--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There's nothing so strong as rage, except…" description: "\"There's nothing so strong as rage, except what makes you hold it in—that's stronger. It's a good thing not to answer your enemies. I scarcely ever do.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_anger_there-s-nothing-so-strong-as-rage-except_3002978.jpg" --- # There's nothing so strong as rage, except what makes you… ![“There's nothing so strong as rage, except what makes you hold it in—that's stronger. It's a good thing not to answer your enemies. I scarcely ever do.” quote by Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_anger_there-s-nothing-so-strong-as-rage-except_3002978.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_anger_there-s-nothing-so-strong-as-rage-except_3002978.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_anger_there-s-nothing-so-strong-as-rage-except_3002978.jpg) > “There's nothing so strong as rage, except what makes you hold it in—that's stronger. It's a good thing not to answer your enemies. I scarcely ever do.” [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Suppressing intense anger can be more powerful than expressing it, and restraint often leads to wiser outcomes. **In simple terms:** Holding in rage can be stronger. Key Takeaway Practice emotional restraint. Themes anger restraint power wisdom self‑control Mood thoughtful serene Type inspirational reflective When to use this quote - high‑stress work - personal disputes - public speaking Key Concepts psychology ethics conflict resolution Questions to Reflect On - When have you chosen silence over retaliation? - What benefits arose? A Different Perspective Suppressing emotions may cause internal stress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Answer Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answer-enemies-3677917/) [Answers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/answers/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Good thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-thing/) [Good things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-things/) [Hold Stronger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hold-stronger-387210/) [Rage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rage/) [Rage Makes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rage-makes-4776584/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Strong Rage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong-rage-387209/) [Stronger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stronger/) ## Related quotes > [When you will not fly into a passion people know you are stronger than they are, because you are strong enough to hold in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/when-you-will-not-fly-into-a-passion-people-know-you-are-stronger/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“As to answering, though,” said Sara, trying to console herself, “I don’t answer very often. I never answer when I can help it. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/as-to-answering-though-said-sara-trying-to-console-herself-i-don-t-2/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“As to answering though, said Sara, trying to console herself, I don't answer very often. I never answer when I can help it. When…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/as-to-answering-though-said-sara-trying-to-console-herself-i-don-t/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“They know you are stronger than they are, because you are strong enough to hold in your rage and they are not, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/they-know-you-are-stronger-than-they-are-because-you-are-strong/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“When you will not fly into a passion people know you are stronger than they are, because you are strong enough to hold in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/when-you-will-not-fly-into-a-passion-people-know-you-are-stronger-3/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“When people are insulting you, there is nothing so good for them as not to say a word -- just to look at them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/when-people-are-insulting-you-there-is-nothing-so-good-for-them-as/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“Question ꓽ What do you call the rulers in the developing world, including Nigeria, who, through their ungovernable greed, alarming corruption and sit-tight policies,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nkwachukwu-ogbuagu/question-what-do-you-call-the-rulers-in-the-developing-world/) [Nkwachukwu Ogbuagu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nkwachukwu-ogbuagu/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Blow, winds, and crack your cheeks! Rage! Blow! You cataracts and hurricanoes, spout Till you have drenched our teeples, drowned the cocks! You sulphurour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/blow-winds-and-crack-your-cheeks-rage-blow-you-cataracts-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Peace in the struggle to find peace.. comfort on the way to comfort. And if I shed a tear I won't cage it I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-mclachlan/peace-in-the-struggle-to-find-peace-comfort-on-the-way-to-comfort-and/) [Sarah McLachlan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-mclachlan/) > [“Other folk thought the Rage was simple bloodlust, a berserk savagery that neither knew nor cared what its target was, and so it was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-weber/other-folk-thought-the-rage-was-simple-bloodlust-a-berserk-savagery/) [David Weber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-weber/) > [I like people and get along, and I'm afraid to express my anger and my rage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fisher-stevens/i-like-people-and-get-along-and-i-m-afraid-to-express-my-anger-and-my/) [Fisher Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fisher-stevens/) > [Performance poetry is not one genre. Some chant, sing and dance. Some stand rooted to the spot and stare. Some chat their way in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rosen/performance-poetry-is-not-one-genre-some-chant-sing-and-dance-some/) [Michael Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rosen/) > [Rage is exciting, but leaves me confused and exhausted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/rage-is-exciting-but-leaves-me-confused-and-exhausted/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [I really like John McCain. He's an awesome dude and was a lot of fun when he hosted "SNL." I'd love to see a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-fey/i-really-like-john-mccain-he-s-an-awesome-dude-and-was-a-lot-of-fun/) [Tina Fey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-fey/) ## More by Frances Hodgson Burnett > [When you will not fly into a passion people know you are stronger than they are, because you are strong enough to hold in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/when-you-will-not-fly-into-a-passion-people-know-you-are-stronger/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“What does it say?" asked my lord. "It says, 'Good-night, God keep you all the night!'