Altogether, Olympia thinks the sight of herself satisfactory, but not beautiful: a smile is missing, a certain light about the eyes. For how very different a woman will look when she has happiness, Olympia knows, when her beauty emanates from a sense of well-being or from knowing herself to be greatly loved. Even a plain woman will attract the eye if she is happy, while the most elaborately coiffed and bejeweled woman in a room, if she cannot summon contentment, will seem to be merely decorative.

Summary

This quote highlights the idea that true beauty is not solely dependent on physical appearance, but rather on one's inner state of happiness and contentment. Olympia, upon self-reflection, believes that while she may find herself satisfactory in appearance, she lacks a certain radiance associated with genuine happiness. It suggests that when a woman is truly happy or deeply loved, her beauty becomes more captivating, even if she is not conventionally attractive. On the other hand, a woman who is adorned with external beauty but lacks inner contentment appears superficial, serving only a decorative purpose.

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