---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those men are most apt to be obsequious…"
description: "\"Those men are most apt to be obsequious and conciliating abroad, who are under the discipline of shrews at home.\" — Washington Irving"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/washington-irving-1386_discipline_those-men-are-most-apt-to-be-obsequious_1793191.png"
---

#  Those men are most apt to be obsequious and conciliating…

![“Those men are most apt to be obsequious and conciliating abroad, who are under the discipline of shrews at home.” quote by Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/washington-irving-1386_discipline_those-men-are-most-apt-to-be-obsequious_1793191.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/washington-irving-1386_discipline_those-men-are-most-apt-to-be-obsequious_1793191.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/washington-irving-1386_discipline_those-men-are-most-apt-to-be-obsequious_1793191.png)

> “Those men are most apt to be obsequious and conciliating abroad, who are under the discipline of shrews at home.”

[Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Men may display submissive, flattering behavior publicly while being controlled by domineering partners at home.

**In simple terms:** Publicly obsequious, privately disciplined.

Key Takeaway

Beware of double standards in behavior.

Themes

power gender social masks

Mood

critical analytical

Type

sociological psychological

When to use this quote

- political diplomacy
- workplace interactions
- family negotiations

Key Concepts

public persona vs private reality gender dynamics

Questions to Reflect On

- What motivates people to act differently in private vs public?
- How does power shift in intimate relationships?

A Different Perspective

Public behavior can be a performance, not true character.

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[Discipline](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discipline/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Home](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/home/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Shrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shrews/)

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