Books Quote by George Eliot
““She seated herself on a dark ottoman with the brown books behind her, looking in her plain dress of some thin woollen-white material, without a single ornament on her besides her wedding-ring, as if she were under a vow to be different from all other women; and Will sat down opposite her at two yards' distance, the light falling on his bright curls and delicate but rather petulant profile, with its defiant curves of lip and chin. Each looked at the other as if they had been two flowers which had opened then and there. Dorothea for the moment forgot her husband's mysterious irritation against Will: it seemed fresh water at her thirsty lips to speak without fear to the one person whom she had found receptive; for in looking backward through sadness she exaggerated a past solace.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Middlemarch by George Eliot, 1871
A woman seeks authentic connection, feeling safe to speak openly with a receptive partner, contrasting with her marital tension.
In simple terms: She finds comfort speaking freely with someone who understands.
Key Takeaway
Seek honest dialogue with trusted listeners.
Themes
authenticity
communication
intimacy
Mood
thoughtful
intimate
Type
literary
reflective
When to use this quote
- marriage counseling
- friendship building
- creative writing
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
vulnerability
gender roles
emotional intimacy
Questions to Reflect On
- How does vulnerability change relational dynamics?
- What barriers prevent honest conversation?
A Different Perspective
The partner may not always be receptive, limiting openness.
![“4. Man is neither Good-natured nor Bad-natured according to Su Shih (So-shoku).[FN#164] The difficulty may be avoided by a theory given by Su Shih and other scholars influenced by Buddhism, which maintains that man is neither good-natured nor bad-natured. According to this opinion man is not moral…” quote by Kaiten Nukariya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/83c/kaiten-nukariya-793_buddhism_4-man-is-neither-good-natured-nor-bad-na_100937.jpg)
![“[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)