--just what she used to say when we were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/what-does-it-say-asked-my-lord-it-says-good-night-god-keep-you-all/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [Somehow, something always happens just before things get to the very worst. It is as if Magic did it. If I could only just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/somehow-something-always-happens-just-before-things-get-to-the-very/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“They were as real as Sara, and it was careless of them not to come out of the story shadowland and say, “Here I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/they-were-as-real-as-sara-and-it-was-careless-of-them-not-to-come-out/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“One of the new things people began to find out in the last century was that thoughts- just mere thoughts- are as powerful as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/one-of-the-new-things-people-began-to-find-out-in-the-last-century/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“I've seen the spring now and I'm going to see the summer. I'm going to see everything grow here. I'm going to grow here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/i-ve-seen-the-spring-now-and-i-m-going-to-see-the-summer-i-m-going-to/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“If she had cried and sobbed and seemed frightened, Miss Minchin might almost have had more patience with her. She was a woman who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/if-she-had-cried-and-sobbed-and-seemed-frightened-miss-minchin-might/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“I was thinking," she said. "Beg my pardon immediately," said Miss Minchin. "I will beg your pardon for laughing, if it was rude," said…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/i-was-thinking-she-said-beg-my-pardon-immediately-said-miss-minchin-i/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“She said that perhaps it was not so easy to be very rich; that if any one had so many things always, one might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/she-said-that-perhaps-it-was-not-so-easy-to-be-very-rich-that-if-any/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [I am sure there is Magic in everything, only we have not sense enough to get hold of it and make it do things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/i-am-sure-there-is-magic-in-everything-only-we-have-not-sense-enough/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“You don't know that you are saying these things to a princess, and that if I chose I could wave my hand and order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/you-don-t-know-that-you-are-saying-these-things-to-a-princess-and/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“Well, it is. One of her 'pretends' is that she is a princess. She plays it all the time—even in school. She says it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/well-it-is-one-of-her-pretends-is-that-she-is-a-princess-she-plays-it/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“They know you are stronger than they are, because you are strong enough to hold in your rage and they are not, and they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/they-know-you-are-stronger-than-they-are-because-you-are-strong/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [“Tom's Cabin, and she spent many hours acting out”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/tom-s-cabin-and-she-spent-many-hours-acting-out/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) > [... justice is mercy's highest self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/justice-is-mercy-s-highest-self/) [Frances Hodgson Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) [Explore all 296 Frances Hodgson Burnett quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "There's nothing so strong as rage, except what makes you hold it in—that's stronger. It's a good thing not to answer your enemies. I scarcely ever do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Frances Hodgson Burnett" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/there-s-nothing-so-strong-as-rage-except-what-makes-you-hold-it-in/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/there-s-nothing-so-strong-as-rage-except-what-makes-you-hold-it-in/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_anger_there-s-nothing-so-strong-as-rage-except_3002978.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_anger_there-s-nothing-so-strong-as-rage-except_3002978.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/363/frances-hodgson-burnett-988_anger_there-s-nothing-so-strong-as-rage-except_3002978.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“There's nothing so strong as rage, except what makes you hold it in—that's stronger. It's a good thing not…” — Frances Hodgson Burnett", "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": "Frances Hodgson Burnett", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frances-hodgson-burnett/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "There's nothing so strong as rage,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/there-s-nothing-so-strong-as-rage-except-what-makes-you-hold-it-in/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frances-hodgson-burnett/there-s-nothing-so-strong-as-rage-except-what-makes-you-hold-it-in/#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 } } ] } ```