Quote by W. H. Auden
Slavery is so intolerable a condition that the slave can hardly escape deluding himself into thinking that he is choosing to obey his master's commands when, in fact, he is obliged to. Most slaves of habit suffer from this delusion and so do some writers, enslaved by an all too personal style.
Summary
This quote highlights the oppressive nature of slavery and draws a parallel to writers who are confined by their own established styles. It suggests that just as slaves may convince themselves that they have chosen to follow their master's commands, writers, too, can delude themselves into believing that they are choosing their own writing style when they are truly bound by personal habits. The quote criticizes the limitations imposed on writers by their own tendencies, implying that they should strive for greater creativity and independence in their writing.
Topics
Slavery
By W. H. Auden
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