Good can imagine Evil; but Evil cannot imagine Good.
W.H. Auden
Good, Evil, Imagination, Morality, Human Nature
W.H. Auden’s Quotes On Topics
Mundanity | Escape | Marriage | Alienation | Modern Relationships | Societal Impact | War | Foreboding | World | Mysticism | Goodness | Reading | Inequality | Love | Purpose | New Year’s Eve | Vanity | Doom | Conversation | Society | More
More W.H. Auden Quotes
“We cannot be deaf to the question: 'Do I love this world so well that I have to know how it ends?” W.H. Auden
World, Love, Curiosity, Existential Questions, Environmental Concern
W.H. Auden World, Love, Curiosity, Existential Questions, Environmental Concern“Criticism should be a casual conversation.” W.H. Auden
Criticism, Conversation, Informality, Literary Discourse, Approachability
W.H. Auden Criticism, Conversation, Informality, Literary Discourse, Approachability“Every poet has his dream reader: mine keeps a look out for curious prosodic fauna like bacchics and choriambs.” W.H. Auden
Poetry, Readership, Prosody, Specificity, Literary Technique
W.H. Auden Poetry, Readership, Prosody, Specificity, Literary Technique“If there are any souls in hell, it is because that is where they insist on being.” W.H. Auden
Hell, Free Will, Damnation, Choice, Theological Insight
W.H. Auden Hell, Free Will, Damnation, Choice, Theological Insight“Those who will not reason, perish in the act. Those who will not act, perish for that reason.” W.H. Auden
Reason, Action, Consequences, Decision-making, Philosophy
W.H. Auden Reason, Action, Consequences, Decision-making, Philosophy“Clear, unscaleable ahead, Rise the mountains of instead From whose cold, cascading streams None may drink except in dreams.” W.H. Auden
Obstacles, Dreams, Impossibility, Nature Imagery, Poetic Metaphor
W.H. Auden Obstacles, Dreams, Impossibility, Nature Imagery, Poetic Metaphor“Fame often makes a writer vain, but seldom makes him proud.” W.H. Auden
Fame, Writing, Vanity, Humility, Literary Critique
W.H. Auden Fame, Writing, Vanity, Humility, Literary Critique“The surest way to discipline passion is to discipline time: decide what you want or ought to do during the day, then always do it at exactly the same moment every day, and passion will give you no trouble.” W.H. Auden
Discipline, Passion, Time Management, Routine, Self-control
W.H. Auden Discipline, Passion, Time Management, Routine, Self-control“If equal affection cannot be, let the more loving be me.” W.H. Auden
Love, Inequality, Selflessness, Relationships, Emotional Generosity
W.H. Auden Love, Inequality, Selflessness, Relationships, Emotional Generosity“Happy the hare at morning, for she cannot read The hunter's waking thoughts.” W.H. Auden
Innocence, Nature, Ignorance, Danger, Animal Metaphor
W.H. Auden Innocence, Nature, Ignorance, Danger, Animal Metaphor“The class distinctions proper to a democratic society are not those of rank or money, still less, as is apt to happen when these are abandoned, of race, but of age.” W.H. Auden
Democracy, Class, Age, Society, Discrimination
W.H. Auden Democracy, Class, Age, Society, Discrimination“The primary theme of literature is that of loneliness — that every human being is unique and alone.” W.H. Auden
Literature, Loneliness, Individuality, Human Condition, Artistic Themes
W.H. Auden Literature, Loneliness, Individuality, Human Condition, Artistic Themes“It's frightening how easy it is to commit murder in America. Just a drink too much. I can see myself doing it. In England, one feels all the social restraints holding one back. But here, anything can happen.” W.H. Auden
Violence, America, Cultural Differences, Social Restraints, Potential For Evil
W.H. Auden Violence, America, Cultural Differences, Social Restraints, Potential For Evil“A tremendous number of people in America work very hard at something that bores them. Even a rich man thinks he has to go down to the office everyday. Not because he likes it but because he can't think of anything else to do.” W.H. Auden
Work, Boredom, Wealth, Purpose, American Culture
W.H. Auden Work, Boredom, Wealth, Purpose, American Culture“Lovers have lived so long with giants and elves, they won’t believe again in their own size.” W.H. Auden
Romance, Fantasy, Disillusionment, Reality, Self-perception
W.H. Auden Romance, Fantasy, Disillusionment, Reality, Self-perception“All good art is in the nature of a letter written to amuse a sick friend. Too much art, particularly in our time, is only a letter written to oneself.” W.H. Auden
Art, Purpose, Friendship, Self-indulgence, Communication
W.H. Auden Art, Purpose, Friendship, Self-indulgence, Communication“Money is the necessity that frees us from necessity. Of all novelists in any country, Trollope best understands the role of money. Compared with him even Balzac is a romantic.” W.H. Auden
Money, Freedom, Literature, Realism, Financial Insight
W.H. Auden Money, Freedom, Literature, Realism, Financial Insight