--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I lead a bitter life, devoid of all…" description: "\"“I lead a bitter life, devoid of all external joy and in which I have nothing to keep me going but a sort of permanent rage, which weeps at times from ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/gustave-flaubert-354_anger_i-lead-a-bitter-life-devoid-of-all-exter_1077763.jpg" --- # I lead a bitter life, devoid of all external joy and in… ![“I lead a bitter life, devoid of all external joy and in which I have nothing to keep me going but a sort of permanent rage, which weeps at times from impotence, but which is constant.” quote by Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/gustave-flaubert-354_anger_i-lead-a-bitter-life-devoid-of-all-exter_1077763.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/gustave-flaubert-354_anger_i-lead-a-bitter-life-devoid-of-all-exter_1077763.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/gustave-flaubert-354_anger_i-lead-a-bitter-life-devoid-of-all-exter_1077763.jpg) > ““I lead a bitter life, devoid of all external joy and in which I have nothing to keep me going but a sort of permanent rage, which weeps at times from impotence, but which is constant.”” [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He describes a life driven by relentless inner anger, lacking joy and purpose, reflecting deep existential despair. **In simple terms:** A bitter life fueled by constant rage and emptiness. Key Takeaway Seek meaning beyond destructive emotions. Themes despair existential crisis inner turmoil Mood melancholic introspective Type literary psychological When to use this quote - personal reflection - therapy - creative expression - support groups Key Concepts permanent rage lack of joy existential void Questions to Reflect On - What gives your life purpose? - How can you transform anger into constructive energy? A Different Perspective Rage may mask underlying unmet needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) [Bitter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitter/) [Bitter Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bitter-life-468027/) [Joy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joy/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Permanent Rage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/permanent-rage-2719786/) [Rage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rage/) [Rage Weeps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rage-weeps-2719787/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Life is like many things but not like a box of chocolate it is not very sweet it actually taste bitter life is more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/azza-ratton/life-is-like-many-things-but-not-like-a-box-of-chocolate-it-is-not/) [Azza Ratton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/azza-ratton/) > [“Age was no guide then, nor is it now. The old and the young defy their endings, while others go too soon. Neither is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conn-iggulden/age-was-no-guide-then-nor-is-it-now-the-old-and-the-young-defy-their/) [Conn Iggulden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conn-iggulden/) > [He saw merchants trading, princes hunting, mourners wailing for their dead, whores offering themselves, physicians trying to help the sick, priests determining the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/he-saw-merchants-trading-princes-hunting-mourners-wailing-for-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The important thing is to not to be bitter over life's disappointments. Learn to let go of the past, and recognize that everyday won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/the-important-thing-is-to-not-to-be-bitter-over-life-s/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [Every day you wait is another day that you will never get back again. the most important thing is not to be bitter about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-day-you-wait-is-another-day-that-you-will-never-get-back-again/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“An old man, Elias Caldwell, death already smothering his breast, tries to tell a child something of all he has learned, something of what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tillie-olsen/an-old-man-elias-caldwell-death-already-smothering-his-breast-tries/) [Tillie Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tillie-olsen/) > [A world made to be lost, - A bitter life 'twixt pain and nothing tost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-morris/a-world-made-to-be-lost-a-bitter-life-twixt-pain-and-nothing-tost/) [William Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-morris/) > [“Query: Why am I so bitter against Life? And why do I see her as a rag-picker on the American cinema, shuffling along wrapped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-mansfield/query-why-am-i-so-bitter-against-life-and-why-do-i-see-her-as-a-rag/) [Katherine Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-mansfield/) > [“Bitter life in the early stages will lead to better life in the future.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-sivakumar-gowder/bitter-life-in-the-early-stages-will-lead-to-better-life-in-the-future/) [Dr Sivakumar Gowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-sivakumar-gowder/) > [“I’ve fought through a bitter life since I last heard your voice; and you must forgive me, for I struggled only for you!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/i-ve-fought-through-a-bitter-life-since-i-last-heard-your-voice-and/) [Emily Brontë](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [Woe is me! Bitter is me! For what is my life? Why didn't the ship go under and drown me before I came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anzia-yezierska/woe-is-me-bitter-is-me-for-what-is-my-life-why-didn-t-the-ship-go/) [Anzia Yezierska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anzia-yezierska/) > [“I had two choices. I could be bitter, or I could get on with life...Mine had been made...I wasn't going to be bitter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-brown/i-had-two-choices-i-could-be-bitter-or-i-could-get-on-with-life-mine/) [Carolyn Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-brown/) > [Put all your rage and madness into your work and live as orderly a life as possible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/put-all-your-rage-and-madness-into-your-work-and-live-as-orderly-a/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [I invite all brats to throw their cookies at the baker's head if they're not sweet, winos to chuck their wine if it's bad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/i-invite-all-brats-to-throw-their-cookies-at-the-baker-s-head-if-they/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [When heaven doth weep, doth not the earth o'erflow? If the winds rage, doth not the sea wax mad, Threatening the welkin with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/when-heaven-doth-weep-doth-not-the-earth-o-erflow-if-the-winds-rage/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) ## More by Gustave Flaubert > [As for the piano, the faster her fingers flew over it, the more he marveled. She struck the keys with aplomb and ran from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/as-for-the-piano-the-faster-her-fingers-flew-over-it-the-more-he/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [Caught up in life, you see it badly. You suffer from it or enjoy it too much. The artist, in my opinion, is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/caught-up-in-life-you-see-it-badly-you-suffer-from-it-or-enjoy-it-too/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [“When one does something, one must do it wholly and well. 