W. H. Auden Quotes

A collection of quotes by W. H. Auden.

W. H. Auden (1907-1973) was a renowned English-American poet, playwright, and critic. Born in York, England, he showed an early talent for writing, publishing his first collection of poetry at the age of twenty. Auden initially gained recognition for his work in the 1930s, as he explored themes of political and social unrest during that tumultuous period.

Known for his technical skill and thought-provoking content, Auden's poetry often reflected his personal and intellectual concerns, addressing issues of love, war, and the human condition. He integrated formal poetic structures with modern language, combining traditional and innovative approaches to verse.

In addition to writing poetry, Auden also wrote plays and essays, earning a reputation for his intelligence and insight. His works covered a wide range of topics, from theology to psychology, and showcased his ability to engage with complex subjects in a clear and accessible manner.

Auden's move to the United States in the late 1930s had a significant impact on his writing and outlook on life. He became a U.S. citizen in 1946 and began teaching at various American universities. His later works demonstrated a shift towards more personal and introspective themes, while still retaining his distinctive style and wit.

Considered one of the greatest poets of the 20th century, W. H. Auden left behind a vast body of work that continues to resonate with readers today. His contributions to literature earned him numerous accolades, including the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1948. Despite his passing, Auden's legacy remains influential, and his poetry continues to captivate audiences around the world.

May it not be that, just as we have to have faith in Him, Go

May it not be that, just as we have to have faith in Him, God has to have faith in us and, considering the history of the human race so far, may it not be that 'faith' is even more difficult for Him than it is for us?

Murder is unique in that it abolishes the party it injures,

Murder is unique in that it abolishes the party it injures, so that society has to take the place of the victim and on his behalf demand atonement or grant forgiveness it is the one crime in which society has a direct interest.

It's a sad fact about our culture that a poet can earn much

It's a sad fact about our culture that a poet can earn much more money writing or talking about his art than he can by practicing it.

'Healing,' Papa would tell me, 'is not a science, but the in

'Healing,' Papa would tell me, 'is not a science, but the intuitive art of wooing nature.'

A verbal art like poetry is reflective; it stops to think. M

A verbal art like poetry is reflective; it stops to think. Music is immediate, it goes on to become.

A professor is someone who talks in someone else's sleep.

A professor is someone who talks in someone else's sleep.

Most people call something profound, not because it is near

Most people call something profound, not because it is near some important truth but because it is distant from ordinary life. Thus, darkness is profound to the eye, silence to the ear; what-is-not is the profundity of what-is.

Life Truth People Silence

Lay your sleeping head, my love Human on my faithless arm; T

Lay your sleeping head, my love Human on my faithless arm; Time and fevers burn away Individual beauty from Thoughtful children, and the grave Proves the child ephemeral; But in my arms till break of day Let the living creature lie: Mortal, guilty, but to me The entirely beautiful.

Time Beauty Love Thetimes

Politics cannot be a science, because in politics theory and

Politics cannot be a science, because in politics theory and practice cannot be separated, and the sciences depend upon their separation.

Politics Science

Whatever the field under discussion, those who engage in deb

Whatever the field under discussion, those who engage in debate must not only believe in each other's good faith, but also in their capacity to arrive at the truth.

Truth Faith

Art is our chief means of breaking bread with the dead.

Art is our chief means of breaking bread with the dead.

Art

When I find myself in the company of scientists, I feel like

When I find myself in the company of scientists, I feel like a shabby curate who has strayed by mistake into a room full of dukes.

Science

There's only one good test of pornography. Get twelve normal

There's only one good test of pornography. Get twelve normal men to read the book, and then ask them, Did you get an erection? If the answer is Yes from a majority of the twelve, then the book is pornographic.

Pornography

You must go to bed with friends or whores, where money makes

You must go to bed with friends or whores, where money makes up the difference in beauty or desire.

Relationships

You know there are no secrets in America. It's quite differe

You know there are no secrets in America. It's quite different in England, where people think of a secret as a shared relation between two people.

Secrets

Health is the state about which medicine has nothing to say.

Health is the state about which medicine has nothing to say.

Health

Funerals

No poet or novelist wishes he were the only one who ever liv

No poet or novelist wishes he were the only one who ever lived, but most of them wish they were the only one alive, and quite a number fondly believe their wish has been granted.

Authors & Writing

Cancer is a curious thing...Nobody knows what the cause is,T

Cancer is a curious thing...Nobody knows what the cause is,Though some pretend they do;It's like some hidden assassin,Waiting to strike at you.Childless women get it,And men when they retire.It

Cancer

Now is the age of anxiety.

Now is the age of anxiety.

Age