--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For the first time in his life he knew…" description: "\"“For the first time in his life he knew the bitterest sort of misfortune, misfortune beyond remedy, misfortune his own fault.”\" — Leo Tolstoy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/leo-tolstoy-55_first-time_for-the-first-time-in-his-life-he-knew-t_786627.png" --- # For the first time in his life he knew the bitterest sort… ![“For the first time in his life he knew the bitterest sort of misfortune, misfortune beyond remedy, misfortune his own fault.” quote by Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/leo-tolstoy-55_first-time_for-the-first-time-in-his-life-he-knew-t_786627.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/leo-tolstoy-55_first-time_for-the-first-time-in-his-life-he-knew-t_786627.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b24/leo-tolstoy-55_first-time_for-the-first-time-in-his-life-he-knew-t_786627.png) > ““For the first time in his life he knew the bitterest sort of misfortune, misfortune beyond remedy, misfortune his own fault.”” [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The character experiences a profound, personal misfortune caused by his own actions, highlighting the pain of self‑inflicted suffering. **In simple terms:** Self‑caused misfortune hurts deeply. Key Takeaway Accept responsibility for your choices. Themes responsibility misfortune self‑reflection Mood somber reflective Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - legal consequences - personal crises - health setbacks - relationship failures Key Concepts Moral philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What lessons arise from personal mistakes? - How can you prevent self‑inflicted harm? A Different Perspective Blame can hinder recovery. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Misfortune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misfortune/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [A tendancy to melancholy...let it be observed, is a misfortune, not a fault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/a-tendancy-to-melancholy-let-it-be-observed-is-a-misfortune-not-a/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Patience is the remedy for every misfortune.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/patience-is-the-remedy-for-every-misfortune/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [“Death, the inevitable end of everything, confronted him for the first time with irresistible force.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/death-the-inevitable-end-of-everything-confronted-him-for-the-first/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Has it ever befallen you, my readers, to become suddenly aware that your conception of things has altered — as though every object in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/has-it-ever-befallen-you-my-readers-to-become-suddenly-aware-that/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“When the tide of misfortune moves over you, even jelly will break your teeth     —Persian Proverb”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-fallon/when-the-tide-of-misfortune-moves-over-you-even-jelly-will-break-your/) [Jennifer Fallon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-fallon/) > [All men can bear a familiar, definite misfortune better than the cruel alternations of a fate which, from one moment to another, brings excessive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/all-men-can-bear-a-familiar-definite-misfortune-better-than-the-cruel/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [It is a misfortune that necessity has induced men to accord greater license to this formidable engine, in order to obtain liberty, than can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/it-is-a-misfortune-that-necessity-has-induced-men-to-accord-greater/) [James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/) > [\[It is hard to know what is good luck and what isn't and therefore whether we should be happy or sad about it. Only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zelig-pliskin/it-is-hard-to-know-what-is-good-luck-and-what-isn-t-and-therefore/) [Zelig Pliskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zelig-pliskin/) > [It is not inequality which is the real misfortune, it is dependence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/it-is-not-inequality-which-is-the-real-misfortune-it-is-dependence/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [“Modern man’s misfortune lies not in having to live a mediocre life, but in believing that he could live one that is not mediocre.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-gomez-davila/modern-man-s-misfortune-lies-not-in-having-to-live-a-mediocre-life/) [Nicolás Gómez Dávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-gomez-davila/) > [When the sun is shining, think of the time it won't be, because even when you're sitting in your house with the doors shut,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-see/when-the-sun-is-shining-think-of-the-time-it-won-t-be-because-even/) [Lisa See](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-see/) > [Being single was never my misfortune. It's my choice and my decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jomari-consuelo/being-single-was-never-my-misfortune-it-s-my-choice-and-my-decision/) [Jomari Consuelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jomari-consuelo/) > [Misfortune is the test of a person's merit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/misfortune-is-the-test-of-a-person-s-merit/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Many things would be changed for Americans if they would only admit that there is ill-luck in this world and that misfortune is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/many-things-would-be-changed-for-americans-if-they-would-only-admit/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [If we cannot meet our everyday surroundings with equanimity and pleasure and grow each day in some useful direction, then... life is on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luther-burbank/if-we-cannot-meet-our-everyday-surroundings-with-equanimity-and/) [Luther Burbank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luther-burbank/) ## More by Leo Tolstoy > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-only-significance-of-life-consists-in-helping-to-establish-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Energy rests upon love; and come as it will, there's no forcing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/energy-rests-upon-love-and-come-as-it-will-there-s-no-forcing-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“If you only knew what those society women are, and women in general! My father is right. 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