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Quote of the day, from Leo Tolstoy: 'Never, never get married, my friend...'
🇦🇷 Argentina /Culture & Society

Quote of the day, from Leo Tolstoy: 'Never, never get married, my friend...'

From Clarín · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Leo Tolstoy famously advised his friend never to marry, suggesting it should only be considered in old age when one is no longer capable of other pursuits.
  • The writer believed that marrying too early or without clear purpose could lead to the loss of one's noble qualities.
  • This extreme counsel highlights the potential for marriage to negatively impact a person's best attributes if entered into without careful consideration.

Leo Tolstoy, the renowned Russian novelist, once offered stark advice to a friend regarding marriage: "Never, never get married, my friend, that is my counsel. Marry when you are old and useless for anything else... Otherwise, all that is good and noble in you will be lost."

This extreme counsel, presented as a "quote of the day," serves as a potent warning against entering into marriage without profound clarity and purpose. Tolstoy's words suggest that an ill-considered union can be detrimental, capable of eroding the very best qualities within an individual.

The sentiment, while harsh, underscores a serious consideration: the potential for marriage, a significant life commitment, to fundamentally alter one's character and aspirations. Tolstoy's advice implies that the nobility and goodness inherent in a person risk being diminished or extinguished if marriage is pursued prematurely or without deep introspection.

Never, never get married, my friend, that is my counsel. Marry when you are old and useless for anything else. Otherwise, all that is good and noble in you will be lost.

— Leo TolstoyTolstoy's extreme advice to a friend about marriage, presented as a daily quote.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Clarín in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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