Air Quote by Elizabeth Barrett Browning
“I tell you, hopeless grief is passionless; That only men incredulous of despair, half-taught in anguish, through the midnight air beat upward to god's throne in loud access of shrieking and reproach”
About This Quote
Source Poem: Sonnets from the Portuguese, 1850
Despair can become a hollow, emotionless state, while those who truly feel anguish reach out passionately toward the divine.
In simple terms: Despair can be empty; true anguish drives us upward.
Key Takeaway
Embrace feeling, don’t numb grief.
Themes
grief
despair
spirituality
emotion
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
poetic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- personal loss
- spiritual seeking
- creative expression
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
theology
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you ever feel numb in grief?
- How can anguish become a bridge to meaning?
A Different Perspective
It may romanticize suffering as noble.
![“Just between you and me, shouldn’t the World Bank be encouraging MORE migration of the dirty industries to the LDCs [Less Developed Countries]?... I think the economic logic behind dumping a load of toxic waste in the lowest wage country is impeccable and we should face up to that... I’ve always…” quote by Lawrence Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ac4/lawrence-summers-16940_air_just-between-you-and-me-shouldn-t-the-wo_4703.jpg)
![“[A]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air. And be careful what you swallow.” quote by Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/da8/dr-seuss-1224_advice_a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-f_6806.jpg)
