--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Hortense and Berthe nodded, as though…" description: "\"“Hortense and Berthe nodded, as though profoundly impressed by the wisdom of their mother's pronouncements. She had long since convinced them of the ab..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/mile-zola-1188_inferiority_hortense-and-berthe-nodded-as-though-pro_1535309.png" --- # Hortense and Berthe nodded, as though profoundly impressed… ![“Hortense and Berthe nodded, as though profoundly impressed by the wisdom of their mother's pronouncements. She had long since convinced them of the absolute inferiority of men, whose sole function was to marry and to pay.” quote by Émile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/mile-zola-1188_inferiority_hortense-and-berthe-nodded-as-though-pro_1535309.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/mile-zola-1188_inferiority_hortense-and-berthe-nodded-as-though-pro_1535309.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/mile-zola-1188_inferiority_hortense-and-berthe-nodded-as-though-pro_1535309.png) > ““Hortense and Berthe nodded, as though profoundly impressed by the wisdom of their mother's pronouncements. She had long since convinced them of the absolute inferiority of men, whose sole function was to marry and to pay.”” [Émile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The mother’s teachings embed a deep misogynistic belief that men exist solely to marry and provide, shaping her daughters’ worldview. **In simple terms:** Women are taught men are only for marriage and money. Key Takeaway Question and challenge inherited gender stereotypes. Themes gender power family dynamics Mood critical reflective Type literary social commentary When to use this quote - education - parental influence - gender equality activism Key Concepts misogyny social conditioning Questions to Reflect On - How do societal narratives shape gender roles? - What evidence counters the idea that men have only one purpose? A Different Perspective The quote reflects a single perspective, not universal truth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inferiority](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inferiority/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [The mere idea of marriage, as a strong possibility, if not always nowadays a reasonable likelihood, existing to weaken the will by distracting its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-bolitho/the-mere-idea-of-marriage-as-a-strong-possibility-if-not-always/) [William Bolitho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-bolitho/) > [Let's learn from the wisdom of every mother and father who teaches their daughters there is no limit on how big she can dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/let-s-learn-from-the-wisdom-of-every-mother-and-father-who-teaches/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [What a recovery of the wisdom of the Mother brings to all of us is the knowledge of inseparable connection with the entire creation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-harvey/what-a-recovery-of-the-wisdom-of-the-mother-brings-to-all-of-us-is/) [Andrew Harvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-harvey/) > [“Only compliments on my exceptional mothering skills. I’ve wondered if her tongue didn’t bleed from biting it at the many mistakes I’m sure she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guideposts/only-compliments-on-my-exceptional-mothering-skills-i-ve-wondered-if/) Guideposts > [With my mother, Julie Andrews Edwards, I've authored such children's books as the 'Dumpy the Dump Truck' series, 'Dragon: Hound of Honor,' 'The Great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-walton-hamilton/with-my-mother-julie-andrews-edwards-i-ve-authored-such-children-s/) [Emma Walton Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-walton-hamilton/) > [They see me as being this Super Mom on TV who also can more than handle a difficult husband, and they assume I'm going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-richardson/they-see-me-as-being-this-super-mom-on-tv-who-also-can-more-than/) [Patricia Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-richardson/) > [“My father is wisdom and my mother is voidness. My country is the country of Dharma. I am of no caste and no creed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/padmasambhava/my-father-is-wisdom-and-my-mother-is-voidness-my-country-is-the/) [Padmasambhava](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/padmasambhava/) > [“Inferiority is not banal or incidental even when it happens to women. It is not a petty affliction like bad skin or circles under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-dworkin/inferiority-is-not-banal-or-incidental-even-when-it-happens-to-women/) [Andrea Dworkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-dworkin/) > [“If someone wants to be a king, know that he's just a clown! Anyone who sees himself as superior to others and tries to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-someone-wants-to-be-a-king-know-that-he-s-just-a-clown-anyone-who/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [To be born again means that we must be changed from a negative to a positive self-image - from inferiority to self-esteem, from fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/to-be-born-again-means-that-we-must-be-changed-from-a-negative-to-a/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [As soon as someone starts acting like you're not good enough for them move on because they are definitely wrong for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/as-soon-as-someone-starts-acting-like-you-re-not-good-enough-for-them/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [The world, and the great and free United States in particular, is full of narrow-minded, ignorant, moronic, bigoted, cowardly, self-righteous, anemic, pig-headed, stupid, puritanical,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-world-and-the-great-and-free-united-states-in-particular-is-full/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [What