Death is the sound of distant thunder at a picnic.
W. H. AudenRead
Narcissus does not fall in love with his reflection because it is beautiful, but because it is his. If it were his beauty that enthralled him, he would be set free in a few years by its fading.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote suggests that love is deeply rooted in personal connection rather than mere attraction to beauty.
W. H. Auden's quote reflects on the nature of love and self-identity, using the myth of Narcissus as a metaphor. It emphasizes that Narcissus's love for his reflection is not solely based on its beauty, but rather on the connection he feels to it as a part of himself. This illustrates how our affections can often be tied to our own sense of self and possession, indicating that true love involves a deeper understanding that goes beyond superficial admiration.
Themes
LoveSelf-IdentityReflectionBeautyNarcissus
In practice
Example use cases
During a discussion on self-love, this quote can help illustrate why understanding oneself is crucial for healthy relationships.
More from W. H. Auden
All quotes →That the speech of self-disclosure should be translatable seems to me very odd, but I am convinced that it is. The conclusion that I draw is that the only quality which all human being without exception possess is uniqueness: any characteristic, on the other hand, which one individual can be recognized as having in common with another, like red hair or the English language, implies the existence of other individual qualities which this classification excludes.
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Nobody knows what the cause is, though some pretend they do; it like some hidden assassin waiting to strike at you. Childless women get it, and men when they retire; it as if there had to be some outlet for their foiled creative fire.
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History is, strictly speaking, the study of questions; the study of answers belongs to anthropology and sociology.
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Music is the best means we have of digesting time.
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'Healing,' Papa would tell me, 'is not a science, but the intuitive art of wooing nature.'
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