--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Margaret had always dreaded lest her…" description: "\"Margaret had always dreaded lest her courage should fail her in any emergency, and she should be proved to be, what she dreaded lest she was--a coward...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/elizabeth-gaskell-894_courage_margaret-had-always-dreaded-lest-her-cou_1239743.jpg" --- # Margaret had always dreaded lest her courage should fail… ![“Margaret had always dreaded lest her courage should fail her in any emergency, and she should be proved to be, what she dreaded lest she was--a coward. But now, in this real great time of reasonable fear and nearness of terror, she forgot herself, and felt only an intense sympathy--intense to…” quote by Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/elizabeth-gaskell-894_courage_margaret-had-always-dreaded-lest-her-cou_1239743.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/elizabeth-gaskell-894_courage_margaret-had-always-dreaded-lest-her-cou_1239743.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de6/elizabeth-gaskell-894_courage_margaret-had-always-dreaded-lest-her-cou_1239743.jpg) > “Margaret had always dreaded lest her courage should fail her in any emergency, and she should be proved to be, what she dreaded lest she was--a coward. But now, in this real great time of reasonable fear and nearness of terror, she forgot herself, and felt only an intense sympathy--intense to painfulness--in the interests of the moment.” [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. In fear, fear can dissolve self‑doubt, revealing deep empathy and solidarity. **In simple terms:** Fear can spark compassion. Key Takeaway Let fear guide you to connect with others. Themes fear empathy self‑discovery Mood introspective empathetic Type literary psychological When to use this quote - emergency situations - personal loss - social upheaval - war zones Key Concepts psychology humanism Questions to Reflect On - What does fear reveal about your values? - How can you turn fear into empathy? A Different Perspective Fear may also cause paralysis or selfishness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courage/) [Coward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/coward/) [Emergencies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emergencies/) [Failing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/failing/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Intense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense/) [Interest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interest/) [Lest Courage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lest-courage-3865506/) [Lest Coward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lest-coward-3865504/) [Margaret Dreaded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/margaret-dreaded-3865503/) [Moments](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/moments/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Should](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/should/) [Terror](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terror/) [Terror Forgot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/terror-forgot-3865505/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Cruel people are ever cowards in emergency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/cruel-people-are-ever-cowards-in-emergency/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [Out of the way! 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The denizens of suburbia have no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikas-swarup/it-is-in-the-genes-of-cities-to-bounce-back-from-disasters-whether/) [Vikas Swarup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikas-swarup/) > [Carry always your earplugs with you in case of emergency, like meeting with a politician!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/carry-always-your-earplugs-with-you-in-case-of-emergency-like-meeting/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [We live in a world at constant risk of public health emergencies. In our increasingly interconnected world, public health emergencies can affect anyone, anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tedros-adhanom/we-live-in-a-world-at-constant-risk-of-public-health-emergencies-in/) [Tedros Adhanom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tedros-adhanom/) > [Your goal should be to pay off your credit card bills in full at the end of each month and set aside money toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/your-goal-should-be-to-pay-off-your-credit-card-bills-in-full-at-the/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) > [Never invest emergency savings in the stock market.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suze-orman/never-invest-emergency-savings-in-the-stock-market/) [Suze Orman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suze-orman/) ## More by Elizabeth Gaskell > [“Osborne and Roger knowing that the wife of the former was a Frenchwoman, and, conscious of each other's knowledge, felt doubly awkward; while Molly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/osborne-and-roger-knowing-that-the-wife-of-the-former-was-a/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [Well, He had known what love was-a sharp pang, a fierce experience, in the midst of whose flames he was struggling! but, through that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/well-he-had-known-what-love-was-a-sharp-pang-a-fierce-experience-in/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [In all disappointments sympathy is a great balm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/in-all-disappointments-sympathy-is-a-great-balm/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [But Margaret went less abroad, among machinery and men; saw less of power in its public effect, and, as it happened, she was thrown…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/but-margaret-went-less-abroad-among-machinery-and-men-saw-less-of/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [“And besides, in the matter of friendship, I have observed that the disappointment here arises chiefly, not from liking our friends too well, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/and-besides-in-the-matter-of-friendship-i-have-observed-that-the/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [What other people may think of the rightness or wrongness is nothing in comparison to my own deep knowledge, my innate conviction that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/what-other-people-may-think-of-the-rightness-or-wrongness-is-nothing/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [“The first question sobbed out by his choking voice, oppressed with emotion, was-- "Where is she?" They led him to the room where his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/the-first-question-sobbed-out-by-his-choking-voice-oppressed-with/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [Wearily she went to bed, wearily she arose in four or five hours' time. But with the morning came hope, and a brighter view…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/wearily-she-went-to-bed-wearily-she-arose-in-four-or-five-hours-time/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [No one loves me, - no one cares for me, but you, mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/no-one-loves-me-no-one-cares-for-me-but-you-mother/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [I won't say she was silly, but I think one of us was silly, and it wasn't me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/i-won-t-say-she-was-silly-but-i-think-one-of-us-was-silly-and-it-wasn/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [Mr. Thorton love Margaret! Why, Margraret would never think of him, I'm sure! Such a thing has never entered her head." "Entering her heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/mr-thorton-love-margaret-why-margraret-would-never-think-of-him-i-m/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [“He never looked at her; and yet, the careful avoidance of his eyes betokened that in some way he knew exactly where, if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/he-never-looked-at-her-and-yet-the-careful-avoidance-of-his-eyes/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [“Ay! but mother's words are scarce, and weigh heavy. Father's liker me, and we talk a deal o' rubble; but mother's words are liker…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/ay-but-mother-s-words-are-scarce-and-weigh-heavy-father-s-liker-me/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [Margaret liked this smile; it was the first thing she had admired in this new friend of her father's; and the opposition of character,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/margaret-liked-this-smile-it-was-the-first-thing-she-had-admired-in/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) > [Don’t be afraid,” she said, coldly, “ as far as love may go she may be worthy of you. It must have taken a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gaskell/don-t-be-afraid-she-said-coldly-as-far-as-love-may-go-she-may-be/) [Elizabeth Gaskell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) [Explore all 330 Elizabeth Gaskell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gaskell/) ## More Courage quotes > [The greatest act of courage is to be and to ownall of who you are—without apology, without excuses, without masks to cover the truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debbie-ford/the-greatest-act-of-courage-is-to-be-and-to-ownall-of-who-you-are/) [Debbie Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debbie-ford/) > [“It takes tremendous courage, persistence, and perseverance to pursue your ultimate purpose.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debasish-mridha/it-takes-tremendous-courage-persistence-and-perseverance-to-pursue/) [Debasish Mridha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debasish-mridha/) > [“Yes, the issue was courage. It always had been, even as a kid. 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