I pay very little regard...to what any young person says on the subject of marriage. If they profess a disinclination for it, I only set it down that they have not yet seen the right person.
Jane AustenRead
What do you know of my heart? What do you know of anything but your own suffering. For weeks, Marianne, I've had this pressing on me without being at liberty to speak of it to a single creature. It was forced on me by the very person whose prior claims ruined all my hope. I have endured her exultations again and again whilst knowing myself to be divided from Edward forever. Believe me, Marianne, had I not been bound to silence I could have provided proof enough of a broken heart, even for you.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote speaks to the deep personal suffering of unexpressed love and heartbreak, particularly in the context of relationship conflicts.
In this quote, the speaker expresses the turmoil and anguish of enduring unreciprocated love and the constraints imposed by societal expectations. The feelings of a 'broken heart' are heightened by the inability to openly share one's inner struggles with others, particularly when those struggles stem from complicated relationships. It highlights the isolation that can accompany emotional pain, especially when one feels misunderstood or judged by others.
Themes
HeartbreakSilenceLoveSufferingRelationshipsEmotions
In practice
Example use cases
In a literary analysis of Austen's works, this quote can illustrate the theme of unrequited love.
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You pierce my soul. I am half agony, half hope. Tell me not that I am too late, that such precious feelings are gone for ever.
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She hoped to be wise and reasonable in time; but alas! Alas! She must confess to herself that she was not wise yet.
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