--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Poison Maiden has conceived by him…" description: "\"“The Poison Maiden has conceived by him, and is plumb ready to enter the divine category of mother, only one last fiend clubs her to death. The final c..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec5/germaine-greer-1521_farewell-to-arms_the-poison-maiden-has-conceived-by-him-a_1058294.jpg" --- # The Poison Maiden has conceived by him, and is plumb ready… ![“The Poison Maiden has conceived by him, and is plumb ready to enter the divine category of mother, only one last fiend clubs her to death. The final clinch of male romanticism is that each man kills the thing he loves; whether she be Catharine in A Farewell to Arms, or the Grecian Urn, the…” quote by Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec5/germaine-greer-1521_farewell-to-arms_the-poison-maiden-has-conceived-by-him-a_1058294.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec5/germaine-greer-1521_farewell-to-arms_the-poison-maiden-has-conceived-by-him-a_1058294.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ec5/germaine-greer-1521_farewell-to-arms_the-poison-maiden-has-conceived-by-him-a_1058294.jpg) > ““The Poison Maiden has conceived by him, and is plumb ready to enter the divine category of mother, only one last fiend clubs her to death. The final clinch of male romanticism is that each man kills the thing he loves; whether she be Catharine in A Farewell to Arms, or the Grecian Urn, the 'tension that she be perfect' means that she must die, leavinf the hero's status as a great lover unchallenged. The pattern is still commonplace: the hero cannot marry. The sexual exploit must be conquest, not cohabitation and mutual tolerance.”” [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Male romantic ideal glorifies killing the beloved, denying partnership **In simple terms:** Romantic hero kills loved one, rejecting true partnership Key Takeaway Challenge the trope of destructive love Themes feminism literary criticism gender roles Mood critical thoughtful Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - creative writing - gender studies - relationship counseling - media analysis Key Concepts patriarchal narratives heroic ideal death of the beloved Questions to Reflect On - What alternative narratives can replace fatal romance? - How does this trope affect real relationships? A Different Perspective Not all love narratives must end in tragedy ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Farewell to arms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/farewell-to-arms/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Hero Marry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hero-marry-2569778/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Male Romanticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/male-romanticism-2569775/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Poison Maiden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poison-maiden-2569777/) [Representation-of-women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/representation-of-women-157757/) [Romanticism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romanticism/) [Romanticism Man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/romanticism-man-2569776/) [Stereotypes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stereotypes/) ## Related quotes > [“The patterns of gratification are simple, and seem to fall into two patterns, the Great Bitch and the Poison Maiden.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/the-patterns-of-gratification-are-simple-and-seem-to-fall-into-two/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [“The Great Bitch is the deadly female, a worthy opponent for the omnipotent hero to exercise his powers upon and through. She is desirous,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/the-great-bitch-is-the-deadly-female-a-worthy-opponent-for-the/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [“Romanticism is man's revolt against reason, as well as against the condition under which nature has compelled him to live.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/romanticism-is-man-s-revolt-against-reason-as-well-as-against-the/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [“I would suggest that especially in the differential of images that arise, in the inflections that we find within the representations of women we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loriliai-biernacki/i-would-suggest-that-especially-in-the-differential-of-images-that/) [Loriliai Biernacki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loriliai-biernacki/) > [The brave dies perhaps two thousand deaths if he's intelligent. He simply doesn't mention them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-brave-dies-perhaps-two-thousand-deaths-if-he-s-intelligent-he/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“TINA: Oh, Rick, Rick, I’m scared. What’s happened to us? I can’t seem to find us any more. I reach out and reach out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/tina-oh-rick-rick-i-m-scared-what-s-happened-to-us-i-can-t-seem-to/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [I had seen nothing sacred, and the things that were glorious had no glory and the sacrifices were like the stockyards at Chicago if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-had-seen-nothing-sacred-and-the-things-that-were-glorious-had-no/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [There were many words that you could not stand to hear and finally only the names of places had dignity. Abstract words such as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/there-were-many-words-that-you-could-not-stand-to-hear-and-finally/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“...What gets me about D.B., though, he hated the war so much, and yet he got me to read this book A Farewell to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/what-gets-me-about-d-b-though-he-hated-the-war-so-much-and-yet-he-got/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [Hemingway was a big influence - 'A Farewell to Arms,' though I disapproved of the later Hemingway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/hemingway-was-a-big-influence-a-farewell-to-arms-though-i-disapproved/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [“Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Johnny Got His Gun, A Farewell to Arms, A Prayer for Owen Meany, some years Wuthering Heights, Silas Marner, Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/tess-of-the-d-urbervilles-johnny-got-his-gun-a-farewell-to-arms-a/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [All stories, if continued far enough, end in death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/all-stories-if-continued-far-enough-end-in-death/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [I have a graduate degree from Penn State. I studied at Penn State under a noted Hemingway scholar, Philip Young. I had an interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-morrell/i-have-a-graduate-degree-from-penn-state-i-studied-at-penn-state/) [David Morrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-morrell/) > [Helpful to me over the years was some of Ernest Hemingway's writing, for example A Farewell to Arms. You have characters who speak Italian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miroslav-penkov/helpful-to-me-over-the-years-was-some-of-ernest-hemingway-s-writing/) [Miroslav Penkov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miroslav-penkov/) > [The coward dies a thousand deaths — the brave man only 500.