Who said “It is not true that suffering ennobles the character; happiness does that sometimes, but…”?

Verified

W. Somerset Maugham. A published source records them saying or writing it.

SourceThe Moon and Sixpence (1919)

Evidence: Wikiquote · How we check

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“It is not true that suffering ennobles the character; happiness does that sometimes, but suffering, for the most part, makes men petty and vindictive.”
VerifiedThe Moon and Sixpence (1919) · evidenceSuffering

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: The Moon and Sixpence (1919).

APA

Maugham, W. S. (n.d.). It is not true that suffering ennobles the character; happiness does that sometimes, but suffering, for the most part, makes men petty and vindictive. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/38992-it-is-not-true-that-suffering-ennobles-the/

MLA

Maugham, W. Somerset. “It is not true that suffering ennobles the character; happiness does that sometimes, but suffering, for the most part, makes men petty and vindictive.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/38992-it-is-not-true-that-suffering-ennobles-the/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

Maugham, W. Somerset. “It is not true that suffering ennobles the character; happiness does that sometimes, but suffering, for the most part, makes men petty and vindictive.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/38992-it-is-not-true-that-suffering-ennobles-the/.