W.H. Auden Quotes

Nobody can honestly think of himself as a strong character because however successful he may be in overcoming them he is necessarily aware of the doubts and temptations that accompany every important choice.

Any marriage happy or unhappy is infinitely more interesting and significant than any romance however passionate.

All I have is a voice.

The way to read a fairy tale is to throw yourself in.

After Portia has trapped Shylock through his own insistence upon the letter of the law of Contract, she produces another law by which any alien who conspires against the life of a Venetian citizen forfeits his goods and places his life at the Doge’s mercy. […] Shakespeare, it seems to me, was willing to introduce what is an absurd implausibility for the sake of an effect which he could not secure without it: at the last moment when, through his conduct, Shylock has destroyed any sympathy we may have felt for him earlier, we are reminded that, irrespective of his personal character, his status is one of inferiority. A Jew is not regarded, even in law, as a brother.

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.

Drama is based on the Mistake.

I write because I love to play with language.