--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Death ends all things and so is the…" description: "\"“Death ends all things and so is the comprehensive conclusion of a story, but marriage finishes it veru properly too and the sophisticated are ill-advi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/w-somerset-maugham-237_death_death-ends-all-things-and-so-is-the-comp_961489.jpg" --- # Death ends all things and so is the comprehensive… ![“Death ends all things and so is the comprehensive conclusion of a story, but marriage finishes it veru properly too and the sophisticated are ill-advised to sneer at what is by convention termed a happy ending.” quote by W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/w-somerset-maugham-237_death_death-ends-all-things-and-so-is-the-comp_961489.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/w-somerset-maugham-237_death_death-ends-all-things-and-so-is-the-comp_961489.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/w-somerset-maugham-237_death_death-ends-all-things-and-so-is-the-comp_961489.jpg) > ““Death ends all things and so is the comprehensive conclusion of a story, but marriage finishes it veru properly too and the sophisticated are ill-advised to sneer at what is by convention termed a happy ending.”” [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Death concludes life, but marriage provides a proper ending, and those who dismiss happy endings are misguided. **In simple terms:** Marriage offers a proper ending beyond death. Key Takeaway Cherish meaningful relationships. Themes death marriage storytelling Mood reflective analytical Type literary philosophical When to use this quote - life planning - relationship counseling - creative writing Key Concepts literature existentialism Questions to Reflect On - Do you view marriage as a life’s climax? - How do cultural narratives shape our view of endings? A Different Perspective Not everyone values marriage similarly. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Happy ending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-ending/) [Marriage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marriage/) ## Related quotes > [“everyone has regrets. Loose ends. Things they could do if they had more time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mckenzie/everyone-has-regrets-loose-ends-things-they-could-do-if-they-had-more/) [Catherine McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mckenzie/) > [It ends all things: birds, trees, flowers, mountain tops, and business; it grinds stones to sand, and as terrible as it is, and it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brandon-webb/it-ends-all-things-birds-trees-flowers-mountain-tops-and-business-it/) [Brandon Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brandon-webb/) > [“But, of course, everyone has regrets. Loose ends. Things they could do if they had more time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mckenzie/but-of-course-everyone-has-regrets-loose-ends-things-they-could-do-if/) [Catherine McKenzie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mckenzie/) > [Time mends all, ends all things earthly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/time-mends-all-ends-all-things-earthly/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [“Death ends a life, but it does not end a relationship, which struggles on in the survivor’s mind toward some final resolution, some clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-woodruff-anderson/death-ends-a-life-but-it-does-not-end-a-relationship-which-struggles/) Robert Woodruff Anderson > [Death ends a life, it does not end a relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anderson/death-ends-a-life-it-does-not-end-a-relationship/) [Robert Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anderson/) > [“As long as we can love eachother, and remember the feeling of love we had, we can die without ever really going away. All…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/as-long-as-we-can-love-eachother-and-remember-the-feeling-of-love-we/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [Death ends a life, not a relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/death-ends-a-life-not-a-relationship/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Death ends a life. But it doesn't end a relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hal-holbrook/death-ends-a-life-but-it-doesn-t-end-a-relationship/) [Hal Holbrook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hal-holbrook/) > [“You live on - in the hearts of everyone you have touched and nurtured while you were here...Death ends life, not a relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/you-live-on-in-the-hearts-of-everyone-you-have-touched-and-nurtured/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [Death ends our woes, and the kind grave shuts up the mournful scene.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-dryden/death-ends-our-woes-and-the-kind-grave-shuts-up-the-mournful-scene/) [John Dryden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-dryden/) > [The world, with all its beauty and adventure, its richness and variety, is darkened by cruelty. Death, if it ends the loveliness, the adventure,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winifred-holtby/the-world-with-all-its-beauty-and-adventure-its-richness-and-variety/) [Winifred Holtby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winifred-holtby/) > [Death ends a life, but it does not end a relationship, which struggles on in the survivor's mind toward some resolution which it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-anderson/death-ends-a-life-but-it-does-not-end-a-relationship-which-struggles-2/) [Robert Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-anderson/) > [A civilization that denies death ends by denying life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/a-civilization-that-denies-death-ends-by-denying-life/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Death ends life NOT a relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/death-ends-life-not-a-relationship/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) ## More by W. Somerset Maugham > [“A man thinks it quite natural that he should fall out of love with a woman, but it never strikes him for a moment…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-thinks-it-quite-natural-that-he-should-fall-out-of-love-with-a/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“A man's work reveals him. In social intercourse he gives you the surface that he wishes the world to accept, but in his book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-man-s-work-reveals-him-in-social-intercourse-he-gives-you-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Love is only a dirty trick played on us to achieve continuation of the species.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/love-is-only-a-dirty-trick-played-on-us-to-achieve-continuation-of/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [The world is hard and cruel. We are here none knows why, and we go none knows whither. We must be very humble. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/the-world-is-hard-and-cruel-we-are-here-none-knows-why-and-we-go-none/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“There is no more merit in having read a thousand books than in having ploughed a thousand fields.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/there-is-no-more-merit-in-having-read-a-thousand-books-than-in-having/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“I wanted to live again and again. I was willing to accept every sort of life, no matter what its pain and sorrow; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-wanted-to-live-again-and-again-i-was-willing-to-accept-every-sort/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [In Hollywood, the women are all peaches. It makes one long for an apple occasionally.