--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He felt in his heart cruelty and…" description: "\"“He felt in his heart cruelty and cowardice, the things which made him brave and kind.”\" — T.H. White" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6b/t-h-white-4461_arthurian-legend_he-felt-in-his-heart-cruelty-and-cowardi_3103178.png" --- # He felt in his heart cruelty and cowardice, the things… ![“He felt in his heart cruelty and cowardice, the things which made him brave and kind.” quote by T.H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6b/t-h-white-4461_arthurian-legend_he-felt-in-his-heart-cruelty-and-cowardi_3103178.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6b/t-h-white-4461_arthurian-legend_he-felt-in-his-heart-cruelty-and-cowardi_3103178.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a6b/t-h-white-4461_arthurian-legend_he-felt-in-his-heart-cruelty-and-cowardi_3103178.png) > ““He felt in his heart cruelty and cowardice, the things which made him brave and kind.”” [T.H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Inner conflict can produce both harshness and courage, showing that negative traits may fuel positive actions. **In simple terms:** Cruelty and cowardice can paradoxically inspire bravery and kindness. Key Takeaway Embrace the paradox of flaws driving virtue. Themes conflict duality redemption character growth Mood introspective hopeful Type literary motivational When to use this quote - leadership challenges - personal growth - ethical dilemmas - creative writing Key Concepts psychology moral complexity inner struggle Questions to Reflect On - What negative feeling has motivated you to act kindly? - Can you transform inner darkness into constructive energy? 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Howey > [“We have The Idylls of the King in English class this term. I like some things in them, but I detest Tennyson's Arthur. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/we-have-the-idylls-of-the-king-in-english-class-this-term-i-like-some/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“In the energies of the Green Knight, we have an Elder who comes to the entire court of Arthur to challenge and "open a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-chandler/in-the-energies-of-the-green-knight-we-have-an-elder-who-comes-to-the/) [Virginia Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-chandler/) ## More by T.H. White > [“Guenever began to breathe through her nose. She was feeling as if there were two red thumbs behind her eyeballs, trying to push them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-white/guenever-began-to-breathe-through-her-nose-she-was-feeling-as-if/) [T.H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white/) > [“EXPLICIT LIBER REGIS QUONDAM REGIS FUTURI THE BEGINNING”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-white/explicit-liber-regis-quondam-regis-futuri-the-beginning/) [T.H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white/) > [“Gawaine and Gareth took turns with the fat ass, one of them whacking it while the other rode bareback.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-white/gawaine-and-gareth-took-turns-with-the-fat-ass-one-of-them-whacking/) [T.H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white/) > [“No. There is one fairly good reason for fighting--and that is, if the other man starts it. You see, wars are a wickedness, perhaps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-white/no-there-is-one-fairly-good-reason-for-fighting-and-that-is-if-the/) [T.H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white/) > [“It is generally the trustful and optimistic people who can afford to retreat. 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There is no excuse for war, none whatever, and whatever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-white/i-see-what-you-think-you-mean-said-the-magician-but-you-are-wrong/) [T.H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white/) > [“I suppose the best way to tell the story is simply to narrate it, without an effort to carry belief. The thing did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-white/i-suppose-the-best-way-to-tell-the-story-is-simply-to-narrate-it/) [T.H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white/) > [“It is only the people who are lacking, or bad, or inferior, who have to be good at things.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-white/it-is-only-the-people-who-are-lacking-or-bad-or-inferior-who-have-to/) [T.H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white/) > [“The fortress was entered by tunnels in the rock, and, over the entrance to each tunnel, there was a notice which said: EVERYTHING NOT…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-white/the-fortress-was-entered-by-tunnels-in-the-rock-and-over-the-entrance/) [T.H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white/) > [“I incline my agreement with Toirdealbhach,' said Gareth. 'After all, what is the good of killing poor kerns who do not know anything? It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-white/i-incline-my-agreement-with-toirdealbhach-said-gareth-after-all-what/) [T.H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white/) > [“I know hardly anything about Galahad except that everybody dislikes him." "Dislikes him?" "They complain about him being inhuman." Lancelot considered his cup. "He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-white/i-know-hardly-anything-about-galahad-except-that-everybody-dislikes/) [T.H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white/) > [“Their mother is Athene, the goddess of wisdom, and, although they are often ready to play the buffoon to amuse you, such conduct is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-white/their-mother-is-athene-the-goddess-of-wisdom-and-although-they-are/) [T.H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white/) > [“but it seems, in tragedy, that innocence is not enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-white/but-it-seems-in-tragedy-that-innocence-is-not-enough/) [T.H. White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white/) [Explore all 107 T.H. White quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-white/) ## More Arthurian legend quotes > [“In the energies of the Green Knight, we have an Elder who comes to the entire court of Arthur to challenge and "open a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-chandler/in-the-energies-of-the-green-knight-we-have-an-elder-who-comes-to-the/) [Virginia Chandler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-chandler/) > [“We have The Idylls of the King in English class this term. I like some things in them, but I detest Tennyson's Arthur. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/l-m-montgomery/we-have-the-idylls-of-the-king-in-english-class-this-term-i-like-some/) [L.M. Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/l-m-montgomery/) > [“But every time we read a new version of the Arthurian legend, we must compare, contrast, and recreate our image of the characters: each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-f-howey/but-every-time-we-read-a-new-version-of-the-arthurian-legend-we-must/) Ann F. Howey > [“Your music hurts, the way sunshine hurts when you’ve existed for a long time in darkness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thea-harrison/your-music-hurts-the-way-sunshine-hurts-when-you-ve-existed-for-a/) [Thea Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thea-harrison/) > [“You hate him worse than me, you viper,’ he whispered as the stimulant cleared his brain. ‘Aye, lord, but here’s the oddity of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-k-hume/you-hate-him-worse-than-me-you-viper-he-whispered-as-the-stimulant/) M K Hume > [“Only a child expects life to be just; it's a man's part to stand by the consequences of his deeds.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-stewart/only-a-child-expects-life-to-be-just-it-s-a-man-s-part-to-stand-by/) [Mary Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-stewart/) > [“At least Morgan is honest! Artor thought as he forced his tired lips to smile. She refuses to eat at my table because she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-k-hume/at-least-morgan-is-honest-artor-thought-as-he-forced-his-tired-lips/) M K Hume > [The extraordinary thing in all the versions of 'Camelot' and the Arthurian legend is that it's all about the romance and the passion. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/the-extraordinary-thing-in-all-the-versions-of-camelot-and-the/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [“In any Arthurian text, whether a rewriting, a translation or a complication of episodes, engages implicitly as well as explicitly with the surrounding context…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-chuchan-campbell/in-any-arthurian-text-whether-a-rewriting-a-translation-or-a/) Laura Chuchan Campbell > [“Guenever never cared for God. She was a good theologian, but that was all. 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For the sake of brevity: Shakespeare, Dickens, Mark…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lloyd-alexander/favorite-books-and-authors-while-growing-up-i-d-need-a-book-to-list/) [Lloyd Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lloyd-alexander/) [Browse all 35 Arthurian legend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arthurian-legend/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“He felt in his heart cruelty and cowardice, the things which made him brave and kind.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "T.H. 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