--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A lady once expressed herself in society…" description: "\"A lady once expressed herself in society - the very words show that they were uttered with fervour and under the pressure of a great many secret emotio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/sigmund-freud-360_better-off_a-lady-once-expressed-herself-in-society_374147.jpg" --- # A lady once expressed herself in society - the very words… ![“A lady once expressed herself in society - the very words show that they were uttered with fervour and under the pressure of a great many secret emotions: "Yes, a woman must be pretty if she is to please the men. A man is much better off. As long as he has five straight limbs, he needs no more!"” quote by Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/sigmund-freud-360_better-off_a-lady-once-expressed-herself-in-society_374147.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/sigmund-freud-360_better-off_a-lady-once-expressed-herself-in-society_374147.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/sigmund-freud-360_better-off_a-lady-once-expressed-herself-in-society_374147.jpg) > “A lady once expressed herself in society - the very words show that they were uttered with fervour and under the pressure of a great many secret emotions: "Yes, a woman must be pretty if she is to please the men. A man is much better off. As long as he has five straight limbs, he needs no more!"” [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Societal expectations force women to prioritize appearance for male approval, reducing them to objects. **In simple terms:** Women are pressured to be pretty for men. Key Takeaway Challenge gender norms. Themes gender society beauty standards power dynamics Mood critical reflective Type social commentary philosophical When to use this quote - media representation - dating - workplace - advertising Key Concepts objectification patriarchy self-worth Questions to Reflect On - How do you define worth beyond looks? - What pressures shape your self-image? A Different Perspective Women have agency beyond appearance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Emotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emotion/) [Great man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-man/) [Great men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great-men/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Pressure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pressure/) [Secret](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/secret/) [Sex](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sex/) ## Related quotes > [All my life, men have told me I wasn't pretty enough - even the men I was dating. And I'd be like, 'Well, why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-kim/all-my-life-men-have-told-me-i-wasn-t-pretty-enough-even-the-men-i/) [Lil' Kim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-kim/) > [Be careful of them pretty men they make a lot of promises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayse-west/be-careful-of-them-pretty-men-they-make-a-lot-of-promises/) [Ayse West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayse-west/) > [He won't be one of those girlishly pretty men with curly gold hair...He'll be dark, dangerous, too. Brave, certainly, but not without flaws. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/he-won-t-be-one-of-those-girlishly-pretty-men-with-curly-gold-hair-he/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“I shake myself. What is wrong with me? I’ve seen pretty men before, I’ve been attracted to men before, and yet this one, this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allana-kephart/i-shake-myself-what-is-wrong-with-me-i-ve-seen-pretty-men-before-i-ve/) [Allana Kephart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allana-kephart/) > [The best part? Probably being able to portray such a respectable, ethical, intelligent, strong woman. That's still pretty rare in our business, unfortunately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-bell/the-best-part-probably-being-able-to-portray-such-a-respectable/) [Catherine Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-bell/) > [“Anybody can look at a pretty girl and see a pretty girl. An artist can look at a pretty girl and see the old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/anybody-can-look-at-a-pretty-girl-and-see-a-pretty-girl-an-artist-can-2/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Everyone has this idea of Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin: the woman being pretty and prancing around while the guy writes all the songs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kemp-muhl/everyone-has-this-idea-of-serge-gainsbourg-and-jane-birkin-the-woman/) [Kemp Muhl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kemp-muhl/) > [“Anybody can look at a pretty girl and see a pretty girl. An artist can look at a pretty girl and see the old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-heinlein/anybody-can-look-at-a-pretty-girl-and-see-a-pretty-girl-an-artist-can/) [Robert Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-heinlein/) > [First off, it's a bit of a tired old chestnut that if a woman is pretty than she can't be bright. God what are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-nightingale/first-off-it-s-a-bit-of-a-tired-old-chestnut-that-if-a-woman-is/) [Mary Nightingale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-nightingale/) > [I'm a short woman with a pretty good body and large breasts — that's not what I think of as sexy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrienne-barbeau/i-m-a-short-woman-with-a-pretty-good-body-and-large-breasts-that-s/) [Adrienne Barbeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrienne-barbeau/) > [There are the aesthetic pressures for a woman to be pretty and sexy, but not sexual or have desires beyond winning a guy's affections.