--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The constant struggle in mature life, I…" description: "\"The constant struggle in mature life, I think, is to accept the necessity of tragedy and conflict, and not to try to escape to some falsely simple solu..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/sylvia-plath-149_accepting_the-constant-struggle-in-mature-life-i-t_64282.jpg" --- # The constant struggle in mature life, I think, is to… ![“The constant struggle in mature life, I think, is to accept the necessity of tragedy and conflict, and not to try to escape to some falsely simple solution which does not include these more somber complexities.” quote by Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/sylvia-plath-149_accepting_the-constant-struggle-in-mature-life-i-t_64282.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/sylvia-plath-149_accepting_the-constant-struggle-in-mature-life-i-t_64282.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/sylvia-plath-149_accepting_the-constant-struggle-in-mature-life-i-t_64282.jpg) > “The constant struggle in mature life, I think, is to accept the necessity of tragedy and conflict, and not to try to escape to some falsely simple solution which does not include these more somber complexities.” [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Life inevitably contains hardship and discord; wisdom lies in embracing these realities rather than seeking naïve, overly simplistic fixes. **In simple terms:** Accept tragedy, avoid simplistic escapes Key Takeaway Embrace complexity over easy answers Themes Existentialism Resilience Authenticity Human condition Philosophy Mood Reflective Somber Thoughtful Type Philosophical Literary When to use this quote - Grieving a loss - Navigating workplace politics - Dealing with personal failure - Coping with societal injustice Key Concepts Tragedy Conflict Maturity Acceptance Practical Applications - Therapeutic counseling - Leadership training Questions to Reflect On - How does confronting pain change personal growth? - When might simplicity be genuinely helpful? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Complexity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complexity/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Constant struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/constant-struggle/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Simple solutions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple-solutions/) [Somber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/somber/) [Struggle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/struggle/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“There is no necessity for pain-why, then, is the worst pain reserved for those who will not accept its necessity?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/there-is-no-necessity-for-pain-why-then-is-the-worst-pain-reserved/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [“Something he must read, when he was not riding the pony, or running and hunting, or listening to the talk of men... it had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/something-he-must-read-when-he-was-not-riding-the-pony-or-running-and/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“The pursuit of a mature life, a life that can bear the weight of image bearing, is in many ways the continual accumulating of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-crouch/the-pursuit-of-a-mature-life-a-life-that-can-bear-the-weight-of-image/) [Andy Crouch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-crouch/) > [“It is never easy being the one who takes the first step. But if we want things to mature in our life, we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-w-moore/it-is-never-easy-being-the-one-who-takes-the-first-step-but-if-we/) M.W. Moore > [I've spent most of my mature life trying to prove that I'm not irresponsible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-welles/i-ve-spent-most-of-my-mature-life-trying-to-prove-that-i-m-not/) [Orson Welles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-welles/) > [In my long and difficult and mature life, I have come to learn that the less I know about acting and the more I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-seberg/in-my-long-and-difficult-and-mature-life-i-have-come-to-learn-that/) [Jean Seberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-seberg/) > [God has given you a trial in your life because God needs you more mature in life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-louise/god-has-given-you-a-trial-in-your-life-because-god-needs-you-more/) [Donna Louise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-louise/) > [Boris Johnson and Donald Trump appeal to the heart not the head, they offer simple solutions in a time of complex problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katty-kay/boris-johnson-and-donald-trump-appeal-to-the-heart-not-the-head-they/) [Katty Kay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katty-kay/) > [There's a simple solution to our traffic problems. We'll have business build the roads, and government build the cars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-rogers/there-s-a-simple-solution-to-our-traffic-problems-we-ll-have-business/) [Will Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-rogers/) > [The problem is that we attempt to solve the simplest questions cleverly, thereby rendering them unusually complex. One should seekthe simple solution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-chekhov/the-problem-is-that-we-attempt-to-solve-the-simplest-questions/) [Anton Chekhov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-chekhov/) > [In the copmilatced world we live in, it's good to find simple solutions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malinda/in-the-copmilatced-world-we-live-in-it-s-good-to-find-simple-solutions/) Malinda > [Beware of people preaching simple solutions to complex problems. If the answer was easy someone more intelligent would have thought of it a long…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-herbert/beware-of-people-preaching-simple-solutions-to-complex-problems-if/) Steve Herbert > [The problem is some of the populism on both the far left and the far right, it can make a Tweet but not make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/the-problem-is-some-of-the-populism-on-both-the-far-left-and-the-far/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Don't go overboard with exotic or complex ways to paint. Stick to simple solutions, unless there is a good reason to do otherwise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-schmid/don-t-go-overboard-with-exotic-or-complex-ways-to-paint-stick-to/) [Richard Schmid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-schmid/) > [When you first start off trying to solve a problem, the first solutions you come up with are very complex, and most people stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/when-you-first-start-off-trying-to-solve-a-problem-the-first/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) ## More by Sylvia Plath > [“It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs, and I didn't know what I was doing in New York.