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Her affection for him was now the breath and life of Tess's being; it enveloped her as a photosphere, irradiated her into forgetfulness of her past sorrows, keeping back the gloomy spectres that would persist in their attempts to touch her—doubt, fear, moodiness, care, shame. She knew that they were waiting like wolves just outside the circumscribing light, but she had long spells of power to keep them in hungry subjection there.
Thomas Hardy
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Interpretation

What this quote means

The love Tess has for him gives her life and shields her from her past troubles.

In this quote, Thomas Hardy illustrates the transformative power of love in Tess's life. Her affection embodies a protective force that surrounds her, allowing her to forget her earlier hardships and fend off negative emotions like doubt and shame. Despite her awareness of these lurking feelings, the strength of her love provides her with the resilience needed to keep them at bay.

Themes

LoveAffectionResiliencePastEmotionsProtection

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about overcoming adversity, one might use this quote to illustrate the power of love in personal healing.

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Of course poets have morals and manners of their own, and custom is no argument with them.
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