We have done with Hope and Honour. we are lost to Love and Truth, We are dropping down the ladder rung by rung; And the measure of our torment is the measure of our youth. God help us, for we knew the worst too young!
For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that women possess a dangerous strength or cunning that surpasses men, especially in the context of survival and instinctive behavior.
Rudyard Kipling's quote reflects a profound observation about the inherent qualities and capabilities of females in nature and society. It implies that while males may often be seen as stronger in physical terms, females can wield a more lethal form of power, whether through intelligence, resourcefulness, or emotional depth. This perspective can highlight the complexities of gender roles and the underestimated potential of women in various realms of life.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about gender roles and societal expectations, this quote could emphasize the underestimated power of women.
More from Rudyard Kipling
All quotes βHumble because of knowledge; mighty by sacrifice.
Hear and attend and listen; for this is what befell and be-happened and became and was, O my Best Beloved, when the Tame animals were wild. The dog was wild, and the Horse was wild, and the Cow was wild, and the Sheep was wild, and the Pig was wild -as wild as wild could be - and they walked in the Wet Wild Woods by their wild lones. But the wildest of all the wild animals was the Cat. He walked by himself and all places were alike to him
I keep six honest serving men.
And when your back stops aching and your hands begin to harden, You will find yourself a partner in the Glory of the Garden.
Savings represent much more than mere money value. They are the proof that the saver is worth something in himself. Any fool can waste; any fool can muddle; but it takes something more of a man to save and the more he saves the more of a man he makes of himself. Waste and extravagance unsettle a man's mind for every crisis; thrift, which means some form of self-restraint, steadies it.
Similar quotes
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Among us, in our part of the country, those who are upright are different from this. The father conceals the misconduct of the son, and the son conceals the misconduct of the father. Uprightness is to be found in this.
The refusal to take sides on great moral issues is itself a decision. It is a silent acquiescence to evil. The Tragedy of our time is that those who still believe in honesty lack fire and conviction, while those who believe in dishonesty are full of passionate conviction.
People say we need religion when what they really mean is we need police.
Is it not enough that 'things are cruel and blind'? Must we also be cruel and blind?
One of the more difficult tasks for me as president was to decide on the issue of confirming capital punishment awarded by courts... to my surprise... almost all cases which were pending had a social and economic bias.