A professor is someone who talks in someone else’s sleep.
W.H. Auden
Academia, Teaching, Metaphor, Perception, Intellectualism
W.H. Auden’s Quotes On Topics
Aesthetic Guide | Contemporary Life | Universal Appeal | Separation | Modern Relationships | Vulnerability | Enchantment | Literary Discourse | Musical Theater | Social Class | Subjectivity | Abandon | Autobiography | Influence | Iconoclasm | Suspicion | Historical Commemoration | Practice | Finance | Writing | More
More W.H. Auden Quotes
“The glacier knocks in the cupboard, The desert sighs in the bed, And the crack in the teacup opens A lane to the land of the dead.” W.H. Auden
Mortality, Domestic Imagery, Surrealism, Death, Everyday Objects
W.H. Auden Mortality, Domestic Imagery, Surrealism, Death, Everyday Objects“The habit-forming pain, Mismanagement and grief: We must suffer them all again.” W.H. Auden
Suffering, Repetition, Pain, Mismanagement, Inevitability
W.H. Auden Suffering, Repetition, Pain, Mismanagement, Inevitability“You shall love your crooked neighbour, with your crooked heart.” W.H. Auden
Love, Imperfection, Humanity, Acceptance, Moral Complexity
W.H. Auden Love, Imperfection, Humanity, Acceptance, Moral Complexity“I and the public know What all schoolchildren learn, Those to whom evil is done Do evil in return.” W.H. Auden
Evil, Retribution, Public Knowledge, Education, Human Nature
W.H. Auden Evil, Retribution, Public Knowledge, Education, Human Nature“The way to read a fairy tale is to throw yourself in.” W.H. Auden
Reading, Immersion, Fairy Tales, Imagination, Literary Advice
W.H. Auden Reading, Immersion, Fairy Tales, Imagination, Literary Advice“Words are for those with promises to keep.” W.H. Auden
Words, Promises, Responsibility, Communication, Commitment
W.H. Auden Words, Promises, Responsibility, Communication, Commitment“A poor American feels guilty at being poor, but less guilty than an American rentier who has inherited wealth but is doing nothingto increase it; what can the latter do but take to drink and psychoanalysis?” W.H. Auden
Wealth, Guilt, American Culture, Idleness, Social Commentary
W.H. Auden Wealth, Guilt, American Culture, Idleness, Social Commentary“Why doesn't the United States take over the monarchy and unite with England? England does have important assets. Naturally the longer you wait, the more they will dwindle. At least you could use it for a summer resort instead of Maine.” W.H. Auden
Politics, Colonialism, Satire, International Relations, Cultural Assets
W.H. Auden Politics, Colonialism, Satire, International Relations, Cultural Assets“To make one, there must be two.” W.H. Auden
Unity, Duality, Creation, Relationships, Philosophical Concept
W.H. Auden Unity, Duality, Creation, Relationships, Philosophical Concept“Pleasure is by no means an infallible critical guide, but it is the least fallible.” W.H. Auden
Pleasure, Criticism, Fallibility, Judgment, Aesthetic Guide
W.H. Auden Pleasure, Criticism, Fallibility, Judgment, Aesthetic Guide“Nobody knows what the cause is, though some pretend they do; it like some hidden assassin waiting to strike at you. Childless women get it, and men when they retire; it as if there had to be some outlet for their foiled creative fire.” W.H. Auden
Mystery, Pretense, Vulnerability, Creativity, Life Changes
W.H. Auden Mystery, Pretense, Vulnerability, Creativity, Life Changes“Evil is always unspectacular and always human.” W.H. Auden
Evil, Human Nature, Banality, Morality, Philosophical Insight
W.H. Auden Evil, Human Nature, Banality, Morality, Philosophical Insight“Thoughts on his own death, like the distant roll of thunder at a picnic.” W.H. Auden
Death, Contemplation, Metaphor, Life’s Fragility, Incongruity
W.H. Auden Death, Contemplation, Metaphor, Life’s Fragility, Incongruity“There are bills to be paid, machines to keep in repair, Irregular verbs to learn, the Time Being to redeem From insignificance.” W.H. Auden
Daily Life, Responsibilities, Learning, Time, Significance
W.H. Auden Daily Life, Responsibilities, Learning, Time, Significance“In times of joy, all of us wished we possessed a tail we could wag.” W.H. Auden
Joy, Expression, Human Nature, Animal Comparison, Happiness
W.H. Auden Joy, Expression, Human Nature, Animal Comparison, Happiness“Any society is in danger of dismissing the virtue of another society because of its vices, and a democracy is always in danger of not paying enough attention to manners and forms.” W.H. Auden
Society, Virtue, Vice, Democracy, Cultural Criticism
W.H. Auden Society, Virtue, Vice, Democracy, Cultural Criticism“The dead look so terribly dead when they're dead.” W.H. Auden
Death, Mortality, Observation, Finality, Human Perception
W.H. Auden Death, Mortality, Observation, Finality, Human Perception“The only way to spend New Year's Eve is either quietly with friends or in a brothel. Otherwise when the evening ends and people pair off, someone is bound to be left in tears.” W.H. Auden
New Year’s Eve, Friendship, Loneliness, Social Gatherings, Human Nature
W.H. Auden New Year’s Eve, Friendship, Loneliness, Social Gatherings, Human Nature“People always get what they want. But there is a price for everything. Failures are either those who do not know what they want or are not prepared to pay the price asked them. The price varies from individual to individual. Some get things at bargain-sale prices, others only at famine prices. But it is no use grumbling. Whatever price you are asked, you must pay.” W.H. Auden
Desire, Price, Failure, Individual Differences, Acceptance
W.H. Auden Desire, Price, Failure, Individual Differences, Acceptance