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/it-was-a-queer-sultry-summer-the-summer-they-electrocuted-the/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [I love life. But it is hard and I have so much, so very much to learn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-love-life-but-it-is-hard-and-i-have-so-much-so-very-much-to-learn/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [... These are my hands My knees. I may be skin and bone, Nevertheless, I am the same, identical woman. ... --Lady Lazarus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/these-are-my-hands-my-knees-i-may-be-skin-and-bone-nevertheless-i-am/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [Sure, I’m dramatic and sloppily semi-cynical and semi-sentimental. But, in leisure years I could grow and choose my way. Now I am living on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/sure-i-m-dramatic-and-sloppily-semi-cynical-and-semi-sentimental-but/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“People were made of nothing so much as dust, and I couldn't see that doctoring all that dust was a bit better than writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/people-were-made-of-nothing-so-much-as-dust-and-i-couldn-t-see-that/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“I couldn't stand the idea of a woman having to have a single pure life and a man being able to have a double…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-couldn-t-stand-the-idea-of-a-woman-having-to-have-a-single-pure/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [I saw the gooseflesh on my skin. I did not know what made it. I was not cold. Had a ghost passed over? No,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-saw-the-gooseflesh-on-my-skin-i-did-not-know-what-made-it-i-was-not/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [I have to live my life, and it is the only one I’ll ever have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-have-to-live-my-life-and-it-is-the-only-one-i-ll-ever-have/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“The city had faded my tan, though. I looked yellow as a Chinaman. Ordinarily, I would have been nervous about my dress and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/the-city-had-faded-my-tan-though-i-looked-yellow-as-a-chinaman/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [Joy:show joy & enjoy: then others will be joyful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/joy-show-joy-enjoy-then-others-will-be-joyful/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [A million years of evolution, Eric said bitterly, and what are we? Animals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/a-million-years-of-evolution-eric-said-bitterly-and-what-are-we/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“I have stitched life into me like a rare organ --from "Three Women: A Poem for Three Voices", written 1962”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/i-have-stitched-life-into-me-like-a-rare-organ-from-three-women-a/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [It is so much safer not to feel, not to let the world touch me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/it-is-so-much-safer-not-to-feel-not-to-let-the-world-touch-me/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“Flute Notes from a Reedy Pond" Now coldness comes sifting down, layer after layer, To our bower at the lily root. Overhead the old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/flute-notes-from-a-reedy-pond-now-coldness-comes-sifting-down-layer/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) > [“The most saddening thing is to admit that I am not in love. I can only love (if that means self denial - or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/the-most-saddening-thing-is-to-admit-that-i-am-not-in-love-i-can-only/) [Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) [Explore all 1,098 Sylvia Plath quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/) ## More Accepting quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This duo inside of me causes the perfect opportunity to live and learn twice as fast as those who choose to accept simplicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tupac-shakur/this-duo-inside-of-me-causes-the-perfect-opportunity-to-live-and/) [Tupac Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tupac-shakur/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [Don't be bitter. Everybody suffers. If you can accept your suffering then you will understand other people better. Be grateful for pain. Love life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-colbert/don-t-be-bitter-everybody-suffers-if-you-can-accept-your-suffering/) [Stephen Colbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-colbert/) > [It takes an unusually philosophic mind to accept that all one’s suffering might be to no end, really, in the larger scheme of things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-takes-an-unusually-philosophic-mind-to-accept-that-all-one-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [No nation being under another nation can accept gifts, and kick at the responsibility attached to those gifts, imposed by the conquering nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/no-nation-being-under-another-nation-can-accept-gifts-and-kick-at-the/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Even with clothing naked animals, there were people who wanted to send in money. A woman in Santa Barbara, California, sent a $40,000 check.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-abel/even-with-clothing-naked-animals-there-were-people-who-wanted-to-send/) [Alan Abel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-abel/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [Whatever your conscious mind assumes and believes to be true, your subconscious mind will accept and bring to pass. Believe in good fortune, divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-murphy/whatever-your-conscious-mind-assumes-and-believes-to-be-true-your/) [Joseph Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-murphy/) > [Losing someone is easy, but accepting it is hard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/losing-someone-is-easy-but-accepting-it-is-hard/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [… and so he tried to accept the ache in his heart as what Dr. Larch would call the common symptoms of normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/and-so-he-tried-to-accept-the-ache-in-his-heart-as-what-dr-larch/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [I think what was special about 'Music by Prudence' was the classic story of the title subject's life path - from being an outcast…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-think-what-was-special-about-music-by-prudence-was-the-classic/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [As my films are born at the moment when they are reflected into another person's mind and memories, there are no misconceptions. I totally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pirjo-honkasalo/as-my-films-are-born-at-the-moment-when-they-are-reflected-into/) [Pirjo Honkasalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pirjo-honkasalo/) Browse all 6,788 Accepting quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The constant struggle in mature life, I think, is to accept the necessity of tragedy and conflict, and not to try to escape to some falsely simple solution which does not include these more somber complexities.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sylvia Plath" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/the-constant-struggle-in-mature-life-i-think-is-to-accept-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Accepting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/the-constant-struggle-in-mature-life-i-think-is-to-accept-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/sylvia-plath-149_accepting_the-constant-struggle-in-mature-life-i-t_64282.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/sylvia-plath-149_accepting_the-constant-struggle-in-mature-life-i-t_64282.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/210/sylvia-plath-149_accepting_the-constant-struggle-in-mature-life-i-t_64282.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The constant struggle in mature life, I think, is to accept the necessity of tragedy and conflict, and not…” — Sylvia Plath", "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": "Sylvia Plath", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-plath/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The constant struggle in mature life,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/the-constant-struggle-in-mature-life-i-think-is-to-accept-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-plath/the-constant-struggle-in-mature-life-i-think-is-to-accept-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 } } ] } ```