--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Love in action is a harsh and dreadful…" description: "\"Love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared to love in dreams.\" — Fyodor Dostoevsky" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64c/fyodor-dostoevsky-342_action_love-in-action-is-a-harsh-and-dreadful-t_2335349.png" --- # Love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared to… ![“Love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared to love in dreams.” quote by Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64c/fyodor-dostoevsky-342_action_love-in-action-is-a-harsh-and-dreadful-t_2335349.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64c/fyodor-dostoevsky-342_action_love-in-action-is-a-harsh-and-dreadful-t_2335349.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/64c/fyodor-dostoevsky-342_action_love-in-action-is-a-harsh-and-dreadful-t_2335349.png) > “Love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared to love in dreams.” [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Active love demands effort and can be painful, unlike the effortless, idealized love of fantasies. **In simple terms:** Real love is hard work, not just dreams. Key Takeaway Embrace love through actions, not just imagination. Themes love action reality pain idealism Mood thoughtful serious philosophical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - relationships - personal growth - ethical decisions - self‑discipline Key Concepts existential struggle ethical duty human connection Questions to Reflect On - What does it take to love actively? - How can we balance ideal love with reality? A Different Perspective Dreamy love may ignore practical challenges of real relationships. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Action Harsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action-harsh-2439722/) [Compared Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/compared-love-1724322/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Harsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harsh/) [Harsh Dreadful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/harsh-dreadful-3331029/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-action/) [Love Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-dreams/) [Love In Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-in-dreams/) [Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship/) ## Related quotes > [Love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared with love in dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-in-action-is-a-harsh-and-dreadful-thing-compared-with-love-in/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Love in action is harsh and dreadful when compared to love in dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/love-in-action-is-harsh-and-dreadful-when-compared-to-love-in-dreams/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [As Dostoevski said: 'Love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared with love in dreams.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/as-dostoevski-said-love-in-action-is-a-harsh-and-dreadful-thing/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [“Dostoyevsky says, “love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared to love in dreams” (The Brothers Karamazov).”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/dostoyevsky-says-love-in-action-is-a-harsh-and-dreadful-thing/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [“I am sorry I can say nothing more to console you, for love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared with love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-am-sorry-i-can-say-nothing-more-to-console-you-for-love-in-action/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“...for love in action is a harsh and dreadful thing compared with love in dreams. Love in dreams is greedy for immediate action, rapidly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/for-love-in-action-is-a-harsh-and-dreadful-thing-compared-with-love/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [... active love is a harsh and fearful thing compared with the love in dreams. Love in dreams thirsts for immediate action, quickly performed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/active-love-is-a-harsh-and-fearful-thing-compared-with-the-love-in/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“I am sorry I cannot say anything more comforting, for active love is a harsh and fearful thing compared with love in dreams. Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-am-sorry-i-cannot-say-anything-more-comforting-for-active-love-is-a/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“Active love is a harsh and fearful thing compared with love in dreams. Love in dreams thirsts for immediate action, quickly performed, and with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/active-love-is-a-harsh-and-fearful-thing-compared-with-love-in-dreams/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“...For active love is a harsh and fearful thing compared with love in dreams. Love in dreams thirsts for immediate action, quickly performed, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/for-active-love-is-a-harsh-and-fearful-thing-compared-with-love-in/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“Never be frightened at your own faint-heartedness in attaining love. Don't be frightened overmuch even at your evil actions. I am sorry I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/never-be-frightened-at-your-own-faint-heartedness-in-attaining-love/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“In the words of Dostoyevsky, “Active love is a harsh and fearful thing compared with love in dreams.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamin-goggin/in-the-words-of-dostoyevsky-active-love-is-a-harsh-and-fearful-thing/) [Jamin Goggin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamin-goggin/) > [“One cannot prove anything here, but it is possible to be convinced.' How? By what?' By the experience of active love. Try to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/one-cannot-prove-anything-here-but-it-is-possible-to-be-convinced-how/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“Reading a book about something can be an obstacle to doing it because it gives you the impression that you are doing what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/reading-a-book-about-something-can-be-an-obstacle-to-doing-it-because/) [Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/) > [“The air of a deposed prince. falsehood as restorative-if they wouldnt do that if they wouldnt do all that they do. the body as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-koertge/the-air-of-a-deposed-prince-falsehood-as-restorative-if-they-wouldnt/) [Ron Koertge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-koertge/) ## More by Fyodor Dostoevsky > [Believe to the end, even if all men went astray and you were left the only one faithful; bring your offering even then and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/believe-to-the-end-even-if-all-men-went-astray-and-you-were-left-the/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [... you are a man still young, so to say, in your first youth and so put intellect above everything ...