Home / Quotes / Quote by W. H. Auden

Quote by W. H. Auden

“When someone between twenty and forty says, apropos of a work of art, 'I know what I like,' he is really saying 'I have no taste of my own but accept the taste of my cultural milieu.”

Quote by W. H. Auden

Author

W. H. Auden was a prominent 20th-century poet, celebrated for his innovative and influential poetry. His works frequently delve into themes of love, politics, and the human experience, and he is a pivotal figure in the literary movement known as New Criticism. Born on February 21, 1907, in York, England, Auden passed away on September 29, 1973. more

You May Also Like

“Between the ages of twenty and forty we are engaged in the process of discovering who we are, which involves learning the differences between accidental limitations which it is our duty to outgrow and the necessary limitations of our nature beyond which we cannot trespass with impunity.”

Age Process Differences Duty Twenties Limitation Engaged Who We Are Forty Discovering Impunity

Author:W. H. Auden

“An honest self-portrait is extremely rare because a man who has reached the degree of self-consciousness presupposed by the desire to paint his own portrait has almost always also developed an ego-consciousness which paints himself painting himself, and introduces artificial highlights and dramatic shadows.”

Men Self Desire Consciousness Honest Painting Ego Degrees Shadow Paint Dramatic Artificial Introducing Portraits Highlights Self Consciousness Self Portrait

Author:W. H. Auden

“Organic growth is a cyclical process; it is just as true to say that the oak is a potential acorn as it is to say the acorn is a potential oak. But the process of writing a poem, of making any art object, is not cyclical but a motion in one direction toward a definite end.”

Writing Art Ends Process Growth Objects Definite Oaks One Direction Acorns

Author:W. H. Auden

“Looking up at the stars, I know quite well That, for all they care, I can go to hell, But on earth indifference is the least We have to dread from man or beast. How should we like it were stars to burn With a passion for us we could not return? If equal affection cannot be, Let the more loving one be me. Admirer as I think I am Of stars that do not give a damn, I cannot, now I see them, say I missed one terribly all day. Were all stars to disappear or die, I should learn to look at an empty sky And feel its total dark sublime, Though this might take me a little time.”

“Every poet has his dream reader: mine keeps a look out for curious prosodic fauna like bacchics and choriambs.”

Looks Dream Mines Poet Reader Curious

Author:W. H. Auden

“To read is to translate, for no two persons' experiences are the same. A bad reader is like a bad translator: he interprets literally when he ought to paraphrase and paraphrases when he ought to interpret literally.”

Persons Two Ought Reader Translate Translators Paraphrase

Author:W. H. Auden

“The element of craftsmanship in poetry is obscured by the fact that all men are taught to speak and most to read and write, while very few men are taught to draw or paint or write music.”

Men Writing Facts Speak Taught Elements Draws Paint Poetry Is Craftsmanship

Author:W. H. Auden

“So long as we think of it objectively, time is Fate or Chance, the factor in our lives for which we are not responsible, and about which we can do nothing; but when we begin to think of it subjectively, we feel responsible for our time, and the notion of punctuality arises.”

Thinking Feels Long Can Do Chance Our Lives Fate Responsible Notion Arise Factors Our Time Punctuality

Author:W. H. Auden

“No matter what anyone says, dont take their F**king Bulls**t. Coz you're better then them, faster than them and god damn it, YOU'RE MUCH BETTER LOOKING!!”

Matter Kings No Matter What Faster Damn Bulls

Author:Gerard Way

“Every big adventure should feel like your last. Every attempt should feel like a final charge up the hill. Tomorrow doesn't exist.”

Feels Should Bigs Lasts Adventure Like You Tomorrow Finals Hills

Author:Gerard Way