“Life is a tragedy full of joy.”

— Bernard Malamud

New York Times (29 January 1979)

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

Do you have more details about the quote "Life is a tragedy full of joy." by Bernard Malamud?

Bernard Malamud 19

American author 1914–1986

Madeleine L'Engle (1918–2007) American writer

Source: Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art

“The real Tragedy is the tragedy of the man who never in his life braces himself for his one supreme effort-he never stretches to his full capacity, never stands up to his full stature.”

Arnold Bennett (1867–1931) English novelist

“The truth is life is full of joy and full of great sorrow, but you can't have one without the other.”

Andre Dubus III book House of Sand and Fog

Source: House of Sand and Fog

“Life is a drama full of tragedy and comedy. You should learn to enjoy the comic episodes a little more.”

Jeannette Walls book The Glass Castle

Source: The Glass Castle

“Move out or grow in any dimension and pain as well as joy will be your reward. A full life will be full of pain.”

M. Scott Peck (1936–2005) American psychiatrist

Source: The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values, and Spiritual Growth

“You cannot wish for a good life that is full of joy and peace without sacrificing something in return.”

Mwanandeke Kindembo (1996) Congolese author

“Far more real than the ticking of time is the way we open up the minutes and invest them with meaning. Death is not the ultimate tragedy in life. The ultimate tragedy is to die without discovering the possibilities of full growth.”

Norman Cousins (1915–1990) American journalist

Quoted in Good Housekeeping (November 1989), p. 92.
Context: Hope, faith, love and a strong will to live offer no promise of immortality, only proof of our uniqueness ans human beings and the opportunity to experience full growth even under the grimmest circumstances. Far more real than the ticking of time is the way we open up the minutes and invest them with meaning. Death is not the ultimate tragedy in life. The ultimate tragedy is to die without discovering the possibilities of full growth.