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Katherine Mansfield

Katherine Mansfield Quotes

Writer

Katherine Mansfield was a New Zealand-born British writer renowned for her short stories. Her work is celebrated for its concise, direct style and profound insight into the details of everyday life. Although her writing career was brief, her influence on literature has been profound.

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Famous Katherine Mansfield Quotes

“I want, by understanding myself, to understand others. I want to be all that I am capable of becoming.... This all sounds very strenuous and serious. But now that I have wrestled with it, it's no longer so. I feel happy- deep down. All is well.”

Want Life Feels Wells Success Understanding Sound Serious Becoming Capable Success In Life Deep Down Understanding Myself

Author:Katherine Mansfield

“I love the night. I love to feel the tide of darkness rising, slowly and slowly washing, turning over and over, lifting, floating, all that lies strewn upon the dark beach, all that lies hid in rocky hollows.”

Feels Lying Night Dark Darkness Beach Rising Tides Floating Lifting Washing

Book:The Collected Stories of Katherine Mansfield

Source: The Collected Stories of Katherine Mansfield

“September is different from all other months. It is more magical. I feel the strange chemical change in the earth which produces mushrooms is the cause, too, of the extra 'life' in the air - a resilience, a sparkle.”

Feels Different Earth Causes Air Produce Strange Months Resilience Extras Chemicals September Mushrooms Sparkle

Book:Delphi Complete Works of Katherine Mansfield (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Complete Works of Katherine Mansfield (Illustrated)

“It is strange that there are times when I feel the stars are not at all solemn: they are secretly gay.”

Feels Stars Strange Gay Solemn

Book:Delphi Complete Works of Katherine Mansfield (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Complete Works of Katherine Mansfield (Illustrated)

“I feel I must live alone, alone, alone - with artists only to touch the door. Every artist cuts off his ear and nails it on the outside of the door for the others to shout into.”

Feels Artist Cutting Doors Ears Nails

Book:Delphi Complete Works of Katherine Mansfield (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Complete Works of Katherine Mansfield (Illustrated)

“Yes, my mother's death is a terrible sorrow to me. I feel - do you know what I mean - the silence of it so. She was more alive than anyone I have ever known.”

Knows Feels Mean Mother Silence Known Alive Terrible Sorrow Do You Know

Book:The Collected Letters of Katherine Mansfield: Volume II: 1918-September 1919

Source: The Collected Letters of Katherine Mansfield: Volume II: 1918-September 1919

“I want so to live that I work with my hands and my feeling and my brain. I want a garden, a small house, grass, animals, books, pictures, music. And out of this, the expression of this, I want to be writing (Though I may write about cabmen. That’s no matter.) But warm, eager, living life — to be rooted in life — to learn, to desire, to feel, to think, to act. This is what I want. And nothing less. That is what I must try for.”

Thinking Want Feels Writing Trying May Book Matter Feelings Hands Desire House Animal Brain Expression Garden Warm Live Life Grass Rooted

Book:Delphi Complete Works of Katherine Mansfield (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Complete Works of Katherine Mansfield (Illustrated)

“I think of you often. Especially in the evenings, when I am on the balcony and it’s too dark to write or to do anything but wait for the stars. A time I love. One feels half disembodied, sitting like a shadow at the door of one’s being while the dark tide rises. Then comes the moon, marvellously serene, and small stars, very merry for some reason of their own. It is so easy to forget, in a worldly life, to attend to these miracles.”

Source: The Letters of Katherine Mansfield

“What I feel for you can’t be conveyed in phrasal combinations; It either screams out loud or stays painfully silent but I promise — it beats words. It beats worlds. I promise”

World Love Feels Promise Beats Silent Combination Loud Scream I Promise

Author:Katherine Mansfield

“All the wild sweetness of the flower Tangled against the wall. It was that magic, silent hour.... The branches grew so tall They twined themselves into a bower. The sun shown ... and the fall Of yellow blossom on the grass! You feel that golden rain? Both of you could not hold, alas, (both of you tried, in vain) A memory, stranger. So I pass.... It will not come again.”

Feels Fall Hours Memories Sun Magic Flower Wall Grew Spring Rain Silent Stranger Golden Vain Grass Branches Tall Yellow Sweetness Alas Tangled

Book:The Katherine Mansfield notebooks

Source: The Katherine Mansfield notebooks

“Warm, eager, living life-to be rooted in life-to learn, to desire, to know, to feel, to think, to act. This is what I want. And nothing less. That is what I must try for.”

Thinking Knows Want Life Feels Trying Desire Warm Live Life Rooted

Book:Delphi Complete Works of Katherine Mansfield (Illustrated)

Source: Delphi Complete Works of Katherine Mansfield (Illustrated)