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You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/travel-makes-one-modest-you-see-what-a-tiny-place-you-occupy-in-the/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [“We must not touch our idols; the gilt sticks to our fingers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/we-must-not-touch-our-idols-the-gilt-sticks-to-our-fingers/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [A superhuman will is needed in order to write, and I am only a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/a-superhuman-will-is-needed-in-order-to-write-and-i-am-only-a-man/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [The writer must wade into life as into the sea, but only up to the navel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/the-writer-must-wade-into-life-as-into-the-sea-but-only-up-to-the/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [COLD. Healthier than heat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/cold-healthier-than-heat/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [And indeed, what is better than to sit by one's fireside in the evening with a book, while the wind beats against the window…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/and-indeed-what-is-better-than-to-sit-by-one-s-fireside-in-the/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [One's existence should be in two parts: one should live like a bourgeois and think like a demigod.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/one-s-existence-should-be-in-two-parts-one-should-live-like-a/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) > [Emma was no asleep, she was pretending to be asleep; and, while he was dozing off at her side, she lay awake, dreaming other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/emma-was-no-asleep-she-was-pretending-to-be-asleep-and-while-he-was/) [Gustave Flaubert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) [Explore all 526 Gustave Flaubert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/) ## More Anger quotes > [“If I let myself think of it the pain and anger were still fresh, adrenalin racing down my limbs to pool, hot and itchy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kylie-ladd/if-i-let-myself-think-of-it-the-pain-and-anger-were-still-fresh/) [Kylie Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kylie-ladd/) > [I receive something we might euphemistically call an 'inappropriately hostile' response - that is to say, more than fair criticism or even fair anger…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-beard/i-receive-something-we-might-euphemistically-call-an-inappropriately/) [Mary Beard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-beard/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [Anger is a rough water; if you can canalize it into a water mill, you can benefit from it. Anything bad can be transformed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/anger-is-a-rough-water-if-you-can-canalize-it-into-a-water-mill-you/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Some say the Earth is angry Because he wants no company; I say the Earth is angry Because he lives alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-k-jemisin/some-say-the-earth-is-angry-because-he-wants-no-company-i-say-the/) [N.K. Jemisin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-k-jemisin/) > [“When you feel terribly angry, you're possessed by anger ghost.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-feel-terribly-angry-you-re-possessed-by-anger-ghost/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Medical studies have shown that cursing reduces levels of stress and pain. Repressing your anger is not healthy. It's much better to verbalize it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-markus-malloy/medical-studies-have-shown-that-cursing-reduces-levels-of-stress-and/) [Oliver Markus Malloy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-markus-malloy/) > [My care will be in the heart n not in words My anger will be in Words n not in the Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/my-care-will-be-in-the-heart-n-not-in-words-my-anger-will-be-in-words/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) > [You should be angry. You must not be bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. It doesn't do anything to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/you-should-be-angry-you-must-not-be-bitter-bitterness-is-like-cancer/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [To be a Negro in this country and to be relatively conscious is to be in a rage almost all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/to-be-a-negro-in-this-country-and-to-be-relatively-conscious-is-to-be/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [The present contains nothing more than the past, and what is found in the effect was already in the cause.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-bergson/the-present-contains-nothing-more-than-the-past-and-what-is-found-in/) [Henri Bergson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-bergson/) > [Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-wright/depression-is-merely-anger-without-enthusiasm/) [Steven Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-wright/) > [I always fight better when my opponent's angry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-haye/i-always-fight-better-when-my-opponent-s-angry/) [David Haye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-haye/) > [ “Where there are kashays (anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is worldly life. As long as anger-pride-deceit-greed exist; one is a sansaari \[living a worldly life\] regardless of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-are-kashays-anger-pride-deceit-greed-there-is-worldly/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) [Browse all 7,469 Anger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anger/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“I lead a bitter life, devoid of all external joy and in which I have nothing to keep me going but a sort of permanent rage, which weeps at times from impotence, but which is constant.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gustave Flaubert" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/i-lead-a-bitter-life-devoid-of-all-external-joy-and-in-which-i-have/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anger" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/i-lead-a-bitter-life-devoid-of-all-external-joy-and-in-which-i-have/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/gustave-flaubert-354_anger_i-lead-a-bitter-life-devoid-of-all-exter_1077763.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/gustave-flaubert-354_anger_i-lead-a-bitter-life-devoid-of-all-exter_1077763.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/377/gustave-flaubert-354_anger_i-lead-a-bitter-life-devoid-of-all-exter_1077763.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I lead a bitter life, devoid of all external joy and in which I have nothing to keep me going but a sort of…” — Gustave Flaubert", "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": "Gustave Flaubert", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gustave-flaubert/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“I lead a bitter life, devoid...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/i-lead-a-bitter-life-devoid-of-all-external-joy-and-in-which-i-have/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gustave-flaubert/i-lead-a-bitter-life-devoid-of-all-external-joy-and-in-which-i-have/#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 } } ] } ```