Forgiveness Quote by Margaret Atwood
““She did understand, or at least she understood that she was supposed to understand. She understood, and said nothing about it, and prayed for the power to forgive, and did forgive. But he can't have found living with her forgiveness all that easy. Breakfast in a haze of forgiveness: coffee with forgiveness, porridge with forgiveness, forgiveness on the buttered toast. He would have been helpless against it, for how can you repudiate something that is never spoken? She resented, too, the nurse, or the many nurses, who had attended my father in the various hospitals. She wished him to owe his recovery to her alone—to her care, to her tireless devotion. That is the other side of selflessness: its tyranny.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood, 2000
Selfless love can become oppressive when forgiveness is expected without acknowledgment, turning care into a silent tyranny.
In simple terms: Selfless care may become a silent burden.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and voice personal limits.
Themes
selflessness
forgiveness
power dynamics
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
philosophical
literary
When to use this quote
- family caregiving
- hospital settings
- personal boundaries
- emotional labor
Key Concepts
tyranny of expectation
silent oppression
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance selfless care with personal needs?
- When does forgiveness become a tool of control?
A Different Perspective
Forgiveness alone cannot resolve underlying resentment.
