Yet each man kills the thing he loves By each let this be heard, Some do it with a bitter look, Some with a flattering word, The coward does it with a kiss, The brave man with a sword!
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- People destroy what they love in various ways—through bitterness, flattery, cowardly kisses, or brave violence.
- In plain terms
- People can ruin what they love by being bitter, flattering, cowardly, or brave.
- What can you take from it?
- How we treat loved ones reflects our inner courage or cowardice.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Why do we harm what we cherish?
- Which method is most common in your life?
Another view
The list mixes metaphorical and literal actions, blurring meaning.
More from Oscar Wilde
When a voice behind me whispered low, 'That fellow's got to swing.'
Permalink to quote #206 It is sweet to dance to violins When Love and Life are fair: To dance to flutes, to dance to lutes Is delicate and rare: But it is not sweet with nimble feet T…
Permalink to quote #208 I never saw a man who looked With such a wistful eye Upon that little tent of blue Which prisoners call the sky.
Permalink to quote #205
Related quotes
'He who has loved and who betrays love does harm not only to the image of the past, but to the past itself.'
Theodor AdornoTheodor Adorno quote #33 Do not judge your fellow man until you have come into his situation.
Hillel the YoungerHillel the Younger quote #1 'All our suffering comes from a deficiency to stand up for our beliefs.'
Heinz BarwichHeinz Barwich quote #1