Advantage Quote by Olive Schreiner
“A little weeping, a little wheedling, a little self-degradation, a little careful use of our advantages, and then some man will say .Come, be my wife! With good looks and youth marriage is easy to attain. There are men enough; but a woman who has sold herself, even for a ring and a new name, need hold her skirt aside for no creature in the street. They both earn their bread in one way. Marriage for love is the most beautiful external symbol of the union of souls; marriage without it is the least clean traffic that defiles the world.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner, 1883
The quote contrasts genuine love marriage with transactional unions, condemning marriages based on appearance or material gain as corrupting society.
In simple terms: Love marriage unites souls; profit marriage corrupts.
Key Takeaway
Seek love, not advantage.
Themes
marriage
love
materialism
ethics
gender
Mood
cynical
reflective
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- courtship
- arranged marriage
- relationship counseling
Key Concepts
social contract
moral philosophy
feminist critique
Questions to Reflect On
- What defines a marriage’s moral value?
- How do societal pressures shape marital choices?
A Different Perspective
Transactional marriage can still involve genuine affection for challenging the dichotomy.
![“Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then [these?], any man might instantly use what another had invented; so that the inventor had no special advantage from his own invention. The patent system changed this…” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/449/abraham-lincoln-88_adoption_next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in_1828.jpg)
