The last temptation is the greatest treason: to do the right deed for the wrong reason.
T.S. Eliot
Temptation, Treason, Reason, Moral Complexity, Ethical Dilemma, Intentional Purity
T.S. Eliot’s Quotes On Topics
Cultural Commentary | Meditation | Literary Legacy | Perception | Year | Convivial Moment | Human Expression | Start | Life Trajectory | Personal Journey | Struggle | Mortality Personification | Spiritual Development | Literary Inspiration | Existential Observation | Relational Dynamics | Become | Authenticity | Self-discovery | Existential Question | More
More T.S. Eliot Quotes
“A tradition without intelligence is not worth having.” T.S. Eliot
Tradition, Intelligence, Worth, Cultural Critique, Intellectual Value, Philosophical Insight
T.S. Eliot Tradition, Intelligence, Worth, Cultural Critique, Intellectual Value, Philosophical Insight“I do not approve the extermination of the enemy; the policy of exterminating or, as it is barbarously said, liquidating enemies, is one of the most alarming developments of modern war and peace, from the point of view of those who desire the survival.” T.S. Eliot
Extermination, Enemy, Survival, Moral Stance, Warfare Critique, Humanitarian Concern
T.S. Eliot Extermination, Enemy, Survival, Moral Stance, Warfare Critique, Humanitarian Concern“For you know only a heap of broken images.” T.S. Eliot
Disillusionment, Fragmentation, Confusion, Symbolism, Decay, Introspection
T.S. Eliot Disillusionment, Fragmentation, Confusion, Symbolism, Decay, Introspection“The suburban evening was grey and yellow on Sunday; the gardens of the small houses to left and right were rank with ivy and tall grass and lilac bushes; the tropical South London verdure was dusty above and mouldy below; the tepid air swarmed with flies. Eeldrop, at the window, welcomed the smoky smell of lilac, the gramaphones, the choir of the Baptist chapel, and the sight of three small girls playing cards on the steps of the police station.” T.S. Eliot
Suburban, Sunday, Lilac, Sensory Description, Urban Landscape, Social Observation
T.S. Eliot Suburban, Sunday, Lilac, Sensory Description, Urban Landscape, Social Observation“Those who talk of the bible as a monument of English prose are merely admiring it as a monument over the grave of Christianity.” T.S. Eliot
Bible, Christianity, Monument, Religious Critique, Literary Appreciation, Cultural Commentary
T.S. Eliot Bible, Christianity, Monument, Religious Critique, Literary Appreciation, Cultural Commentary“Because I know that time is time and place is always and only place and what is actual is actual only for one time and only for one place, I rejoice that things are as they are and I renounce the blessed faces and renounce the voice because I cannot hope to turn again.” T.S. Eliot
Time, Place, Actual, Temporal Specificity, Existential Acceptance, Philosophical Reflection
T.S. Eliot Time, Place, Actual, Temporal Specificity, Existential Acceptance, Philosophical Reflection“People are only influenced in the direction in which they want to go, and influence consists largely in making them conscious of their wishes to proceed in that direction.” T.S. Eliot
Influence, Direction, Consciousness, Personal Inclination, Social Dynamics, Self-awareness
T.S. Eliot Influence, Direction, Consciousness, Personal Inclination, Social Dynamics, Self-awareness“This is the feeling for syllable and rhythm, penetrating far below the conscious levels of thought and feeling, invigorating every word.” T.S. Eliot
Syllable, Rhythm, Word, Poetic Craft, Linguistic Insight, Artistic Process
T.S. Eliot Syllable, Rhythm, Word, Poetic Craft, Linguistic Insight, Artistic Process“Any poet, if he is to survive beyond his 25th year, must alter; he must seek new literary influences; he will have different emotions to express.” T.S. Eliot
Poet, Alter, Influences, Artistic Evolution, Creative Growth, Emotional Development
T.S. Eliot Poet, Alter, Influences, Artistic Evolution, Creative Growth, Emotional Development“Heretic is a person who seizes upon a truth and pushes it to the point at which it becomes a falsehood.” T.S. Eliot
Heretic, Truth, Falsehood, Ideological Extremism, Philosophical Insight, Religious Commentary
T.S. Eliot Heretic, Truth, Falsehood, Ideological Extremism, Philosophical Insight, Religious Commentary“And the end and the beginning where always there, before the beginning and after the end.” T.S. Eliot
End, Beginning, Always, Temporal Paradox, Existential Continuity, Philosophical Reflection
T.S. Eliot End, Beginning, Always, Temporal Paradox, Existential Continuity, Philosophical Reflection“We must learn to suffer more.” T.S. Eliot
Suffering, Learning, Endurance, Personal Growth, Emotional Resilience, Spiritual Development
T.S. Eliot Suffering, Learning, Endurance, Personal Growth, Emotional Resilience, Spiritual Development“For love would be love of the wrong thing; there is yet faith, But the faith and the love and the hope are all in the waiting.” T.S. Eliot
Love, Faith, Waiting, Spiritual Patience, Emotional Wisdom, Existential Endurance
T.S. Eliot Love, Faith, Waiting, Spiritual Patience, Emotional Wisdom, Existential Endurance“I am an Anglo-Catholic in religion, a classicist in literature and a royalist in politics.” T.S. Eliot
Anglo-Catholic, Classicist, Royalist, Personal Identity, Intellectual Stance, Cultural Affiliation
T.S. Eliot Anglo-Catholic, Classicist, Royalist, Personal Identity, Intellectual Stance, Cultural Affiliation“In spite of all the dishonour, the broken standards, the broken lives, The broken faith in one place or another, There was something left that was more than the tales Of old men on winter evenings.” T.S. Eliot
Resilience, Hope, Tradition, History, Strength, Survival
T.S. Eliot Resilience, Hope, Tradition, History, Strength, Survival“And I hope we can contrive his future happiness. Do not discuss his absence. Please behave only As if nothing had happened in the last eight years.” T.S. Eliot
Happiness, Absence, Behavior, Emotional Suppression, Social Pretense, Temporal Disconnect
T.S. Eliot Happiness, Absence, Behavior, Emotional Suppression, Social Pretense, Temporal Disconnect“At the violet hour, when the eyes and back Turn upward from the desk, when the human engine waits Like a taxi throbbing waiting I Tiresias, though blind, throbbing between two lives.” T.S. Eliot
Violet, Tiresias, Throbbing, Poetic Imagery, Mythological Allusion, Temporal Liminality
T.S. Eliot Violet, Tiresias, Throbbing, Poetic Imagery, Mythological Allusion, Temporal Liminality“Put on a face to meet the faces that you meet.” T.S. Eliot
Mask, Deception, Identity, Social Expectations, Interaction, Self-presentation
T.S. Eliot Mask, Deception, Identity, Social Expectations, Interaction, Self-presentation