---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Forgetting is woman's first and greatest…"
description: "\"Forgetting is woman's first and greatest art.\" — Richard Aldington"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/richard-aldington-23688_art_forgetting-is-woman-s-first-and-greatest_2698489.png"
---

#  Forgetting is woman's first and greatest art.

![“Forgetting is woman's first and greatest art.” quote by Richard Aldington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/richard-aldington-23688_art_forgetting-is-woman-s-first-and-greatest_2698489.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/richard-aldington-23688_art_forgetting-is-woman-s-first-and-greatest_2698489.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/richard-aldington-23688_art_forgetting-is-woman-s-first-and-greatest_2698489.png)

> “Forgetting is woman's first and greatest art.”

[Richard Aldington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-aldington/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

He suggests that forgetting is a uniquely human creative act, allowing renewal and emotional relief.

**In simple terms:** Forgetting is a powerful creative skill.

Key Takeaway

Embrace forgetting to heal.

Themes

memory creativity emotional health

Mood

reflective melancholy

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

- personal loss
- creative writing
- mental health therapy

Key Concepts

psychology literary metaphor

Questions to Reflect On

- What do you choose to forget and why?
- How does forgetting shape identity?

A Different Perspective

May downplay importance of remembering history.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Forgetting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgetting/) [Forgetting Woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgetting-woman-2714384/) [Greatest Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatest-art-470128/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) [Woman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman/) [Woman Greatest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/woman-greatest-975661/) [Women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/women/)

## Related quotes

> [Such shame is not even skin deep. And as to forgetting, surely, you know that is Woman's First and Greatest Art?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/such-shame-is-not-even-skin-deep-and-as-to-forgetting-surely-you-know/)

[Richard Aldington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-aldington/)

> [Men live by forgetting and woman live on memories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/men-live-by-forgetting-and-woman-live-on-memories/)

[T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/)

> [“The love of a woman, a good woman, is the greatest gift a man could ever receive.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-jackson/the-love-of-a-woman-a-good-woman-is-the-greatest-gift-a-man-could/)

[Brenda Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-jackson/)

> [“That's a woman's greatest opportunity. Corner a man when he's got a hard-on, and he'll tell you anything you want. He can't help it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christina-elle/that-s-a-woman-s-greatest-opportunity-corner-a-man-when-he-s-got-a/)

[Christina Elle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christina-elle/)

> [Don’t you think there’s a problem when we live in a society that considers a woman’s greatest accomplishment being pretty for a man?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmin-mogahed/don-t-you-think-there-s-a-problem-when-we-live-in-a-society-that/)

[Yasmin Mogahed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmin-mogahed/)

> [“Only insecure boys will belittle a woman. The greatest way to "man-up" is to empower women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-maraboli/only-insecure-boys-will-belittle-a-woman-the-greatest-way-to-man-up/)

[Steve Maraboli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-maraboli/)

> [“NEVER FORGET THAT YOU ARE A WOMAN, AND THE GREATEST POWERS YOU CAN EMPLOY AS A WITCH ARE TOTALLY DEPENDENT UPON YOUR OWN SELF-REALIZATION…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-lavey/never-forget-that-you-are-a-woman-and-the-greatest-powers-you-can/)

[Anton LaVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-lavey/)

> [To inspire love is a woman's greatest ambition, believe me. It's the one thing woman care about and there's no woman so proud that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/to-inspire-love-is-a-woman-s-greatest-ambition-believe-me-it-s-the/)

[Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/)

> [A woman's greatest and most perduring failure will be her failure to love. It is certainly not without significance that so many women presently…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-mary-francis-p-c-c/a-woman-s-greatest-and-most-perduring-failure-will-be-her-failure-to/)

[Mother Mary Francis P.C.C](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-mary-francis-p-c-c/)

> [“It's a mother's greatest privilege to give birth, to raise a child. But a woman's greatest honor is to look at her son with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-may-warren/it-s-a-mother-s-greatest-privilege-to-give-birth-to-raise-a-child-but/)

[Susan May Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-may-warren/)

> [A woman's greatest glory is to be little talked about by men, whether for good or ill.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pericles/a-woman-s-greatest-glory-is-to-be-little-talked-about-by-men-whether/)

[Pericles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pericles/)

> [To be a mother is a woman's greatest vocation in life. She is a partner with God. No being has a position of such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-w-kimball/to-be-a-mother-is-a-woman-s-greatest-vocation-in-life-she-is-a/)

[Spencer W. Kimball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-w-kimball/)

> [“Had I life to live over, I see now where I could do more; but neighbour, believe me, my highest aspiration is to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-stratton-porter-2/had-i-life-to-live-over-i-see-now-where-i-could-do-more-but-neighbour/)

[Gene Stratton Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-stratton-porter-2/)

> [“Of all the rights of woman, the greatest is to be a mother”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-yutang/of-all-the-rights-of-woman-the-greatest-is-to-be-a-mother/)

[Lin Yutang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-yutang/)

