--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Drowning is not so pitiful as the attempt…" description: "\"“Drowning is not so pitiful as the attempt to rise.”\" — Emily Dickinson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/125/emily-dickinson-310_quote_drowning-is-not-so-pitiful-as-the-attemp_1764505.jpg" --- # Drowning is not so pitiful as the attempt to rise. ![“Drowning is not so pitiful as the attempt to rise.” quote by Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/125/emily-dickinson-310_quote_drowning-is-not-so-pitiful-as-the-attemp_1764505.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/125/emily-dickinson-310_quote_drowning-is-not-so-pitiful-as-the-attemp_1764505.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/125/emily-dickinson-310_quote_drowning-is-not-so-pitiful-as-the-attemp_1764505.jpg) > ““Drowning is not so pitiful as the attempt to rise.”” [Emily Dickinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote contrasts the tragedy of drowning with the greater tragedy of failing to attempt rising, emphasizing the value of effort. **In simple terms:** Attempting to rise is more tragic than drowning; effort matters. Key Takeaway Choose effort over surrender. Themes resilience courage perseverance Mood hopeful determined Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal crises - health challenges - career setbacks - creative blocks Key Concepts existential choice human spirit Questions to Reflect On - When is it wise to keep trying? - What limits should you recognize? A Different Perspective It may romanticize struggle without considering safety. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attempt/) [Attempt Rise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attempt-rise-1723764/) [Drowning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drowning/) [Drowning Pitiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drowning-pitiful-1723763/) [Pitiful Attempt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pitiful-attempt-1723765/) [Rise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rise/) ## Related quotes > [A people is but the attempt of many To rise to the completer life of one; And those who live as models for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-browning/a-people-is-but-the-attempt-of-many-to-rise-to-the-completer-life-of/) [Robert Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-browning/) > [“Man valiantly attempt to rise above the ruins in order to prove that all of their sufferings won't end in nothingness but in salvation.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vd/man-valiantly-attempt-to-rise-above-the-ruins-in-order-to-prove-that/) [VD](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vd/) > [“Rise up, empower yourself and take a step. 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The attempt to suppress a book is a worldwide event.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/the-publishing-of-a-book-is-a-worldwide-event-the-attempt-to-suppress/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Advocacy groups in the USA, as in other countries, may not be able to silence this hateful, cowardly and deceitful attack upon people’s humanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-engela/advocacy-groups-in-the-usa-as-in-other-countries-may-not-be-able-to/) [Christina Engela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-engela/) > [There are many things that seem impossible only so long as one does not attempt them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-gide/there-are-many-things-that-seem-impossible-only-so-long-as-one-does/) [Andre Gide](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-gide/) > [For purposes of marketing, writers are designated as poets, novelists, or something else. 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Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-p-moran/) [Browse all 516 Attempt quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attempt/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Drowning is not so pitiful as the attempt to rise.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Emily Dickinson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/drowning-is-not-so-pitiful-as-the-attempt-to-rise/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Attempt" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/drowning-is-not-so-pitiful-as-the-attempt-to-rise/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/125/emily-dickinson-310_quote_drowning-is-not-so-pitiful-as-the-attemp_1764505.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/125/emily-dickinson-310_quote_drowning-is-not-so-pitiful-as-the-attemp_1764505.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/125/emily-dickinson-310_quote_drowning-is-not-so-pitiful-as-the-attemp_1764505.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Drowning is not so pitiful as the attempt to rise.” — Emily Dickinson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Emily Dickinson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-dickinson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Drowning is not so pitiful as...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/drowning-is-not-so-pitiful-as-the-attempt-to-rise/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-dickinson/drowning-is-not-so-pitiful-as-the-attempt-to-rise/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```