-for-billie/) [Carmen Maria Machado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-maria-machado/) > [“The quickest way to alter an altar is not with a hammer, or even religious deconstruction, but with a typo.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-quickest-way-to-alter-an-altar-is-not-with-a-hammer-or-even/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I was, not an altar boy, but a reader of the Epistle, and I walked in on a nun and a priest furiously French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-was-not-an-altar-boy-but-a-reader-of-the-epistle-and-i-walked-in-on/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Since once again, O Lord, in the steppes of Asia, I have no bread, no wine, no altar, I will raise myself above those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/since-once-again-o-lord-in-the-steppes-of-asia-i-have-no-bread-no/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [“It doesn’t really matter what altar you’re being sacrificed on, it’s gonna sting either way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-roquet/it-doesn-t-really-matter-what-altar-you-re-being-sacrificed-on-it-s/) [Angela Roquet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-roquet/) > [“Sacrifice your fear on the altar of your dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-van-tuyl/sacrifice-your-fear-on-the-altar-of-your-dreams/) Barbara Van Tuyl > [God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/god-is-the-lord-which-hath-shewed-us-light-bind-the-sacrifice-with/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [We dare not trim stones to make God an altar, for if we do we ruin everything. We would spend time bringing people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/we-dare-not-trim-stones-to-make-god-an-altar-for-if-we-do-we-ruin/) [Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/) > [It is when we are in misery that we revere the gods; the prosperous seldom approach the altar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silius-italicus/it-is-when-we-are-in-misery-that-we-revere-the-gods-the-prosperous/) [Silius Italicus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silius-italicus/) > [I'm a lapsed altar boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/i-m-a-lapsed-altar-boy/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [There was a time I worshipped at the altar of Rudy Martzke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-johnson-jr/there-was-a-time-i-worshipped-at-the-altar-of-rudy-martzke/) [Ernie Johnson Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-johnson-jr/) > [“...those others - they're looking for trends - subjects to catch a spark - but I have you - a coal from God's altar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-geddes/those-others-they-re-looking-for-trends-subjects-to-catch-a-spark-but/) [John Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-geddes/) > [“Since once again, Lord - though this time not in the forests of the Aisne but in the steppes of Asia - I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/since-once-again-lord-though-this-time-not-in-the-forests-of-the/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) ## More by Dickens, Charles > [“Jarndyce and Jarndyce drones on. This scarecrow of a suit has, in course of time, become so complicated that no man alive knows what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickens-charles/jarndyce-and-jarndyce-drones-on-this-scarecrow-of-a-suit-has-in-2/) [Dickens, Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickens-charles/) > [“And it is not a slight thing when we are loved by those so fresh from God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickens-charles/and-it-is-not-a-slight-thing-when-we-are-loved-by-those-so-fresh-from/) [Dickens, Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickens-charles/) > [“they're so fond of Liberty in this part of the globe, that they buy her and sell her and carry her to market with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickens-charles/they-re-so-fond-of-liberty-in-this-part-of-the-globe-that-they-buy/) [Dickens, Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickens-charles/) > [“this is my landlord, Krook”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickens-charles/this-is-my-landlord-krook/) [Dickens, Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickens-charles/) > [“...cand crepusculul da frau liber umbrelor tinute captive peste zi, si care acum se aduna laolalta ca la o adunare miscatoare de stafii ce…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickens-charles/cand-crepusculul-da-frau-liber-umbrelor-tinute-captive-peste-zi-si/) [Dickens, Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickens-charles/) > [“You don't know how you haunt and bewilder me. You don't know how the cursed carelessness that is over-officious in helping me at every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickens-charles/you-don-t-know-how-you-haunt-and-bewilder-me-you-don-t-know-how-the/) [Dickens, Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickens-charles/) > [“All of which Flora said with so much headlong vehemence as if she really believed it. There is not much doubt that when she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickens-charles/all-of-which-flora-said-with-so-much-headlong-vehemence-as-if-she/) [Dickens, Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickens-charles/) > [“He heard the thrill in her voice, he saw her earnest face, he saw her clear true eyes, he saw the quickened bosom that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dickens-charles/he-heard-the-thrill-in-her-voice-he-saw-her-earnest-face-he-saw-her/) [Dickens, Charles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickens-charles/) [Explore all 9 Dickens, Charles quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dickens-charles/) ## More Altar quotes > [This is the sacrifice: the endless possibility that is offered up on the altar of the form...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-buber/this-is-the-sacrifice-the-endless-possibility-that-is-offered-up-on/) [Martin Buber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-buber/) > [“...those others - they're looking for trends - subjects to catch a spark - but I have you - a coal from God's altar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-geddes/those-others-they-re-looking-for-trends-subjects-to-catch-a-spark-but/) [John Geddes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-geddes/) > [There was a time I worshipped at the altar of Rudy Martzke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-johnson-jr/there-was-a-time-i-worshipped-at-the-altar-of-rudy-martzke/) [Ernie Johnson Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-johnson-jr/) > [I'm a lapsed altar boy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/i-m-a-lapsed-altar-boy/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [It is when we are in misery that we revere the gods; the prosperous seldom approach the altar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silius-italicus/it-is-when-we-are-in-misery-that-we-revere-the-gods-the-prosperous/) [Silius Italicus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silius-italicus/) > [We dare not trim stones to make God an altar, for if we do we ruin everything. We would spend time bringing people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-anders/we-dare-not-trim-stones-to-make-god-an-altar-for-if-we-do-we-ruin/) [Max Anders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-anders/) > [God is the LORD, which hath shewed us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/god-is-the-lord-which-hath-shewed-us-light-bind-the-sacrifice-with/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [“Sacrifice your fear on the altar of your dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-van-tuyl/sacrifice-your-fear-on-the-altar-of-your-dreams/) Barbara Van Tuyl > [“It doesn’t really matter what altar you’re being sacrificed on, it’s gonna sting either way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-roquet/it-doesn-t-really-matter-what-altar-you-re-being-sacrificed-on-it-s/) [Angela Roquet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-roquet/) > [Since once again, O Lord, in the steppes of Asia, I have no bread, no wine, no altar, I will raise myself above those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/since-once-again-o-lord-in-the-steppes-of-asia-i-have-no-bread-no/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) > [I was, not an altar boy, but a reader of the Epistle, and I walked in on a nun and a priest furiously French…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/i-was-not-an-altar-boy-but-a-reader-of-the-epistle-and-i-walked-in-on/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“The quickest way to alter an altar is not with a hammer, or even religious deconstruction, but with a typo.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/the-quickest-way-to-alter-an-altar-is-not-with-a-hammer-or-even/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Beyond the table, there is an altar, with candles lit for Billie Holiday and Willa Carter and Hypatia and Patsy Cline. Next to it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-maria-machado/beyond-the-table-there-is-an-altar-with-candles-lit-for-billie/) [Carmen Maria Machado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-maria-machado/) > [I acknowledge that the sacrament of the altar is very God's body in form of bread, but it is in another manner God's body…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wycliffe/i-acknowledge-that-the-sacrament-of-the-altar-is-very-god-s-body-in/) [John Wycliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wycliffe/) > [“Since once again, Lord - though this time not in the forests of the Aisne but in the steppes of Asia - I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/since-once-again-lord-though-this-time-not-in-the-forests-of-the/) [Pierre Teilhard de Chardin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-teilhard-de-chardin/) Browse all 131 Altar quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Oh cold, cold, rigid, dreadful Death, set up thine altar here, and dress it with such terrors as thou hast at thy command: for this is thy dominion! 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