QuoteProject
No louder shrieks to pitying heaven are cast, When husbands or lap-dogs breathe their last.
Alexander Pope
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote humorously highlights how society often mourns pets as much as, or more than, human beings.

In this quote, Alexander Pope uses irony to critique societal values and the disproportionate reactions to death. He suggests that the grief expressed for a husband or a lap-dog when they pass away may not be significantly different, hinting at a world where the loss of a beloved pet gets equal if not more attention than that of a human partner, thereby questioning the nature of love and attachment in relationships.

Themes

DeathHumorPetsRelationshipsGrief

In practice

Example use cases

During a eulogy, one might reference this quote to lighten the mood when discussing cherished pets.

More from Alexander Pope

Do good by stealth, and blush to find it fame.
Alexander PopeRead
What dire offence from am'rous causes springs, What mighty contests rise from trivial things.
Alexander PopeRead
Fair tresses man's imperial race ensnare; And beauty draws us with a single hair.
Alexander PopeRead
An honest man's the noblest work of God.
Alexander PopeRead
One thought of thee puts all the pomp to flight;_x000D_ _x000D_ Priests, tapers, temples, swim before my sight.
Alexander PopeRead
Who breaks a butterfly on a wheel?
Alexander PopeRead

Similar quotes

I can levitate birds. No one cares.
Woody AllenRead
The whole world is tense. Everybody gets the international news. Theres been no American comedy at all that even remotely addresses the subject in any way. My goal isnt to solve the worlds problems. My character wasnt even able to do his assignment. But the premise of wanting to find out about somebody -- other than the stuff that the CIA will tell you -- theres no hope unless we do that.
Albert BrooksRead
It is hard enough to be good at all, but to be good in comedy speaks for your character.
Roger EbertRead
You're a monster, Mr. Grinch._x000D_ _x000D_ Your heart's an empty hole._x000D_ _x000D_ Your brain is full of spiders,_x000D_ _x000D_ You've got garlic in your soul.
Dr. SeussRead
And that brings us to tonight's word: Truthiness. Now I'm sure some of the word-police, the 'wordanistas' over at Websters, are gonna say, 'Hey, that's not a word!' Well, anybody who knows me knows that I am no fan of dictionaries or reference books. They're elitist. Constantly telling us what is or isn't true, what did or didn't happen.
Stephen ColbertRead
Everyone has the right to be stupid on occasion, but Comrade Macdonald abuses the privilege.
Leon TrotskyRead

A little wisdom, now and then

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