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-willson/the-coward-dies-a-thousand-deaths-the-brave-man-only-500/) [Meredith Willson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-willson/) ## More by Germaine Greer > [You're only young once, but you can be immature forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/you-re-only-young-once-but-you-can-be-immature-forever/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [Is it too much to ask that women be spared the daily struggle for superhuman beauty in order to offer it to the caresses…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/is-it-too-much-to-ask-that-women-be-spared-the-daily-struggle-for/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [“Female castration results in concentration of her feelings upon her male companion, and her impotence in confrontations with her own kind. 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She is self-deprecating; he is ludicrously vainglorious. She is a mistress of understatement; he is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/gillard-is-as-likeable-as-rudd-is-charmless-she-is-self-deprecating/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [“Liberty is terrifying but it is also exhilarating.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/liberty-is-terrifying-but-it-is-also-exhilarating/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [It is often falsely assumed, even by feminists, that sexuality is the enemy of the female who really wants to develop these aspects of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/it-is-often-falsely-assumed-even-by-feminists-that-sexuality-is-the/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [Women who were housewives, who were pretty miserable ... felt inspired by her book and their life changed. They didn't become megastars, but they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/women-who-were-housewives-who-were-pretty-miserable-felt-inspired-by/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [It is in our interests to let the police and their employers go on believing that the Underground is a conspiracy, because it increases…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/it-is-in-our-interests-to-let-the-police-and-their-employers-go-on/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [Rescuing women from their burden of unwarranted guilt is going to require 'educational practices and socializing agents' even more effective than the ones that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/rescuing-women-from-their-burden-of-unwarranted-guilt-is-going-to/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) > [Men have still not realized that letting women do so much of the work for so little reward makes a man in the house…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germaine-greer/men-have-still-not-realized-that-letting-women-do-so-much-of-the-work/) [Germaine Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) [Explore all 232 Germaine Greer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germaine-greer/) ## More Farewell to arms quotes > [The coward dies a thousand deaths — the brave man only 500.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meredith-willson/the-coward-dies-a-thousand-deaths-the-brave-man-only-500/) [Meredith Willson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meredith-willson/) > [Helpful to me over the years was some of Ernest Hemingway's writing, for example A Farewell to Arms. You have characters who speak Italian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miroslav-penkov/helpful-to-me-over-the-years-was-some-of-ernest-hemingway-s-writing/) [Miroslav Penkov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miroslav-penkov/) > [I have a graduate degree from Penn State. I studied at Penn State under a noted Hemingway scholar, Philip Young. I had an interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-morrell/i-have-a-graduate-degree-from-penn-state-i-studied-at-penn-state/) [David Morrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-morrell/) > [All stories, if continued far enough, end in death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/all-stories-if-continued-far-enough-end-in-death/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“Tess of the d’Urbervilles, Johnny Got His Gun, A Farewell to Arms, A Prayer for Owen Meany, some years Wuthering Heights, Silas Marner, Their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/tess-of-the-d-urbervilles-johnny-got-his-gun-a-farewell-to-arms-a/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [Hemingway was a big influence - 'A Farewell to Arms,' though I disapproved of the later Hemingway.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dellinger/hemingway-was-a-big-influence-a-farewell-to-arms-though-i-disapproved/) [David Dellinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dellinger/) > [“...What gets me about D.B., though, he hated the war so much, and yet he got me to read this book A Farewell to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/what-gets-me-about-d-b-though-he-hated-the-war-so-much-and-yet-he-got/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [There were many words that you could not stand to hear and finally only the names of places had dignity. Abstract words such as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/there-were-many-words-that-you-could-not-stand-to-hear-and-finally/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [I had seen nothing sacred, and the things that were glorious had no glory and the sacrifices were like the stockyards at Chicago if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-had-seen-nothing-sacred-and-the-things-that-were-glorious-had-no/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“TINA: Oh, Rick, Rick, I’m scared. What’s happened to us? I can’t seem to find us any more. I reach out and reach out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-salinger/tina-oh-rick-rick-i-m-scared-what-s-happened-to-us-i-can-t-seem-to/) [J.D. Salinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-salinger/) > [The brave dies perhaps two thousand deaths if he's intelligent. He simply doesn't mention them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/the-brave-dies-perhaps-two-thousand-deaths-if-he-s-intelligent-he/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [Well, it looks like this is 'A Farewell to Arms.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-bond/well-it-looks-like-this-is-a-farewell-to-arms/) [James Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-bond/) > [I rewrote the ending to 'Farewell to Arms,' the last page of it, thirty-nine times before I was satisfied.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/i-rewrote-the-ending-to-farewell-to-arms-the-last-page-of-it-thirty/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [“When asked about rewriting, Ernest Hemingway said that he rewrote the ending to A Farewell to Arms thirty-nine times before he was satisfied. Vladimir…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-m-tiberghien/when-asked-about-rewriting-ernest-hemingway-said-that-he-rewrote-the/) [Susan M. Tiberghien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-m-tiberghien/) > [The coward dies a thousand deaths, the valiant, only once!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-coward-dies-a-thousand-deaths-the-valiant-only-once/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) [Browse all 24 Farewell to arms quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/farewell-to-arms/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The Poison Maiden has conceived by him, and is plumb ready to enter the divine category of mother, only one last fiend clubs her to death. The final clinch of male romanticism is that each man kills the thing he loves; whether she be Catharine in A Farewell to Arms, or the Grecian Urn, the 'tension that she be perfect' means that she must die, leavinf the hero's status as a great lover unchallenged. The pattern is still commonplace: the hero cannot marry. 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