is a genius? A person who demands little to nothing from others, but is often found extremely difficult to have around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/what-is-a-genius-a-person-who-demands-little-to-nothing-from-others/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [All black people who are even minimally conscious, black people who have ever experienced Europe's technological power crusading in the vanguard of a civilizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-nkosi/all-black-people-who-are-even-minimally-conscious-black-people-who/) [Lewis Nkosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-nkosi/) > [Don't compare yourself to other people. It won't help. You'll only find what you expect to find. If you think you're weak, everyone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-skye/don-t-compare-yourself-to-other-people-it-won-t-help-you-ll-only-find/) [Samantha Skye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-skye/) ## More by Émile Zola > [“Hélène, her eyes once more raised and remote, was deep in a dream. She was Lady Rowena, she was in love, with the deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/h-l-ne-her-eyes-once-more-raised-and-remote-was-deep-in-a-dream-she/) [Émile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [The vague torment of ... ambition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/the-vague-torment-of-ambition/) [Emile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [How evil life must be if it were indeed necessary that such imploring cries, such cries of physical and moral wretchedness, should ever and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/how-evil-life-must-be-if-it-were-indeed-necessary-that-such-imploring/) [Emile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [“he was carried aloft, for the moment, on one of those great waves of hope from which he was usually plunged deep into the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/he-was-carried-aloft-for-the-moment-on-one-of-those-great-waves-of/) [Émile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [“Death had to take her little by little, bit by bit, dragging her along to the bitter end of the miserable existence she'd made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/death-had-to-take-her-little-by-little-bit-by-bit-dragging-her-along/) [Émile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [If something's just, I'll let myself be hacked to bits for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/if-something-s-just-i-ll-let-myself-be-hacked-to-bits-for-it/) [Emile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [“Lastly, I accuse the first court-martial of having violated the law by condemning an accused person on one document kept secret, and I accuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/lastly-i-accuse-the-first-court-martial-of-having-violated-the-law-by/) [Émile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [“vexation, yet filled with unconscious regret for the terrible unknown things that might have, but had not, happened (23)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/vexation-yet-filled-with-unconscious-regret-for-the-terrible-unknown/) [Émile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [“Good gracious!" she exclaimed, "she's been more than an hour in there! When the priests set about cleansing her of her sins, the choir-boys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/good-gracious-she-exclaimed-she-s-been-more-than-an-hour-in-there/) [Émile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [The only basis for living is believing in life, loving it, and applying the whole force of one's intellect to know it better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/the-only-basis-for-living-is-believing-in-life-loving-it-and-applying/) [Emile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [“A new dynasty is never founded without a struggle. Blood makes good manure. It will be a good thing for the Rougon family to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/a-new-dynasty-is-never-founded-without-a-struggle-blood-makes-good/) [Émile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [I believe that all is illusion and vanity outside the treasure of truths slowly accumulated, and which will never again be lost. I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/i-believe-that-all-is-illusion-and-vanity-outside-the-treasure-of/) [Emile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [“After a time, she believed in the reality of this comedy”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/after-a-time-she-believed-in-the-reality-of-this-comedy/) [Émile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [“She wanted to live, and live fully, and to give life, she who loved life! What was the good of existing, if you couldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/she-wanted-to-live-and-live-fully-and-to-give-life-she-who-loved-life/) [Émile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) > [The fear of life, the fear of burdens and of duties, of annoyances and of catastrophes! The fear of life, which makes us, through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/the-fear-of-life-the-fear-of-burdens-and-of-duties-of-annoyances-and/) [Emile Zola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) [Explore all 243 Émile Zola quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/) ## More Inferiority quotes > [Don't compare yourself to other people. It won't help. You'll only find what you expect to find. If you think you're weak, everyone else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samantha-skye/don-t-compare-yourself-to-other-people-it-won-t-help-you-ll-only-find/) [Samantha Skye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samantha-skye/) > [All black people who are even minimally conscious, black people who have ever experienced Europe's technological power crusading in the vanguard of a civilizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-nkosi/all-black-people-who-are-even-minimally-conscious-black-people-who/) [Lewis Nkosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-nkosi/) > [What is a genius? A person who demands little to nothing from others, but is often found extremely difficult to have around.