--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Old age is a woman's hell." description: "\"Old age is a woman's hell.\" — Ninon de L'Enclos" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/ninon-de-l-enclos-11164_age_old-age-is-a-woman-s-hell-1020094_1020094.png" --- # Old age is a woman's hell. ![“Old age is a woman's hell.” quote by Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/ninon-de-l-enclos-11164_age_old-age-is-a-woman-s-hell-1020094_1020094.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/ninon-de-l-enclos-11164_age_old-age-is-a-woman-s-hell-1020094_1020094.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/ninon-de-l-enclos-11164_age_old-age-is-a-woman-s-hell-1020094_1020094.png) > “Old age is a woman's hell.” [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A bitter view that aging feels like a torment for women. **In simple terms:** Old age can feel like suffering for women. Key Takeaway Recognize and alleviate gendered aging challenges. Themes aging gender suffering Mood somber critical Type social philosophical When to use this quote - healthcare - social policy - elder care Key Concepts feminist critique existential dread Questions to Reflect On - How does society view aging women? - What support can improve their experience? A Different Perspective Potentially hyperbolic; not universal. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) [Hell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hell/) [Old age](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-age/) [Woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman/) ## Related quotes > [In the love poetry of every age, the woman longs to be weighed down by the man's body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milan-kundera/in-the-love-poetry-of-every-age-the-woman-longs-to-be-weighed-down-by/) [Milan Kundera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milan-kundera/) > [Old age - that's when a woman takes vitamins A through G, and still looks like H.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-hayworth/old-age-that-s-when-a-woman-takes-vitamins-a-through-g-and-still/) [Rita Hayworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-hayworth/) > [“Every woman, hell, every man should be a feminist, that is the only way to render this word obsolete.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aysha-taryam/every-woman-hell-every-man-should-be-a-feminist-that-is-the-only-way/) [Aysha Taryam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aysha-taryam/) > [“A G-Rated story? About taking some deformed baby and locking him up? And if it was true, and this poor guy had been locked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelley-armstrong/a-g-rated-story-about-taking-some-deformed-baby-and-locking-him-up/) [Kelley Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelley-armstrong/) > [“Lieutenant Rider Sinclar stretched an arm upward, neatly catching the ball. He pivoted quickly, but missed tagging Willie by a hair as she ran…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-mcpherren/lieutenant-rider-sinclar-stretched-an-arm-upward-neatly-catching-the/) [Charlotte McPherren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-mcpherren/) > [“You've felt guilty ever since, haven't you? That's why you're such a rogue reporter, with your exposés and your inside dirt. It's all backlash."…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maggie-shayne/you-ve-felt-guilty-ever-since-haven-t-you-that-s-why-you-re-such-a/) [Maggie Shayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maggie-shayne/) > [If But for the Mercy of my Lord, that my paradise becomes a woman's hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/if-but-for-the-mercy-of-my-lord-that-my-paradise-becomes-a-woman-s/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Cover a war in a place where you can't drink beer or talk to a woman? Hell no!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-s-thompson/cover-a-war-in-a-place-where-you-can-t-drink-beer-or-talk-to-a-woman/) [Hunter S. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-s-thompson/) > [I was the first woman in a Hell in a Cell match that wasn't part of the Four Horsewomen, so there was a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bianca-belair/i-was-the-first-woman-in-a-hell-in-a-cell-match-that-wasn-t-part-of/) [Bianca Belair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bianca-belair/) > [One should never trust a woman who tells one her real age. A woman who would tell one that would tell one anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/one-should-never-trust-a-woman-who-tells-one-her-real-age-a-woman-who/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“She is the only woman I’ve seen that gets more beautiful with age. She is the only woman I see.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tarryn-fisher/she-is-the-only-woman-i-ve-seen-that-gets-more-beautiful-with-age-she/) [Tarryn Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tarryn-fisher/) > [No matter size, weight, or age woman should never forget their divine worth. We are powerful, beautiful beings and should be treated as such.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/witney-carson/no-matter-size-weight-or-age-woman-should-never-forget-their-divine/) [Witney Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/witney-carson/) > [There is a certain age when a woman must be beautiful to be loved, and then there comes a time when she must be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francoise-sagan/there-is-a-certain-age-when-a-woman-must-be-beautiful-to-be-loved-and/) [Francoise Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francoise-sagan/) > [“He’s a young man, my own age or a little older, which is young for a man although not for a woman, as at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/he-s-a-young-man-my-own-age-or-a-little-older-which-is-young-for-a/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [“Not to mention that I have finally arrived at that age where a woman starts to question whether the wisest way to get over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/not-to-mention-that-i-have-finally-arrived-at-that-age-where-a-woman/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) ## More by Ninon de L'Enclos > [A woman is more influenced by what she divines than by what she is told.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/a-woman-is-more-influenced-by-what-she-divines-than-by-what-she-is/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [The resistance of a woman is not always a proof of her virtue, but more frequently of her experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/the-resistance-of-a-woman-is-not-always-a-proof-of-her-virtue-but/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [One must choose between loving women and knowing them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/one-must-choose-between-loving-women-and-knowing-them/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [Equality is the share of every one at their advent upon earth, and equality is also theirs when placed beneath it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/equality-is-the-share-of-every-one-at-their-advent-upon-earth-and/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [Novelty is the storehouse of pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/novelty-is-the-storehouse-of-pleasure/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [Hatred is nearly always honest--rarely, if ever, assumed. So much cannot be said for