William Empson: Quotes about people

William Empson was English literary critic and poet. Explore interesting quotes on people.

William Empson: 50 quotes2 likes

“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

“Attending there let us absorb the cultures of nations
And dissolve into our judgement all their codes.
Then, being clogged with a natural hesitation
(People are continually asking one the way out),
Let us stand here and admit that we have no road.”

William Empson

"Homage to the British Museum" (1932), line 8; cited from John Haffenden (ed.) The Complete Poems (London: Allen Lane, 2000) p. 55.
The Complete Poems

“The man writes with such genuine passion for the books he's discussing. With so many critics you feel they're writing so people will say they're good critics.”

William Empson

W. H. Auden, recorded in Alan Ansen (ed. Nicholas Jenkins) The Table Talk of W. H. Auden (London: Faber, 1991) p. 44.
Criticism