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/you-are-a-man-still-young-so-to-say-in-your-first-youth-and-so-put/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“There is only one salvation for you: take yourself up, and make yourself responsible for all the sins of men. For indeed it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/there-is-only-one-salvation-for-you-take-yourself-up-and-make/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“It is true I am a complete stranger to these people, but they are not strangers to me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/it-is-true-i-am-a-complete-stranger-to-these-people-but-they-are-not/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [Everything seems stupid when it fails.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/everything-seems-stupid-when-it-fails/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [Love to throw yourself on the earth and kiss it. Kiss the earth and love it with an unceasing, consuming love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/love-to-throw-yourself-on-the-earth-and-kiss-it-kiss-the-earth-and/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [They have this social justification for every nasty thing they do!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/they-have-this-social-justification-for-every-nasty-thing-they-do/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [Be the sun and all will see you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/be-the-sun-and-all-will-see-you/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [If you are penitent, you love. And if you love you are of God. All things are atoned for, all things are saved by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/if-you-are-penitent-you-love-and-if-you-love-you-are-of-god-all/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“To kill for murder is a punishment incomparably worse than the crime itself. Murder by legal sentence is immeasurably more terrible than murder by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/to-kill-for-murder-is-a-punishment-incomparably-worse-than-the-crime/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“You magnify your failure to a crime, Vasya.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/you-magnify-your-failure-to-a-crime-vasya/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [The death of a child is the greatest reason to doubt the existence of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/the-death-of-a-child-is-the-greatest-reason-to-doubt-the-existence-of/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [In a way there's only a fine shade of difference between the healthy and the deranged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/in-a-way-there-s-only-a-fine-shade-of-difference-between-the-healthy/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“Now answer me, sincerely, honestly, who lives past forty? I'll tell you who does: fools and scoundrels.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/now-answer-me-sincerely-honestly-who-lives-past-forty-i-ll-tell-you/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) > [“There are crimes that are truly uncomely. With crimes, whatever they may be, the more blood, the more horror there is, the more imposing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoevsky/there-are-crimes-that-are-truly-uncomely-with-crimes-whatever-they/) [Fyodor Dostoevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) [Explore all 642 Fyodor Dostoevsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoevsky/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. The first is decide exactly what you want - set your goals - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-tracy/i-always-say-there-are-two-things-to-be-successful-the-first-is/) [Brian Tracy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-tracy/) > [You'd be surprised how hard it can often be to translate an action into an idea.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-kraus/you-d-be-surprised-how-hard-it-can-often-be-to-translate-an-action/) [Karl Kraus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-kraus/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [Nothing is so powerful as an insight into human nature... what compulsions drive a man, what instincts dominate his action. If you know these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bernbach/nothing-is-so-powerful-as-an-insight-into-human-nature-what/) [William Bernbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bernbach/) > [Every thought I have imprisioned in expression I must free by my deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kahlil-gibran/every-thought-i-have-imprisioned-in-expression-i-must-free-by-my-deeds/) [Kahlil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kahlil-gibran/) > [It took me 20 years to buy an electric typewriter, because I was afraid it would be too sensitive. I like to bang the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elmore-leonard/it-took-me-20-years-to-buy-an-electric-typewriter-because-i-was/) [Elmore Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elmore-leonard/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [As you begin changing your thinking, start immediately to change your behaviour. Begin to act the part of the person you would like to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-you-begin-changing-your-thinking-start-immediately-to-change-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's easy to say, let's go in and get the bad guys. But you have a divided country of Sunnis and Shias. The United…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tulsi-gabbard/it-s-easy-to-say-let-s-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys-but-you-have-a/) [Tulsi Gabbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tulsi-gabbard/) > [For comedy action, I must know the language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sammo-hung/for-comedy-action-i-must-know-the-language/) [Sammo Hung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sammo-hung/) > [Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/believing-with-you-that-religion-is-a-matter-which-lies-solely/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [“Action is a powerful thing. When you smile through your sadness, it can completely change your outlook. Try it! 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