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/in-hollywood-the-women-are-all-peaches-it-makes-one-long-for-an-apple/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Follow your inclinations with due regard to the policeman round the corner.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/follow-your-inclinations-with-due-regard-to-the-policeman-round-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“His love became a prison from which he longed to escape, but he had not the strength merely to open the door-that was all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/his-love-became-a-prison-from-which-he-longed-to-escape-but-he-had/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [I did not believe him capable of love. That is an emotion in which tenderness is an essential part, but Strickland had no tenderness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/i-did-not-believe-him-capable-of-love-that-is-an-emotion-in-which/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [If only the good were a little less heavy-footed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/if-only-the-good-were-a-little-less-heavy-footed/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [Perfection has one grave defect: it is apt to be dull.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/perfection-has-one-grave-defect-it-is-apt-to-be-dull/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“A God that can be understood is no God. Who can explain the Infinite in words?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/a-god-that-can-be-understood-is-no-god-who-can-explain-the-infinite/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“My dear, you used to be quite a dish; now you're quite a tureen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/my-dear-you-used-to-be-quite-a-dish-now-you-re-quite-a-tureen/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) > [“When people say they do not care what others thing of them, for the most part they deceive themselves”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/when-people-say-they-do-not-care-what-others-thing-of-them-for-the/) [W. Somerset Maugham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) [Explore all 840 W. Somerset Maugham quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. Life is plurality, death is uniformity. By suppressing differences and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavio-paz/what-sets-worlds-in-motion-is-the-interplay-of-differences-their/) [Octavio Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavio-paz/) > [Most of us are convinced that we are our egos, which is who we think we are. The ego is part of our incarnation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-dass/most-of-us-are-convinced-that-we-are-our-egos-which-is-who-we-think/) [Ram Dass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-dass/) > [I do not want to live at the cost of the life even of a snake. I should let him bite me to death…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-do-not-want-to-live-at-the-cost-of-the-life-even-of-a-snake-i/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [“It was beautiful. He thought he had never seen anything so beautiful in all his life; that, having seen it, he could die content,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mira-grant/it-was-beautiful-he-thought-he-had-never-seen-anything-so-beautiful/) [Mira Grant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mira-grant/) > [Retirement? You're talking about death, right?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-altman/retirement-you-re-talking-about-death-right/) [Robert Altman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-altman/) > [With multiplayer, permanent death, and an ever-changing world to explore and conquer, 'A Valley Without Wind' might be the place you're looking for if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-manuel/with-multiplayer-permanent-death-and-an-ever-changing-world-to/) [Rob Manuel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-manuel/) > [“What did you see?” she asked gently. His brow furrowed, as if he could not understand the question. Then his eyes turned to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-anthony-torino/what-did-you-see-she-asked-gently-his-brow-furrowed-as-if-he-could/) J. Anthony Torino > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“I practice Dying--every night-- But have not learned to, still-- Though Talented--by Mortal bones-- For such a common Skill.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-powers/i-practice-dying-every-night-but-have-not-learned-to-still-though/) Alan W. Powers > [“You must understand the pain and grief of losing someone is nothing more than a function of survival.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-cooper/you-must-understand-the-pain-and-grief-of-losing-someone-is-nothing/) [Steven Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-cooper/) > [I am not a depressive person at all, but I reflect a lot on my life, and life in general, from the perspective of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/i-am-not-a-depressive-person-at-all-but-i-reflect-a-lot-on-my-life/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [“Death is a reality that calls the rest of life and all of our assorted strivings into sharp relief.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/death-is-a-reality-that-calls-the-rest-of-life-and-all-of-our/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [I love life. I love life to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-riva/i-love-life-i-love-life-to-death/) [Emmanuelle Riva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-riva/) > [I think when you’re dying you start looking for important things in the corners. You can’t let anything that seems even semi-important pass, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-crutcher/i-think-when-you-re-dying-you-start-looking-for-important-things-in/) [Chris Crutcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-crutcher/) [Browse all 39,127 Death quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Death ends all things and so is the comprehensive conclusion of a story, but marriage finishes it veru properly too and the sophisticated are ill-advised to sneer at what is by convention termed a happy ending.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "W. Somerset Maugham" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/death-ends-all-things-and-so-is-the-comprehensive-conclusion-of-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/death-ends-all-things-and-so-is-the-comprehensive-conclusion-of-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/w-somerset-maugham-237_death_death-ends-all-things-and-so-is-the-comp_961489.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/w-somerset-maugham-237_death_death-ends-all-things-and-so-is-the-comp_961489.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c85/w-somerset-maugham-237_death_death-ends-all-things-and-so-is-the-comp_961489.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Death ends all things and so is the comprehensive conclusion of a story, but marriage finishes it veru…” — W. Somerset Maugham", "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": "W. Somerset Maugham", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-somerset-maugham/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Death ends all things and so...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/death-ends-all-things-and-so-is-the-comprehensive-conclusion-of-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-somerset-maugham/death-ends-all-things-and-so-is-the-comprehensive-conclusion-of-a/#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 } } ] } ```