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/what-is-a-genius-a-person-who-demands-little-to-nothing-from-others/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [The world, and the great and free United States in particular, is full of narrow-minded, ignorant, moronic, bigoted, cowardly, self-righteous, anemic, pig-headed, stupid, puritanical,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gertrude-atherton/the-world-and-the-great-and-free-united-states-in-particular-is-full/) [Gertrude Atherton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gertrude-atherton/) > [As soon as someone starts acting like you're not good enough for them move on because they are definitely wrong for you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/as-soon-as-someone-starts-acting-like-you-re-not-good-enough-for-them/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [To be born again means that we must be changed from a negative to a positive self-image - from inferiority to self-esteem, from fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/to-be-born-again-means-that-we-must-be-changed-from-a-negative-to-a/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [“If someone wants to be a king, know that he's just a clown! Anyone who sees himself as superior to others and tries to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/if-someone-wants-to-be-a-king-know-that-he-s-just-a-clown-anyone-who/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [“Inferiority is not banal or incidental even when it happens to women. It is not a petty affliction like bad skin or circles under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-dworkin/inferiority-is-not-banal-or-incidental-even-when-it-happens-to-women/) [Andrea Dworkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-dworkin/) > [The heaviest penalty for declining to rule is to be ruled by someone inferior to yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/the-heaviest-penalty-for-declining-to-rule-is-to-be-ruled-by-someone/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [Whether our reformers admit it or not, the economic and social inferiority of women is responsible for prostitution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-goldman/whether-our-reformers-admit-it-or-not-the-economic-and-social/) [Emma Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-goldman/) > [Vince McMahon has the worst inferiority complex of anybody in history.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cornette/vince-mcmahon-has-the-worst-inferiority-complex-of-anybody-in-history/) [Jim Cornette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cornette/) > [When we have anger in us, we suffer. When we have discrimination in us, we suffer. When we have the complex of superiority, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nhat-hanh/when-we-have-anger-in-us-we-suffer-when-we-have-discrimination-in-us/) [Nhat Hanh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nhat-hanh/) > [Although they understand their position as sons and daughters of God, they are tied up in knots, bound by a terrible feeling inferiority, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/although-they-understand-their-position-as-sons-and-daughters-of-god/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“My paycheck is so small it has an inferiority complex.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mallory-kane/my-paycheck-is-so-small-it-has-an-inferiority-complex/) Mallory Kane > [Strutting and preening is, in fact, the surest sign of an inferiority complex.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brin/strutting-and-preening-is-in-fact-the-surest-sign-of-an-inferiority/) [David Brin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brin/) [Browse all 384 Inferiority quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inferiority/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Hortense and Berthe nodded, as though profoundly impressed by the wisdom of their mother's pronouncements. She had long since convinced them of the absolute inferiority of men, whose sole function was to marry and to pay.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Émile Zola" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/hortense-and-berthe-nodded-as-though-profoundly-impressed-by-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Inferiority" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/hortense-and-berthe-nodded-as-though-profoundly-impressed-by-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/mile-zola-1188_inferiority_hortense-and-berthe-nodded-as-though-pro_1535309.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/mile-zola-1188_inferiority_hortense-and-berthe-nodded-as-though-pro_1535309.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c7a/mile-zola-1188_inferiority_hortense-and-berthe-nodded-as-though-pro_1535309.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Hortense and Berthe nodded, as though profoundly impressed by the wisdom of their mother's pronouncements…” — Émile Zola", "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": "Émile Zola", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mile-zola/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Hortense and Berthe nodded, as though...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/hortense-and-berthe-nodded-as-though-profoundly-impressed-by-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mile-zola/hortense-and-berthe-nodded-as-though-profoundly-impressed-by-the/#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 } } ] } ```