QuoteProject
He wished she knew his impressions; but he would as soon have thought of carrying an odour in a net as of attempting to convey the intangibilities of his feeling in the coarse meshes of language. So he remained silent.
Thomas Hardy
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote expresses the difficulty of conveying deep emotions using words.

In this quote, Thomas Hardy illustrates the struggle one faces when trying to express profound feelings towards another person. The metaphor of carrying an odour in a net highlights the intangible and elusive nature of emotions, suggesting that language often falls short in capturing the true essence of one's feelings, leading to silence instead of expression.

Themes

EmotionsCommunicationSilenceFeelingsLanguage

In practice

Example use cases

In a romantic setting, to express the difficulty of sharing feelings.

More from Thomas Hardy

Everybody must be managed. Queens must be managed. Kings must be managed, for men want managing almost as much as women, and that's saying a good deal.
Thomas HardyRead
Because what's the use of learning that I am one of a long row only - finding out that there is set down in some old book somebody just like me, and to know that I shall only act her part; making me sad, that's all. The best is not to remember your nature and your past doings have been just like thousands' and thousands', and that your coming life and doings'll be like thousands' and thousands'.
Thomas HardyRead
But nothing is more insidious than the evolution of wishes from mere fancies, and of wants from mere wishes.
Thomas HardyRead
I wish I had never been born--there or anywhere else.
Thomas HardyRead
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 HardyRead
The trees have inquisitive eyes, haven't they? -that is, seem as if they had. And the river says,-'Why do ye trouble me with your looks?' And you seem to see numbers of to-morrows just all in a line, the first of them the biggest and clearest, the others getting smaller and smaller as they stand further away; but they all seem very fierce and cruel and as if they said, 'I'm coming! Beware of me! Beware of me!
Thomas HardyRead

Similar quotes

I'd cut up my heart for you to wear if you wanted it.
Margaret MitchellRead
A man so painfully in love is capable of self-torture beyond belief.
John SteinbeckRead
Twice or thrice had I loved thee before I knew thy face or name, so in a voice, so in a shapeless flame, angels affect us oft, and worshiped be.
John DonneRead
I don't hate you, I love you, you're part of myself, you're my heart and when you go it's my heart torn out and carried away--
Orson Scott CardRead
Every lover is, in his heart, a madman, and, in his head, a minstrel.
Neil GaimanRead
Our Mother Mary is full of beauty because she is full of grace.
Pope FrancisRead

A little wisdom, now and then

Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.

Quote by Thomas Hardy | QuoteProject