--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But, sir, isn't death a dreadful thing?\"…" description: "\"“But, sir, isn't death a dreadful thing?\" asked Malcolm. \"That depends on whether a man regards it as his fate or as the will of a perfect God. Its obs..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/george-macdonald-295_death_but-sir-isn-t-death-a-dreadful-thing-ask_2781402.png" --- # But, sir, isn't death a dreadful thing?" asked Malcolm… ![“But, sir, isn't death a dreadful thing?" asked Malcolm. "That depends on whether a man regards it as his fate or as the will of a perfect God. Its obscurity is its dread. But if God be light, then death itself must be full of splendor--a splendor probably too keen for our eyes to receive." "But…” quote by George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/george-macdonald-295_death_but-sir-isn-t-death-a-dreadful-thing-ask_2781402.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/george-macdonald-295_death_but-sir-isn-t-death-a-dreadful-thing-ask_2781402.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/george-macdonald-295_death_but-sir-isn-t-death-a-dreadful-thing-ask_2781402.png) > ““But, sir, isn't death a dreadful thing?" asked Malcolm. "That depends on whether a man regards it as his fate or as the will of a perfect God. Its obscurity is its dread. But if God be light, then death itself must be full of splendor--a splendor probably too keen for our eyes to receive." "But there's the dying itself; isn't that fearsome? It's that I would be afraid of." "I don't see why it should be. It's the lack of a God that makes it dreadful, and you would be greatly to blame for that, Malcolm, if you hadn't found your God by the time you had to die.”” [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Death's dread stems from ignorance of divine purpose; recognizing God transforms fear into awe. **In simple terms:** Fear of death comes from not seeing God's plan. Key Takeaway Seek understanding of higher purpose. Themes faith death existence purpose fear Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical spiritual When to use this quote - grieving - terminal illness - life decisions - philosophical debate Key Concepts theology existentialism spirituality Questions to Reflect On - How does belief change your view of mortality? - What gives you courage when facing the unknown? A Different Perspective If one lacks belief, the comfort of divine order is absent. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Dying Isn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dying-isn-497390/) [Faith in god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith-in-god/) [Fear of death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-of-death/) [God Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-light/) [Isn Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/isn-death-248809/) [Light Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light-death-1111137/) [Ur Eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ur-eyes/) ## Related quotes > [“Darkness descends to eclipse the Light Death will take the lives of many, sparing no one. In deaths of the Doomed, Light shimmers: The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ivan-amberlake/darkness-descends-to-eclipse-the-light-death-will-take-the-lives-of/) [Ivan Amberlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ivan-amberlake/) > [“And if it is true...that we are each inhabited by some bit of divine light, then upon death, how long before those particles dissipate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eowyn-ivey/and-if-it-is-true-that-we-are-each-inhabited-by-some-bit-of-divine/) [Eowyn Ivey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eowyn-ivey/) > [The great courage is to stare as squarely at the light as at death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/the-great-courage-is-to-stare-as-squarely-at-the-light-as-at-death/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [“That death isn’t death. It’s not the end because we aren’t just our minds or our bodies. We’re far more than just physical beings…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/that-death-isn-t-death-it-s-not-the-end-because-we-aren-t-just-our/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > [The magazine at the health food store said, Stop Aging! Isn't that what death is for? Trust me, we're all gonna stop aging.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gould/the-magazine-at-the-health-food-store-said-stop-aging-isn-t-that-what/) [Dana Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gould/) > [Isn't death the boundary we need?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-delillo/isn-t-death-the-boundary-we-need/) [Don DeLillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-delillo/) > [If I wanted death, Edward would give it to me. Because we both understand that it isn't death that we fear. It's living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-i-wanted-death-edward-would-give-it-to-me-because-we-both/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“That's all any of us have in the end, isn't it? there is death ahead of all of us. And so we live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-sun/that-s-all-any-of-us-have-in-the-end-isn-t-it-there-is-death-ahead-of/) [Amanda Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-sun/) > [“The secret to anything is to decide. Anything is surmountable. Anything. Anything but death, but if death is not foreign, if death is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-wohlsdorf/the-secret-to-anything-is-to-decide-anything-is-surmountable-anything/) [Gina Wohlsdorf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-wohlsdorf/) > [“It's dreadful, isn't it?" "What? Death?" "Yes. It makes everything else seem so horribly trivial. He doesn't look human. When you look at him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/it-s-dreadful-isn-t-it-what-death-yes-it-makes-everything-else-seem/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Death is something we shouldn't fear because, while we are, death isn't, and when death is, we aren't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-machado/death-is-something-we-shouldn-t-fear-because-while-we-are-death-isn-t/) [Antonio Machado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-machado/) > [Taking a walk isn't really taking a walk, taking a shower isn't really taking a shower, living isn't living, and dying isn't dying. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/taking-a-walk-isn-t-really-taking-a-walk-taking-a-shower-isn-t-really/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I just don't do anything fun anymore. But, that's dying, isn't it? I mean, you die in stages, right? You let things go in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mel-gibson/i-just-don-t-do-anything-fun-anymore-but-that-s-dying-isn-t-it-i-mean/) [Mel Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mel-gibson/) > [“You listen to me. I'm not losing you because you played fair. You're not getting killed. You're not dying. This isn't some doomed last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-grant/you-listen-to-me-i-m-not-losing-you-because-you-played-fair-you-re/) [Michael Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-grant/) > [“Dying isn't so bad after you've done it once. . . ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katja-millay/dying-isn-t-so-bad-after-you-ve-done-it-once/) [Katja Millay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katja-millay/) ## More by George MacDonald > [“No revelation can be other than partial. If for true revelation a man must be told all the truth, then farewell to revelation; yea,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/no-revelation-can-be-other-than-partial-if-for-true-revelation-a-man/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [In low theologies, hell is invariably the deepest truth, and the love of God is not so deep as hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/in-low-theologies-hell-is-invariably-the-deepest-truth-and-the-love/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Life and religion are one, or neither is any thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/life-and-religion-are-one-or-neither-is-any-thing/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [The region belonging to the pure intellect is straitened: the imagination labours to extend its territories, to give it room. She sweeps across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/the-region-belonging-to-the-pure-intellect-is-straitened-the/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Come, then, affliction, if my Father wills, and be my frowning friend. A friend that frowns is better than a smiling enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/come-then-affliction-if-my-father-wills-and-be-my-frowning-friend-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Ah, what is it we send up thither, where our thoughts are either a dissonance or a sweetness and a grace?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/ah-what-is-it-we-send-up-thither-where-our-thoughts-are-either-a/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [You must learn to be strong in the dark as well as in the day, else you will always be only half brave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-must-learn-to-be-strong-in-the-dark-as-well-as-in-the-day-else/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Few delights can equal the mere presence of one whom we trust utterly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/few-delights-can-equal-the-mere-presence-of-one-whom-we-trust-utterly/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“You have tasted of death now,” said the old man. “Is it good?” “It is good,” said Mossy. “It is better than life.” “No,”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/you-have-tasted-of-death-now-said-the-old-man-is-it-good-it-is-good/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [ “I wish I had \[made that song\]. No, I don't That would be to take it from somebody else. But it's mine for all… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-wish-i-had-made-that-song-no-i-don-t-that-would-be-to-take-it-from/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Past tears are present strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/past-tears-are-present-strength/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Age is not all decay; it is the ripening, the swelling, of the fresh life within, that withers and bursts the husk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/age-is-not-all-decay-it-is-the-ripening-the-swelling-of-the-fresh/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [I want to help you grow as beautiful as God meant you to be when he thought of you first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/i-want-to-help-you-grow-as-beautiful-as-god-meant-you-to-be-when-he/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [“Immeasurably imperfect it was, but false the impression could not be, for she saw with the eyes made for seeing, and saw indeed what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/immeasurably-imperfect-it-was-but-false-the-impression-could-not-be/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) > [Those that hope little cannot grow much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/those-that-hope-little-cannot-grow-much/) [George MacDonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) [Explore all 720 George MacDonald quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) [J. Anthony Torino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-anthony-torino/) > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) [Alan W. Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-powers/) > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But, sir, isn't death a dreadful thing?\" asked Malcolm. \"That depends on whether a man regards it as his fate or as the will of a perfect God. Its obscurity is its dread. But if God be light, then death itself must be full of splendor--a splendor probably too keen for our eyes to receive.\" \"But there's the dying itself; isn't that fearsome? It's that I would be afraid of.\" \"I don't see why it should be. It's the lack of a God that makes it dreadful, and you would be greatly to blame for that, Malcolm, if you hadn't found your God by the time you had to die.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "George MacDonald" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/but-sir-isn-t-death-a-dreadful-thing-asked-malcolm-that-depends-on/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/but-sir-isn-t-death-a-dreadful-thing-asked-malcolm-that-depends-on/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/george-macdonald-295_death_but-sir-isn-t-death-a-dreadful-thing-ask_2781402.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/george-macdonald-295_death_but-sir-isn-t-death-a-dreadful-thing-ask_2781402.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/954/george-macdonald-295_death_but-sir-isn-t-death-a-dreadful-thing-ask_2781402.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But, sir, isn't death a dreadful thing?\" asked Malcolm. \"That depends on whether a man regards it as his…” — George MacDonald", "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": "George MacDonald", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-macdonald/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But, sir, isn't death a dreadful...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/but-sir-isn-t-death-a-dreadful-thing-asked-malcolm-that-depends-on/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-macdonald/but-sir-isn-t-death-a-dreadful-thing-asked-malcolm-that-depends-on/#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 } } ] } ```