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maren-morris/there-are-the-aesthetic-pressures-for-a-woman-to-be-pretty-and-sexy/) [Maren Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maren-morris/) > [“Every woman's pretty intimidating when you only look at her accomplishments.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-h-jamison/every-woman-s-pretty-intimidating-when-you-only-look-at-her/) Rebecca H. Jamison > [“He also looked very handsome, even though there was a smear of dirt on his gold-hued cheek that she very much wanted to wipe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-beth-durst/he-also-looked-very-handsome-even-though-there-was-a-smear-of-dirt-on/) [Sarah Beth Durst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-beth-durst/) > [“Who is this grave and pretty young woman? Not pretty. Beautiful. Yes, I think so. Who is she? I know so little. In the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-richler/who-is-this-grave-and-pretty-young-woman-not-pretty-beautiful-yes-i/) [Emma Richler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-richler/) > [Don't tell a woman she's pretty; tell her there's no other woman like her, and all roads will open to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-renard/don-t-tell-a-woman-she-s-pretty-tell-her-there-s-no-other-woman-like/) [Jules Renard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-renard/) ## More by Sigmund Freud > [Anatomy is destiny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/anatomy-is-destiny/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [“Woe to you, my Princess, when I come. I will kiss you quite red and feed you till you are plump. And if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/woe-to-you-my-princess-when-i-come-i-will-kiss-you-quite-red-and-feed/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [I take up the standpoint that the tendency to aggression is an innate, independent, instinctual disposition in man, and I come back now to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/i-take-up-the-standpoint-that-the-tendency-to-aggression-is-an-innate/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [“Ko postavlja pitanje o smislu zivota,s njegovim libidom nije nesto u redu.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/ko-postavlja-pitanje-o-smislu-zivota-s-njegovim-libidom-nije-nesto-u/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [“When it comes to the small matters in life one should think long and hard, but when it comes to the big ones -whether…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/when-it-comes-to-the-small-matters-in-life-one-should-think-long-and/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [We like to forget that in fact everything in our life is chance, from our genesis out of the encounter of spermatozoon and egg…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/we-like-to-forget-that-in-fact-everything-in-our-life-is-chance-from/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [We should picture the instrument that carries our mental functioning as resembling a compound microscope or photographic apparatus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/we-should-picture-the-instrument-that-carries-our-mental-functioning/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [The religions of mankind must be classed among the mass-delusions of this kind. No one, needless to say, who shares a delusion ever recognizes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/the-religions-of-mankind-must-be-classed-among-the-mass-delusions-of/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [It seems to be my fate to discover only the obvious: that children have sexual feelings, which every nurse maid knows; and that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/it-seems-to-be-my-fate-to-discover-only-the-obvious-that-children/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [The first requisite of civilization is that of justice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/the-first-requisite-of-civilization-is-that-of-justice/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [“Actually, the substitution of the reality-principle for the pleasure-principle denotes no dethronement of the pleasure-principle, but only a safeguarding of it. A momentary pleasure,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/actually-the-substitution-of-the-reality-principle-for-the-pleasure/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [Dreams are often most profound when they seem the most crazy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/dreams-are-often-most-profound-when-they-seem-the-most-crazy/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [Against the suffering which may come upon one from human relationships the readiest safeguard is voluntary isolation, keeping oneself aloof from other people. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/against-the-suffering-which-may-come-upon-one-from-human/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [There is to my mind no doubt that the concept of beautiful had its roots in sexual excitation and that its original meaning was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/there-is-to-my-mind-no-doubt-that-the-concept-of-beautiful-had-its/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [The voice of the intellect is soft one, but it does not rest until it has gained a hearing. Ultimately, after endless rebuffs, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/the-voice-of-the-intellect-is-soft-one-but-it-does-not-rest-until-it/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) [Explore all 608 Sigmund Freud quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) ## More Better off quotes > [Market society is a game where you win by making sure other people are better off with you than without you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-schmidtz/market-society-is-a-game-where-you-win-by-making-sure-other-people/) David Schmidtz > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [When you are poor, you'll have to think of ways to be better off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zong-qinghou/when-you-are-poor-you-ll-have-to-think-of-ways-to-be-better-off/) [Zong Qinghou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zong-qinghou/) > [You're better off owning 30 percent and having two amazing partners who compliment you and are equally as driven as you are than having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-dyrdek/you-re-better-off-owning-30-percent-and-having-two-amazing-partners/) [Rob Dyrdek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-dyrdek/) > [If you’d just center your thoughts and affections upon the Lord, you’d be better off accidentally than you’ve ever been on purpose!