Penny Dreadful (TV Series)

Glorious Horrors (2015)

Helen McCrory: Madame Kali

Photos 

Quotes 

• [Madame Kali tells Ferdinand Lyle that God turned away from her] 

  Madame Kali : Despite what you may think... I didn't turn from God. He turned from me. From all of us. Look around. You tell me, where is He... in this city of perpetual suffering? In this life? You tell me where.

  Ferdinand Lyle : There are those who say you can find Him within.

  Madame Kali : They're wrong.

• [Madame Kali and Ferdinand Lyle discuss how unique Vanessa Ives is] 

  Madame Kali : The time comes when the spider must touch the fly.

  Ferdinand Lyle : And if the fly eats the spider?

  Madame Kali : You admire her.

  Ferdinand Lyle : Fine. In our dolorous old bestiary, she's a truly... unique creature.

• [Madame Kali tells Ferdinand Lyle about the time during the Renaissance] 

  Madame Kali : Did you know that during the Renaissance... women used to put poison into their eyes? A little drop of belladonna to dilate the pupil... to simulate erotic excitement. But like all addictions, it took more and more to produce the desired effect. So they slowly... killed themselves. What won't we do for beauty?

  Ferdinand Lyle : And youth.

  Madame Kali : Ah, yes. Youth. That takes more than a drop of poison. That takes everything... doesn't it? Such a price we pay. Such a price.

• [Vanessa Ives talks to Madame Kali at the Ball] 

  Madame Kali : Life does batter at us. But we must persevere with spirit for as long as we possibly can. It's the trick to staying young, don't you think?

  Vanessa Ives : That's not a trick I seek.

• [Vanessa Ives talks to Madame Kali about being a friend of Sir Malcolm] 

  Vanessa Ives : He speaks very highly of you, Mrs. Poole.

  Madame Kali : While he speaks of you so rarely. I suppose we could say you're something of a ward to him.

  Vanessa Ives : A friend, I'd like to think, who cares a great deal for his welfare.

  Madame Kali : Sounds like a warning.