--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Widow. The word consumes itself." description: "\"Widow. The word consumes itself.\" — Sylvia Plath" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/sylvia-plath-149_language_widow-the-word-consumes-itself-2250639_2250639.jpg" --- # Widow. The word consumes itself. ![“Widow. The word consumes itself.” quote by Sylvia Plath](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/sylvia-plath-149_language_widow-the-word-consumes-itself-2250639_2250639.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/sylvia-plath-149_language_widow-the-word-consumes-itself-2250639_2250639.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f1/sylvia-plath-149_language_widow-the-word-consumes-itself-2250639_2250639.jpg) > “Widow. The word consumes itself.” [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. The concept of widowhood consumes itself, reflecting how identity can be defined and eroded by loss. **In simple terms:** Widowhood can consume identity. Key Takeaway Recognize identity beyond loss. Themes grief identity existence Mood somber introspective Type poetic philosophical When to use this quote - bereavement support - creative writing workshops - mental health therapy Key Concepts existentialism poetic metaphor Questions to Reflect On - How does loss reshape self‑perception? - What ways can one reclaim identity after loss? A Different Perspective May be too abstract for some readers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Widow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/widow/) ## Related quotes > [Read the Word. Consume the Word until it consumes you. Believe the Word. Act on the Word.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/smith-wigglesworth/read-the-word-consume-the-word-until-it-consumes-you-believe-the-word/) [Smith Wigglesworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/smith-wigglesworth/) > [“Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/man-is-the-only-creature-that-consumes-without-producing-he-does-not/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [“I devour her. And she consumes me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-snow/i-devour-her-and-she-consumes-me/) [Emily Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-snow/) > [Fire consumes, but cold preserves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fire-consumes-but-cold-preserves/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“What we consume, consumes us. What you focus on shapes you. What you fix your gaze on will ultimately begin to shape your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hise/what-we-consume-consumes-us-what-you-focus-on-shapes-you-what-you-fix/) [Pete Hise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hise/) > [“The way fire moves, it consumes you. It's so beautiful you want to touch it but you know you can't. I think that's part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/the-way-fire-moves-it-consumes-you-it-s-so-beautiful-you-want-to/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [“Whatever is eating her brain consumes only the fresher memories, the unripe moments”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-dean/whatever-is-eating-her-brain-consumes-only-the-fresher-memories-the/) [Debra Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-dean/) > [I'm really not a person who consumes a lot. I don't have a sports car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/i-m-really-not-a-person-who-consumes-a-lot-i-don-t-have-a-sports-car/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [“Fire consumes.' Lord Beric stood behind them, and there was something in his voice that silenced Thoros at once. 'It consumes, and when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/fire-consumes-lord-beric-stood-behind-them-and-there-was-something-in/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [“She consumes me like a bright fire burning deep within my ribs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-diedrich/she-consumes-me-like-a-bright-fire-burning-deep-within-my-ribs/) [Kirk Diedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-diedrich/) > [“She consumes me with her eyes, her fiery touch, and the ways in which she loves me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-snyder/she-consumes-me-with-her-eyes-her-fiery-touch-and-the-ways-in-which/) [T.H. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-snyder/) > [That's what humanity is: a series of successes and failures, a testing of one's own nature and aptitude. Neither the body nor the soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/that-s-what-humanity-is-a-series-of-successes-and-failures-a-testing/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [Music, music, music. It doesn't get much better than that! It pretty much consumes my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaggy/music-music-music-it-doesn-t-get-much-better-than-that-it-pretty-much/) [Shaggy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaggy/) > [Love consumes us only in the measure of our self-surrender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-consumes-us-only-in-the-measure-of-our-self-surrender/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“My love consumes me. Only my voice is left, a voice which has fallen in love with you whispers to you everywhere that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/my-love-consumes-me-only-my-voice-is-left-a-voice-which-has-fallen-in/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) ## 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 Consumes quotes > [“Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/man-is-the-only-creature-that-consumes-without-producing-he-does-not/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [Love consumes us only in the measure of our self-surrender.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/love-consumes-us-only-in-the-measure-of-our-self-surrender/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Music, music, music. It doesn't get much better than that! It pretty much consumes my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaggy/music-music-music-it-doesn-t-get-much-better-than-that-it-pretty-much/) [Shaggy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaggy/) > [That's what humanity is: a series of successes and failures, a testing of one's own nature and aptitude. Neither the body nor the soul…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-mead/that-s-what-humanity-is-a-series-of-successes-and-failures-a-testing/) [Richelle Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-mead/) > [“She consumes me with her eyes, her fiery touch, and the ways in which she loves me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-snyder/she-consumes-me-with-her-eyes-her-fiery-touch-and-the-ways-in-which/) [T.H. Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-snyder/) > [“She consumes me like a bright fire burning deep within my ribs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-diedrich/she-consumes-me-like-a-bright-fire-burning-deep-within-my-ribs/) [Kirk Diedrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-diedrich/) > [“Fire consumes.' Lord Beric stood behind them, and there was something in his voice that silenced Thoros at once. 'It consumes, and when it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-r-r-martin/fire-consumes-lord-beric-stood-behind-them-and-there-was-something-in/) [George R.R. Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-r-r-martin/) > [I'm really not a person who consumes a lot. I don't have a sports car.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-koons/i-m-really-not-a-person-who-consumes-a-lot-i-don-t-have-a-sports-car/) [Jeff Koons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-koons/) > [“Whatever is eating her brain consumes only the fresher memories, the unripe moments”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/debra-dean/whatever-is-eating-her-brain-consumes-only-the-fresher-memories-the/) [Debra Dean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/debra-dean/) > [“The way fire moves, it consumes you. It's so beautiful you want to touch it but you know you can't. I think that's part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/the-way-fire-moves-it-consumes-you-it-s-so-beautiful-you-want-to/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [“What we consume, consumes us. What you focus on shapes you. What you fix your gaze on will ultimately begin to shape your life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-hise/what-we-consume-consumes-us-what-you-focus-on-shapes-you-what-you-fix/) [Pete Hise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-hise/) > [Fire consumes, but cold preserves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fire-consumes-but-cold-preserves/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I devour her. And she consumes me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-snow/i-devour-her-and-she-consumes-me/) [Emily Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-snow/) > [“My love consumes me. Only my voice is left, a voice which has fallen in love with you whispers to you everywhere that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-ren-kierkegaard/my-love-consumes-me-only-my-voice-is-left-a-voice-which-has-fallen-in/) [Søren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-ren-kierkegaard/) > [Happiness consumes itself like a flame. It cannot burn for ever, it must go out, and the presentiment of its end destroys it at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/happiness-consumes-itself-like-a-flame-it-cannot-burn-for-ever-it/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) Browse all 66 Consumes quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Widow. 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