Quote explanation: "One 's cruelty is one's power, and when one parts with one's cruelty, one parts with one's power"

The quote is taken from the play "The Way of the World" by William Congreve, a famous Restoration playwright renowned for his comedy of manners.

The above line is spoken by Millament, the heroine of the play who engages in a witty conversation with her lover, Mirabell.

Millament knows that Mirabell loves her and she as his beloved loves to give pain to Mirabell. Women love to give sweet pain to their lovers. They throw tantrums to keep sexual tension between their lovers and them.

In a similar manner, this also depicts the power of one's dominant nature; how one's stringent behaviour is necessary to get respect or get things done from others. And if one loses such dominance, nobody listens to them.