“ Marriage transforms a distraction into a support, the power of which should be, and happily often is, in direct proportion to the degree of imbecility it supplants. ”
Thomas Hardy, Far from the Madding Crowd (1874). copy citation
| Author | Thomas Hardy |
|---|---|
| Source | Far from the Madding Crowd |
| Topic | marriage support |
| Date | 1874 |
| Language | English |
| Reference | |
| Note | |
| Weblink | http://www.gutenberg.org/files/107/107-h/107-h.htm |
Context
“He liked saying "Bathsheba" as a private enjoyment instead of whistling; turned over his taste to black hair, though he had sworn by brown ever since he was a boy, isolated himself till the space he filled in the public eye was contemptibly small. Love is a possible strength in an actual weakness. Marriage transforms a distraction into a support, the power of which should be, and happily often is, in direct proportion to the degree of imbecility it supplants. Oak began now to see light in this direction, and said to himself, "I'll make her my wife, or upon my soul I shall be good for nothing!"
All this while he was perplexing himself about an errand on which he might consistently visit the cottage of Bathsheba's aunt.” source
All this while he was perplexing himself about an errand on which he might consistently visit the cottage of Bathsheba's aunt.” source
Meaning and analysis
