Art Quote by Virginia Woolf
““She was intensely sympathetic. She was immensely charming. She was utterly unselfish. She excelled in the difficult arts if family life. She sacrificed herself daily. If there was chicken, she took the led; if there was a draft she sat in it-- in short she was so constituted that she never had a mind or wish of her own, but preferred to sympathize always with the minds and wishes of others... I did my best to kill her. My excuse, if I were to be had up in a court of law, would be that I acted in self defense. Had I not killed her, she would have killed me.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Mrs Dalloway, Virginia Woolf, 1925
A woman devoted entirely to others loses her own identity, leading to tragic consequences.
In simple terms: Selfless devotion can erase personal will.
Key Takeaway
Preserve personal boundaries.
Themes
selflessness
identity
tragedy
Mood
melancholic
reflective
Type
literary
psychological
When to use this quote
- marriage
- family caregiving
- mental health
- self‑care
Key Concepts
existentialism
psychology
gender roles
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you balance caring for others with self‑preservation?
- What signs indicate you’re losing your own voice?
A Different Perspective
Self‑sacrifice may enable abuse or resentment.
