Baldness Quote by Thomas Bernhard
““Her mother, an unshapely, chubby-cheeked creature from the rural gentry of Styria, permanently lost her hair at the age of forty after being treated for influenza by her husband, and prematurely withdrew from society. She and her husband were able to live in the Gentzgasse thanks to her mother's fortune, which derived from the family estates in Styria and then devolved upon her. She provided for everything, since her husband earned nothing as a doctor. He was a socialite, what is known as a beau, who went to all the big Viennese balls during the carnival season and throughout his life was able to conceal his stupidity behind a pleasingly slim exterior. Throughout her life Auersberger's mother-in-law had a raw deal from her husband, but was content to accept her modest social station, not that of a member of the nobility, but one that was thoroughly petit bourgeois. Her son-in-law, as I suddenly recalled, sitting in the wing chair, made a point of hiding her wig from time to time--whenever the mood took him--both in the Gentzgasse and at the Maria Zaal in Styria, so that the poor woman was unable to leave the house. It used to amuse him, after he had hidden her wig, to drive his mother-in-law up the wall, as they say. Even when he was going on forty he used to hide her wigs--by that time she has provided herself with several--which was a symptom of his sickness and infantility. I often witnessed this game of hide-and-seek at Maria Zaal and in the Gentzgasse, and I honestly have to say that I was amused by it and did not feel in the least bit ashamed of myself. His mother-in-law would be forced to stay at home because her son-in-law had hidden her wigs, and this was especially likely to happen on public holidays. In the end he would throw the wig in her face. He needed his mother-in-law's humiliation, I reflected, sitting in the wing chair and observing him in the background of the music room, just as he needed the triumph that this diabolical behavior brought him.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: The Loser by Thomas Bernhard, 1983
A son‑in‑law humiliates his mother‑in‑law by hiding her wigs, reflecting petty cruelty and power dynamics.
In simple terms: He enjoys degrading his mother‑in‑law for amusement.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and confront abusive power plays.
Themes
family dynamics
abuse
social class
humiliation
power
class tension
Mood
dark
ironic
Type
literary
critical
When to use this quote
- marriage
- family gatherings
- social events
- inheritance disputes
- mental health
Key Concepts
patriarchy
psychological manipulation
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do people derive pleasure from humiliating others?
- What social structures enable such cruelty?
A Different Perspective
The narrative may exaggerate for literary effect, not factual.
