William Empson: Making

William Empson was English literary critic and poet. Explore interesting quotes on making.
William Empson: 50   quotes 2   likes

“Buddhists and Christians contrive to agree about death
Making death their ideal basis for different ideals.
The Communists however disapprove of death
Except when practical.”

William Empson

"Ignorance of Death" (1940), line 3; cited from John Haffenden (ed.) The Complete Poems (London: Allen Lane, 2000) p. 78.
The Complete Poems

Death

“The central function of imaginative literature is to make you realize that other people act on moral convictions different from your own.”

William Empson

Milton's God (1961; repr. London: Chatto & Windus, 1965) p. 261.
Other

People , Imagination , Literature

“Law makes long spokes of the short stakes of men.”

William Empson

"Legal Fiction" (1928), line 1; cited from John Haffenden (ed.) The Complete Poems (London: Allen Lane, 2000) p. 37.
The Complete Poems

Men , Law

“Shall I make it clear, boys, for all to apprehend,
Those that will not hear, boys, waiting for the end,
Knowing it is near, boys, trying to pretend,
Sitting in cold fear, boys, waiting for the end?”

William Empson

"Just a Smack at Auden" (1937), line 15; cited from John Haffenden (ed.) The Complete Poems (London: Allen Lane, 2000) p. 81.
The Complete Poems

Fear , Boy , Waiting