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-wommack/if-you-d-just-center-your-thoughts-and-affections-upon-the-lord-you-d/) [Andrew Wommack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-wommack/) > [24.9 percent of American children live in poverty, while the proportions in Germany, France and Italy are 8.6, 7.4 and 10.5 percent. And once…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-hutton/24-9-percent-of-american-children-live-in-poverty-while-the/) [Will Hutton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-hutton/) > [There definitely was a time when I was pretty obsessed with my weight, but I'm better off not stressing about my body all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-duff/there-definitely-was-a-time-when-i-was-pretty-obsessed-with-my-weight/) [Hilary Duff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-duff/) > [If you're talking about intellectual and social equality for women, we're not much better off.America is still very much a male-dominated society. Most American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madalyn-murray-o-hair/if-you-re-talking-about-intellectual-and-social-equality-for-women-we/) [Madalyn Murray O'Hair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madalyn-murray-o-hair/) > [Business runs hot and cold so the more you're in charge of your own destiny, the better off you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-burr/business-runs-hot-and-cold-so-the-more-you-re-in-charge-of-your-own/) [Bill Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-burr/) > [I know that you're better off making your own products, not just waiting for someone to hand you something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-winslow/i-know-that-you-re-better-off-making-your-own-products-not-just/) [Michael Winslow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-winslow/) > [The best calculation is the absence of calculation. Once you have attained a certain level of recognition, others generally figure that when you do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/the-best-calculation-is-the-absence-of-calculation-once-you-have/) [Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/) > [I applaud the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act. This was discrimination enshrined in law. It treated loving, committed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-applaud-the-supreme-court-s-decision-to-strike-down-the-defense-of/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [It's like a rugby team. If you're picking for the World Cup final, you're picking experience with youth. Everything is better off having that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prince-william/it-s-like-a-rugby-team-if-you-re-picking-for-the-world-cup-final-you/) [Prince William](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prince-william/) > [The sooner we get started with alternative energy sources and recognize that fossil fuels makes us less secure as a nation, and more dangerous…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-graham/the-sooner-we-get-started-with-alternative-energy-sources-and/) [Lindsey Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-graham/) > [ Any small business owner wears many hats. We \[New View Window Cleaning\] are the salesman, bookkeeper, scheduler, cleaner, customer complaint department, etc. If you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/any-small-business-owner-wears-many-hats-we-new-view-window-cleaning/) [Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/) Browse all 465 Better off quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A lady once expressed herself in society - the very words show that they were uttered with fervour and under the pressure of a great many secret emotions: \"Yes, a woman must be pretty if she is to please the men. A man is much better off. As long as he has five straight limbs, he needs no more!\"", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sigmund Freud" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/a-lady-once-expressed-herself-in-society-the-very-words-show-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Better off" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/a-lady-once-expressed-herself-in-society-the-very-words-show-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/sigmund-freud-360_better-off_a-lady-once-expressed-herself-in-society_374147.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/sigmund-freud-360_better-off_a-lady-once-expressed-herself-in-society_374147.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fca/sigmund-freud-360_better-off_a-lady-once-expressed-herself-in-society_374147.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A lady once expressed herself in society - the very words show that they were uttered with fervour and under…” — Sigmund Freud", "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": "Sigmund Freud", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A lady once expressed herself in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/a-lady-once-expressed-herself-in-society-the-very-words-show-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/a-lady-once-expressed-herself-in-society-the-very-words-show-that/#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 } } ] } ```