--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Yes, I am sad, sad as a circus-lioness…" description: "\"Yes, I am sad, sad as a circus-lioness, sad as an eagle without wings, sad as a violin with only one string and that one broken, sad as a woman who is ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/jean-rhys-2447_broken_yes-i-am-sad-sad-as-a-circus-lioness-sad_800882.jpg" --- # Yes, I am sad, sad as a circus-lioness, sad as an eagle… ![“Yes, I am sad, sad as a circus-lioness, sad as an eagle without wings, sad as a violin with only one string and that one broken, sad as a woman who is growing old. Sad, sad, sad...” quote by Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/jean-rhys-2447_broken_yes-i-am-sad-sad-as-a-circus-lioness-sad_800882.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/jean-rhys-2447_broken_yes-i-am-sad-sad-as-a-circus-lioness-sad_800882.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/33e/jean-rhys-2447_broken_yes-i-am-sad-sad-as-a-circus-lioness-sad_800882.jpg) > “Yes, I am sad, sad as a circus-lioness, sad as an eagle without wings, sad as a violin with only one string and that one broken, sad as a woman who is growing old. Sad, sad, sad...” [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The narrator expresses deep, layered sadness using vivid animal and musical metaphors. **In simple terms:** She feels profound, layered sadness. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and process grief. Themes grief loneliness identity Mood melancholic poetic Type literary emotional When to use this quote - personal loss - creative writing - therapy sessions Key Concepts emotional expression mental health Questions to Reflect On - What personal symbols represent your sorrow? - How can creative expression aid healing? A Different Perspective Metaphors may mask underlying issues. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Circus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/circus/) [Eagles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eagles/) [Growing old](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-old/) [Sad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sad/) [Violin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violin/) ## Related quotes > [I am sad, sad as a circus-lioness...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/i-am-sad-sad-as-a-circus-lioness/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [It's pretty sad when a woman can't understand any language but the language of love forgetting the language of Patience and dedication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miss-leto/it-s-pretty-sad-when-a-woman-can-t-understand-any-language-but-the/) [Miss Leto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miss-leto/) > [No matter how old and glorious the models, sad indeed is the woman who sees fashion as a means of self-expression rather than an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-burchill/no-matter-how-old-and-glorious-the-models-sad-indeed-is-the-woman-who/) [Julie Burchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-burchill/) > [It is sad to see a woman sacrificing the ties of the affections even to do good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-mitchell/it-is-sad-to-see-a-woman-sacrificing-the-ties-of-the-affections-even/) [Maria Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-mitchell/) > [Elaine is just in pain. I think Elaine has become very, very sad woman. She is someone who is in deep need of many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-louis-dreyfus/elaine-is-just-in-pain-i-think-elaine-has-become-very-very-sad-woman/) [Julia Louis-Dreyfus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-louis-dreyfus/) > [“Beware the wounded lioness, for she is a natural hunter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-h-septimius-2/beware-the-wounded-lioness-for-she-is-a-natural-hunter/) [A.H. Septimius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-h-septimius-2/) > [“She was tall and dark-skinned and looked like a Nigerian sculpture. She moved like a lioness, her every step bristling with suppressed violence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bonnie-greer/she-was-tall-and-dark-skinned-and-looked-like-a-nigerian-sculpture/) [Bonnie Greer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bonnie-greer/) > [She was a lioness. She was described as an iron fist in a velvet glove. She needed that culture and background to survive in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sean-hepburn-ferrer/she-was-a-lioness-she-was-described-as-an-iron-fist-in-a-velvet-glove/) [Sean Hepburn Ferrer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sean-hepburn-ferrer/) > [“She made no other moves, but there was tension in her that said she was a lioness that could strike at any moment. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/she-made-no-other-moves-but-there-was-tension-in-her-that-said-she/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“Oh, is that right? You know, a lioness will protect her cub by baring her teeth, by roaring, using her claws to defend her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-l-sheppard/oh-is-that-right-you-know-a-lioness-will-protect-her-cub-by-baring/) [Steven L. Sheppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-l-sheppard/) > [Yeah. And Savitar predates him. 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Maybe it’s time you get acquainted.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melody-lee/if-you-aren-t-aware-there-is-a-lioness-living-inside-you-maybe-it-s/) [Melody Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melody-lee/) > [“She was beautiful and lithe, with soft skin the color of bread and eyes like green almonds, and she had straight black hair that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/she-was-beautiful-and-lithe-with-soft-skin-the-color-of-bread-and/) [Gabriel García Márquez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-garc-a-m-rquez/) > [My husband says I'm a grumpy lioness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-walker/my-husband-says-i-m-a-grumpy-lioness/) [Nicola Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-walker/) ## More by Jean Rhys > [Of course she had some pathetic illusions about herself or she would not be able to go on living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/of-course-she-had-some-pathetic-illusions-about-herself-or-she-would/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [As soon as I turned the key I saw it hanging, the color of fire and sunset. the colour of flamboyant flowers. ‘If you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/as-soon-as-i-turned-the-key-i-saw-it-hanging-the-color-of-fire-and/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [Human beings are struggling, and so they are egoists. But it's wrong to say that they are wholy cruel - it's a deformed view.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/human-beings-are-struggling-and-so-they-are-egoists-but-it-s-wrong-to/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [“THe room was large and low-ceilinged, the striped wallpaper faded to inoffensiveness. A huge dark wardrobe faced a huge dark bed. The rest of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/the-room-was-large-and-low-ceilinged-the-striped-wallpaper-faded-to/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [There is no doubt that running away on a fresh, blue morning can be exhilarating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/there-is-no-doubt-that-running-away-on-a-fresh-blue-morning-can-be/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [Blot out the moon, Pull down the stars. Love in the dark, for we're for the dark So soon, so soon.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rhys/blot-out-the-moon-pull-down-the-stars-love-in-the-dark-for-we-re-for/) [Jean Rhys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rhys/) > [“But in the daytime it was all right. 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