This quote is from Elizabeth Barrett Browning's "Aurora Leigh":
Although, this quote seems simple enough, looking at the context of the whole passage, it seems to me that Elizabeth Browning was saying something along the lines of speaking truth to women in our lives. If we don't like something they have done in both their professional and/or personal lives, then we should give them an honest judgement of their work.
At the same time, we can expand it to include the general public. Like she says, we cannot judge someone's life to be a failure until his/her death. Death spells the "work done" for an individual. Life is full of ups & downs. So, one can't say about another's life to be a waste until that person has died. The "performance review" of life can only be done after the life ("work") has ended.
Shall I fail?
The Greeks said grandly in their tragic phrase,
'Let no one be called happy till his death.'...
To which I add,-Let no one till his death
Be called unhappy. Measure not the work
Until the day's out and the labour done;
Then bring your gauges. If the day's work's scant,
Why, call it scant; affect no compromise;
And, in that we have nobly striven at least,
Deal with us nobly, women though we be,
And honour us with truth, if not with praise.
The Greeks said grandly in their tragic phrase,
'Let no one be called happy till his death.'...
To which I add,-Let no one till his death
Be called unhappy. Measure not the work
Until the day's out and the labour done;
Then bring your gauges. If the day's work's scant,
Why, call it scant; affect no compromise;
And, in that we have nobly striven at least,
Deal with us nobly, women though we be,
And honour us with truth, if not with praise.
Although, this quote seems simple enough, looking at the context of the whole passage, it seems to me that Elizabeth Browning was saying something along the lines of speaking truth to women in our lives. If we don't like something they have done in both their professional and/or personal lives, then we should give them an honest judgement of their work.
At the same time, we can expand it to include the general public. Like she says, we cannot judge someone's life to be a failure until his/her death. Death spells the "work done" for an individual. Life is full of ups & downs. So, one can't say about another's life to be a waste until that person has died. The "performance review" of life can only be done after the life ("work") has ended.
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