# CXX: Anguish of Heart That the Husband Feeleth Not as Oneself explained — The Kural

> Chapter companion for The Kural by Thiruvalluvar.

## What happens

This chapter explores the profound anguish of a woman who feels her love is unreciprocated by her husband. Through a series of verses, it contrasts the sweetness of mutual love with the unbearable pain of one-sided affection, emphasizing that love must be balanced to bring true happiness.

## Themes in this chapter

### Love and Marriage

The chapter delves into the emotional dynamics of marital love, highlighting the pain of unreciprocated affection and the ideal of mutual tenderness.

### The Vanity of Worldly Life

The verses underscore the emptiness and suffering that arise when love is not returned, suggesting that worldly happiness is fleeting without emotional balance.

## Character check-ins

### Bouderie

The speaker, a woman pining for her husband's affection, embodies the theme of unrequited love and emotional suffering.

### the Kural

The text of the Kural itself is referenced as the source of these verses on love and longing.

## Key lines

> They alone eat the stoneless all-sweet fruit of love who are beloved of those whom they hold dear.

Only those who are loved back by the ones they love can enjoy the pure, unblemished joy of love.

_This verse establishes the central theme of mutual love as essential for true happiness._

> Even as the burden on the carrying pole, love is pleasant only when it is on both sides: but it is a galling load when it is only on one side.

Love is like a balanced load on a pole—it feels light when shared equally, but becomes a painful burden when carried alone.

_This metaphor vividly illustrates the imbalance of unrequited love._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_kural_se/chapters/cxx-anguish-of-heart-that-the-husband-feeleth-not-as-oneself
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_kural_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_kural_se/chapters