"But smiles and tears are so alike with me, they are neither of them confined to any particular feelings: I often cry when I am happy, and smile when I am sad."
About Anne Bronte
Anne Bronte — Life and Legacy
Anne Bronte, the youngest of the Bronte sisters, made significant contributions to English literature with her profound exploration of love and independence. Her most notable work, 'The Tenant of Wildfell Hall,' boldly addresses the struggles of women against oppressive societal norms, showcasing her commitment to advocating for women's rights. Through her characters, Anne delves into the complexities of love, often revealing its darker sides intertwined with societal expectations. One of her most striking quotes, 'I am no bird; and no net ensnares me,' encapsulates her belief in personal freedom and the rejection of societal constraints. This sentiment reflects her own life experiences and the challenges faced by women of her time. Anne's writing not only critiques the limitations imposed on women but also emphasizes the importance of self-identity and autonomy. Her insights into human emotions and relationships continue to resonate today, making her work relevant in discussions about gender and independence.
Quote collection
Anne Bronte quotes (page 1 of 6)
106 quotes — follow a thought to its full quote page.
"I would rather have your friendship than the love of any other woman in the world."
"But he that dares not grasp the thorn Should never crave the rose."
"If you would have your son to walk honourably through the world, you must not attempt to clear the stones from his path, but teach him to walk firmly over them - not insist upon leading him by the hand, but let him learn to go alone."
"A light wind swept over the corn, and all nature laughed in the sunshine."
"I love the silent hour of night, for blissful dreams may then arise, revealing to my charmed sight what may not bless my waking eyes."
"I cannot love a man who cannot protect me."
"And then, the unspeakable purity - and freshness of the air! There was just enough heat to enhance the value of the breeze, and just enough wind to keep the whole sea in motion, to make the waves come bounding to the shore, foaming and sparkling, as if wild with glee."
"My soul is awakened, my spirit is soaring and carried aloft on the wings of the breeze."
"Keep both heart and hand in your own possession, till you see good reason to part with them."
"Is it that they think it a duty to be continually talking,' pursued she: 'and so never pause to think, but fill up with aimless trifles and vain repetitions when subjects of real interest fail to present themselves? - or do they really take a pleasure in such discourse?' 'Very likely they do,' said I; 'their shallow minds can hold no great ideas, and their light heads are carried away by trivialities that would not move a better-furnished skull; - and their only alternative to such discourse is to plunge over head and ears into the slough of scandal - which is their chief delight."
"Because the road is rough and long, Should we despise the skylark's song?"
"All our talents increase in the using, and every faculty, both good and bad, strengthens by exercise."
"There are great books in this world and great worlds in books."
"Oh, I am very weary, Though tears no longer flow; My eyes are tired of weeping, My heart is sick of woe."
"To regret the exchange of earthly pleasures for the joys of Heaven, is as if the grovelling caterpillar should lament that it must one day quit the nibbled leaf to soar aloft and flutter through the air, roving at will from flower to flower, sipping sweet honey from their cups, or basking in their sunny petals."
"Life and hope must cease together."
"His heart was like a sensitive plant, that opens for a moment in the sunshine, but curls up and shrinks into itself at the slightest touch of the finger, or the lightest breath of wind."
"Reading is my favourite occupation, when I have leisure for it and books to read."
"You need not fear me, for I not only should think it wrong to marry a man that was deficient in sense or in principle, but I should never be tempted to do it; for I could not like him, if he were ever so handsome, and ever so charming, in other respects; I should hate him—despise him—pity him—anything but love him. My affections not only ought to be founded on approbation, but they will and must be so: for, without approving, I cannot love. It is needless to say, I ought to be able to respect and honour the man I marry, as well as love him, for I cannot love him without."