W. H. Auden, whose full name is Wystan Hugh Auden, was born on February 21, 1907, in York, England. A towering figure in 20th-century literature, he was a poet, playwright, and essayist known for his sharp intellect and emotional depth. Auden’s career highlights include winning the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1948 for “The Age of Anxiety” and his influential works on love, politics, and the human condition. He also collaborated on operas and taught at prestigious universities. The quotes here are sourced from his poems, books, interviews, and essays, offering timeless reflections on life. This list presents 15 insightful quotes by Auden that explore the intricacies of existence.
15 W. H. Auden Quotes
1. “We must love one another or die.” (Poem, “September 1, 1939,” 1939)
2. “Among those whom I like or admire, I can find no common denominator, but among those whom I love, I can: all of them make me laugh.” (Book, “The Dyer’s Hand,” 1962)
3. “We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for I don’t know.” (Attributed, n.d.)
4. “In the end, art is small beer. The really serious things are earning one’s living so as not to be a burden to others and courage in difficult circumstances and clear thinking.” (Letter, published in “Selected Letters,” 1977)
5. “A real book is not one that teaches us a lesson, but one that inclines us to, or better still, makes us lose ourselves in it.” (Essay, “The Dyer’s Hand,” 1962)
6. “Poetry makes nothing happen: it survives in the valley of its making where executives would never want to tamper.” (Poem, “In Memory of W. B. Yeats,” 1940)
7. “Evil is unspectacular and always human, and shares our bed and eats at our own table.” (Essay, “Herman Melville,” 1939)
8. “The ear tends to be lazy, craves the familiar and is shocked by the unexpected; the eye, on the other hand, tends to be impatient, craves the novel and is bored by repetition.” (Essay, “The Dyer’s Hand,” 1962)
9. “A poet is a professional maker of verses after all, but an amateur of life.” (Interview, The Paris Review, 1970)
10. “Life is a duologue between incompatibles.” (Book, “The Sea and the Mirror,” 1944)
11. “The sense of danger must not disappear.” (Poem, “The Shield of Achilles,” 1955)
12. “We must die because we have known them.” (Poem, “In Memory of Sigmund Freud,” 1940)
13. “Time will say nothing but I told you so.” (Poem, “If I Could Tell You,” 1940)
14. “In the nightmare of the dark, all the dogs of Europe bark.” (Poem, “In Memory of W. B. Yeats,” 1940)
15. “Lay your sleeping head, my love, human on my faithless arm.” (Poem, “Lullaby,” 1937)
These quotes reflect W. H. Auden’s profound understanding of life’s joys, struggles, and absurdities, revealing his blend of wit, empathy, and philosophical insight. They highlight how he grappled with human relationships, mortality, and the everyday, offering wisdom that remains relevant today. What resonates with you most? Share your thoughts or a favorite quote in the comments below.