> [“Had I life to live over, I see now where I could do more; but neighbour, believe me, my highest aspiration is to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-stratton-porter/had-i-life-to-live-over-i-see-now-where-i-could-do-more-but-neighbour-2/)

[Gene Stratton-Porter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-stratton-porter/)

## More by Richard Aldington

> [We must grow out of religion. It is either bugaboo, formalism, or hysteria. Besides, what proof is there that "the churches" know more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/we-must-grow-out-of-religion-it-is-either-bugaboo-formalism-or/)

[Richard Aldington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-aldington/)

> [“We pass and leave you lying. No need for rhetoric, for funeral music, for melancholy bugle-calls. No need for tears now, no need for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/we-pass-and-leave-you-lying-no-need-for-rhetoric-for-funeral-music/)

[Richard Aldington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-aldington/)

> [No man who has managed to keep out of an office can be called a failure in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/no-man-who-has-managed-to-keep-out-of-an-office-can-be-called-a/)

[Richard Aldington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-aldington/)

> [A little common sense, goodwill, and a tiny dose of unselfishness could make this goodly earth into an earthly paradise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/a-little-common-sense-goodwill-and-a-tiny-dose-of-unselfishness-could/)

[Richard Aldington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-aldington/)

> [I have sat here happy in the gardens, Watching the still pool and the reeds And the dark clouds. . . . But though…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/i-have-sat-here-happy-in-the-gardens-watching-the-still-pool-and-the/)

[Richard Aldington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-aldington/)

> [“But if I'm useless only because I haven't been properly educated, is that my fault?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/but-if-i-m-useless-only-because-i-haven-t-been-properly-educated-is/)

[Richard Aldington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-aldington/)

> [Adventure is allowing the unexpected to happen to you. Exploration is experiencing what you have not experienced before. How can there be any adventure,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/adventure-is-allowing-the-unexpected-to-happen-to-you-exploration-is/)

[Richard Aldington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-aldington/)

> [“All nations teach their children to be "patriotic", and abuse the other nations for fostering nationalism." ("Sacrifice Post")”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/all-nations-teach-their-children-to-be-patriotic-and-abuse-the-other/)

[Richard Aldington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-aldington/)

> [Cats are like donkeys and camels, they won't ever quite give in to human tyranny, they won't try to imitate the human soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/cats-are-like-donkeys-and-camels-they-won-t-ever-quite-give-in-to/)

[Richard Aldington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-aldington/)

> [“In the twentieth century the women who wanted to be on their own were some of the best, the honest ones, those who instinctively…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/in-the-twentieth-century-the-women-who-wanted-to-be-on-their-own-were/)

[Richard Aldington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-aldington/)

> [“The casualty lists went on appearing for a long time after the Armistice - last spasms of Europe's severed arteries.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/the-casualty-lists-went-on-appearing-for-a-long-time-after-the/)

[Richard Aldington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-aldington/)

> [Such shame is not even skin deep. And as to forgetting, surely, you know that is Woman's First and Greatest Art?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/such-shame-is-not-even-skin-deep-and-as-to-forgetting-surely-you-know/)

[Richard Aldington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-aldington/)

> [“He wore the black suit which he used for funerals, a form of social entertainment which greatly appealed to Mr. Judd since it combined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/he-wore-the-black-suit-which-he-used-for-funerals-a-form-of-social/)

[Richard Aldington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-aldington/)

> [All nations teach their children to be "patriotic", and abuse the other nations for fostering nationalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/all-nations-teach-their-children-to-be-patriotic-and-abuse-the-other-2/)

[Richard Aldington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-aldington/)

> [I began to write what I called 'rhythms' ie unrhymed pieces with no formal metrical scheme where the rhythm was created by a kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/i-began-to-write-what-i-called-rhythms-ie-unrhymed-pieces-with-no/)

[Richard Aldington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-aldington/)

[Explore all 25 Richard Aldington quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-aldington/)

## More Art quotes

> [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/)

[Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/)

> [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/)

[Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/)

> [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/)

[Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/)

> [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/)

[Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/)

> [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/)

[Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/)

> [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/)

[Taf Teh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taf-teh/)

> [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/)

[Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/)

> [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/)

[Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/)

> [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/)

[Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/)

[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/)

> [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/)

[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/)

> [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/)

[Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/)

[Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Forgetting is woman's first and greatest art.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Richard Aldington"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/forgetting-is-woman-s-first-and-greatest-art/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Art"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/forgetting-is-woman-s-first-and-greatest-art/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/richard-aldington-23688_art_forgetting-is-woman-s-first-and-greatest_2698489.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/richard-aldington-23688_art_forgetting-is-woman-s-first-and-greatest_2698489.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cd0/richard-aldington-23688_art_forgetting-is-woman-s-first-and-greatest_2698489.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Forgetting is woman's first and greatest art.” — Richard Aldington",
                "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": "Richard Aldington",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-aldington/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Forgetting is woman's first and greatest...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/forgetting-is-woman-s-first-and-greatest-art/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-aldington/forgetting-is-woman-s-first-and-greatest-art/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