love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/hatred-is-nearly-always-honest-rarely-if-ever-assumed-so-much-cannot/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [A woman should not take a lover without the consent of her heart, nor a husband without the consent of her reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/a-woman-should-not-take-a-lover-without-the-consent-of-her-heart-nor/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [Wit is a dangerous talent in friendship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/wit-is-a-dangerous-talent-in-friendship/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [When our desires are fulfilled, we never fail to realize the wealth of imagination and the paucity of reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/when-our-desires-are-fulfilled-we-never-fail-to-realize-the-wealth-of/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [A cunning woman is her own mistress because she confides in no one. She who deceives others anticipates deceit, and guards herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/a-cunning-woman-is-her-own-mistress-because-she-confides-in-no-one/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [If a man needs a religion to conduct himself properly in this world, it is a sign that he has either a limited mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/if-a-man-needs-a-religion-to-conduct-himself-properly-in-this-world/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [The joy of the mind is the measure of its strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/the-joy-of-the-mind-is-the-measure-of-its-strength/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [Gossip, like ennui, is born of idleness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/gossip-like-ennui-is-born-of-idleness/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [There is a certain time of life, when we value a good stomach more than the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/there-is-a-certain-time-of-life-when-we-value-a-good-stomach-more/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) > [Today a new sun rises for me; everything lives, everything is animated, everything seems to speak to me of my passion, everything invites me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/today-a-new-sun-rises-for-me-everything-lives-everything-is-animated/) [Ninon de L'Enclos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) [Explore all 61 Ninon de L'Enclos quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/) ## More Age quotes > [I need a bath." He chuckled. "You smell of smoke, as do I." The duke turned, leaning heavily on his cane. "Jameson, open the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hawkins/i-need-a-bath-he-chuckled-you-smell-of-smoke-as-do-i-the-duke-turned/) [Karen Hawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hawkins/) > [While we've youth in our hearts, we can never grow old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/while-we-ve-youth-in-our-hearts-we-can-never-grow-old/) [Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-wendell-holmes-jr/) > [It's easier to change a law than an age-old mentality. Deep down, many prejudices, many hostilities, many fears persist. But if we take a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dacia-maraini/it-s-easier-to-change-a-law-than-an-age-old-mentality-deep-down-many/) [Dacia Maraini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dacia-maraini/) > [When I first started writing, when I was 15, I would go to work with people and they would tell me my lyrics were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-claudio/when-i-first-started-writing-when-i-was-15-i-would-go-to-work-with/) [Sabrina Claudio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sabrina-claudio/) > [Real people speak in my books about the main events of the age, such as the war, the Chernobyl disaster, and the downfall of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/svetlana-alexievich/real-people-speak-in-my-books-about-the-main-events-of-the-age-such/) [Svetlana Alexievich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/svetlana-alexievich/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) > [If there is any period one would desire to be born in, is it not the age of Revolution; when the old and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/if-there-is-any-period-one-would-desire-to-be-born-in-is-it-not-the/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [I am just enjoying the dream of being Milan coach at the age of 40.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennaro-gattuso/i-am-just-enjoying-the-dream-of-being-milan-coach-at-the-age-of-40/) [Gennaro Gattuso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennaro-gattuso/) > [Age is an accumulation of life and loss. Adulthood is a series of lines crossed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-goodman/age-is-an-accumulation-of-life-and-loss-adulthood-is-a-series-of/) [Ellen Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-goodman/) > [I calculated that if I live up to the age of 80, then I end up using 450 toothbrushes in my life. All that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dia-mirza/i-calculated-that-if-i-live-up-to-the-age-of-80-then-i-end-up-using/) [Dia Mirza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dia-mirza/) > [Why is wisdom so fair? Why is beauty so wise? Because all else is temporary, while beauty and wisdom are the only real and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vera-nazarian/why-is-wisdom-so-fair-why-is-beauty-so-wise-because-all-else-is/) [Vera Nazarian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vera-nazarian/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [That old man dies prematurely whose memory records no benefits conferred. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/that-old-man-dies-prematurely-whose-memory-records-no-benefits/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [We have started to make music at age seven. That was a hard work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-kaulitz/we-have-started-to-make-music-at-age-seven-that-was-a-hard-work/) [Bill Kaulitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-kaulitz/) [Browse all 18,948 Age quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/age/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Old age is a woman's hell.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ninon de L'Enclos" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/old-age-is-a-woman-s-hell/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Age" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/old-age-is-a-woman-s-hell/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/ninon-de-l-enclos-11164_age_old-age-is-a-woman-s-hell-1020094_1020094.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/ninon-de-l-enclos-11164_age_old-age-is-a-woman-s-hell-1020094_1020094.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c5/ninon-de-l-enclos-11164_age_old-age-is-a-woman-s-hell-1020094_1020094.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Old age is a woman's hell.” — Ninon de L'Enclos", "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": "Ninon de L'Enclos", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ninon-de-l-enclos/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Old age is a woman's hell.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/old-age-is-a-woman-s-hell/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ninon-de-l-enclos/old-age-is-a-woman-s-hell/#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 } } ] } ```