QuoteProject
If they only married when they fell in love, most people would die unwed.
Robert Louis Stevenson
ShareWTF𝕏

Interpretation

What this quote means

The quote suggests that love is not the only reason to marry, and many would remain single if that were the case.

Robert Louis Stevenson highlights the complexity of love and relationships by implying that romantic love is often not the sole basis for marriage. Many individuals may marry for reasons beyond love, such as companionship, social expectations, or stability, which means that if love were the only criteria, a large number of people might remain unmarried throughout their lives.

Themes

LoveMarriageRelationshipsCompanionshipRomance

In practice

Example use cases

This quote would be perfect for a discussion on the reasons people choose to marry in a sociology class.

More from Robert Louis Stevenson

Our business in life is not to succeed, but to continue to fail in good spirits.
Robert Louis StevensonRead
Like a bird singing in the rain, let grateful memories survive in time of sorrow.
Robert Louis StevensonRead
That man is a success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much.
Robert Louis StevensonRead
His past was fairly blameless; few men could read the rolls of their life with less apprehension; yet he was humbled to the dust by the many ill things he had done, and raised up again into sober and fearful gratitude by the many he had come so near to doing, yet avoided.
Robert Louis StevensonRead
The habit of being happy enables one to be freed, or largely freed, from the domination of outward conditions.
Robert Louis StevensonRead
It is the history of our kindnesses that alone make this world tolerable. If it were not for that, for the effect of kind words, kind looks, kind letters . . . I should be inclined to think our life a practical jest in the worst possible spirit.
Robert Louis StevensonRead

Similar quotes

Our lives are shaped as much by those who leave us as they are by those who stay. Loss is our legacy. Insight is our gift. Memory is our guide
Hope EdelmanRead
Improve relationships with others by assuming that they can hear everything you say about them
Stephen CoveyRead
At any age, we struggle with intimacy. When you're a kid, you think, 'I won't have that problem. I'll have sex whenever I want when I'm a grown-up!' And then, somehow, it doesn't quite turn out that way, and it's so surprising to people that connection remains so challenging even when you're married.
David FrankelRead
It is easier to forgive an enemy than to forgive a friend.
William BlakeRead
The only relationship we can have in this life is the relationship we have with ourselves. We cannot love anybody more than we love ourselves. We cannot treat anyone any better than we treat ourselves. When you forget you, give up on you, or devalue yourself, anyone coming into your life has a universal responsibility to follow your lead.
Iyanla VanzantRead
It's a taboo that comes back over and over, to suggest that women can feel divided - that you can love your child and want to do everything for it, and at the same time want to put it away from you and reclaim something of yourself.
Rachel CuskRead

A little wisdom, now and then

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