Accomplishment Quote by George Eliot
“I suppose it was that in courtship everything is regarded as provisional and preliminary, and the smallest sample of virtue or accomplishment is taken to guarantee delightful stores which the broad leisure of marriage will reveal. But the door-sill of marriage once crossed, expectation is concentrated on the present. Having once embarked on your marital voyage, it is impossible not to be aware that you make no way and that the sea is not within sight-that, in fact, you are exploring an enclosed basin.”
About This Quote
Source Novel: Daniel Deronda, 1876
Courtship treats virtues as provisional, but marriage reveals true character, turning the journey into a confined, uncertain exploration.
In simple terms: Courtship is tentative; marriage tests real character in a limited setting.
Key Takeaway
Accept marriage as a deeper, ongoing discovery.
Themes
marriage
courtship
expectations
relationship
growth
Mood
thoughtful
hopeful
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- relationship counseling
- marital communication
- personal development
Key Concepts
Commitment
self‑discovery
social roles
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you navigate expectations after marriage?
- What does “enclosed basin” symbolize for you?
A Different Perspective
Idealized expectations can clash with reality.
![“[W]e must learn to accommodate ourselves to the discovery that some of those cunningly-fashioned instruments called human souls have only a very limited range of music, and will not vibrate in the least under a touch that fills others with tremulous rapture or quivering agony.” quote by George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/9be/george-eliot-84_agony_w-e-must-learn-to-accommodate-ourselves_12409.jpg)
