Though the great artists of the past could not change the course of history, it is only through their work that we are able to break bread with the dead, and without communion with the dead a fully human life is impossible.

W.H. Auden

More information about this quote

Topic

Purpose of art Artists

Speaker

W.H. Auden

Source

Words and the Word

Medium

Lecture

Language

English

Time

1967 1960s 20th century

Occupation

Poet Writer

From

United Kingdom Europe

Authentication Score 3

Citation

Auden, W. H. "Words and the Word." Secondary Worlds. Random House, 1968. Originally a lecture given on Oct. 1967, University of Kent, Canterbury, England, UK.

Illustrated Quote

A quote by W.H. Auden about purpose of art: “Though the great artists of the past could not change the course of history…”
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A quote by W.H. Auden about purpose of art: “Though the great artists of the past could not change the course of history…”
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A quote by W.H. Auden about purpose of art: “Though the great artists of the past could not change the course of history…”
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Related Quotes

Below are one or more quotes that share at least one tag with the quote at the top of the page

Another quote by W.H. Auden

Evil is unspectacular and always human,
And shares our bed and eats at our table.

W.H. Auden

More information about this quote
Topic
Nature of evil Evil

Author

W.H. Auden
Source
Herman Melville
Medium
Poem
Language
English
Time
1940 1940s 20th century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

Auden, W. H. "Herman Melville." Another Time. Faber and Faber/Random House, 1940.

Another quote from the 1960s

The tools of conquest do not necessarily come with bombs and explosions and fallout. There are weapons that are simply thoughts, attitudes, prejudices to be found only in the minds of men.

The Twilight Zone

Watch Season 1 of The Twilight Zone at Amazon Watch Season 1 of The Twilight Zone at Amazon
More information about this quote
Topic
Power of ideas Ideas
Speaker
Narrator (Twilight Zone)
Actor
Rod Serling
Source
The Twilight Zone
Medium
TV program
Genre
Science fiction (TV) Science fiction
Language
English
Time
1960 1960s 20th century
Authentication Score 3
Citation

"The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street." The Twilight Zone, written by Rod Serling, directed by Ron Winston, season 1, episode 22, Cayuga Productions and CBS Television Network, 1960.