Little Women

Little Women

by

Louisa May Alcott

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Little Women makes teaching easy.

Elizabeth "Beth" March Character Analysis

Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. March, and sister of Jo, Meg, and Amy. Beth is sickly, shy, and utterly pious. Too anxious to attend school and too humble to attempt work outside of the home, Beth spends her days making herself useful around the March household. Beth seems to intuitively understand what is right and wrong (something Jo admires in her). Beth harbors musical ambitions, something that kindles a friendship between her and Mr. Laurence. Beth nearly dies of scarlet fever in Part I. Her health is weakened as a result, and she dies toward the end of Part II. Beth is thirteen when the story begins.

Elizabeth "Beth" March Quotes in Little Women

The Little Women quotes below are all either spoken by Elizabeth "Beth" March or refer to Elizabeth "Beth" March. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Role of Women Theme Icon
).
Part 1, Chapter 1 Quotes

“Our burdens are here, our road is before us…Now, my little pilgrims, suppose you begin again, not in play, but in earnest, and see how far on you can get before Father comes home.”

Related Characters: Margaret "Marmee" March (speaker), Josephine "Jo" March, Margaret "Meg" March, Elizabeth "Beth" March, Amy Curtis March, Robert March
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 16
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 1, Chapter 18 Quotes

“…she can’t love Bethy as I do, and she won’t miss her as I shall. Beth is my conscience, and I can’t give her up. I can’t! I can’t!”

Related Characters: Josephine "Jo" March (speaker), Elizabeth "Beth" March
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 190
Explanation and Analysis:
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Elizabeth "Beth" March Quotes in Little Women

The Little Women quotes below are all either spoken by Elizabeth "Beth" March or refer to Elizabeth "Beth" March. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
The Role of Women Theme Icon
).
Part 1, Chapter 1 Quotes

“Our burdens are here, our road is before us…Now, my little pilgrims, suppose you begin again, not in play, but in earnest, and see how far on you can get before Father comes home.”

Related Characters: Margaret "Marmee" March (speaker), Josephine "Jo" March, Margaret "Meg" March, Elizabeth "Beth" March, Amy Curtis March, Robert March
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 16
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 1, Chapter 18 Quotes

“…she can’t love Bethy as I do, and she won’t miss her as I shall. Beth is my conscience, and I can’t give her up. I can’t! I can’t!”

Related Characters: Josephine "Jo" March (speaker), Elizabeth "Beth" March
Related Literary Devices:
Page Number: 190
Explanation and Analysis: