Enjoy love Quote by Elizabeth Bowen
““Young girls like the excess of any quality. Without knowing, they want to suffer, to suffer they must exaggerate; they like to have loud chords struck upon them. Loving art better than life they need men to be actors; only an actor moves them, with his telling smile, undomestic, out of touch with the everyday that they dread. They love to enjoy love as a system of doubts and shocks. They are right; not seeking husbands yet, they have no reason to see love socially.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The House in Paris, 1935
She critiques women who seek intense, dramatic experiences in art over ordinary life, craving exaggerated emotions and idealized lovers.
In simple terms: Women crave dramatic art over everyday life.
Key Takeaway
Embrace authentic experiences, not exaggerated fantasies.
Themes
art
romance
gender roles
societal expectations
Mood
melancholic
critical
Type
literary
observational
When to use this quote
- relationships
- creative pursuits
- personal growth
Key Concepts
existentialism
romanticism
feminist critique
Questions to Reflect On
- Do you prioritize art over real connections?
- How does idealizing love affect relationships?
A Different Perspective
Such extreme idealization can lead to disappointment and emotional instability.
