I hate being called poet/dramatist/translator/director. 'Poet' covers it all for me.
Tony HarrisonRead
For me, there is a paradox in poetry, which is like the paradox in tragedy. You have the most terrible subject, but it's in a form that is so sensually gratifying that it connects the surviving heart to the despairing intellect.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Poetry can capture deep despair while also providing beauty and pleasure, creating a connection between emotion and intellect.
Tony Harrison highlights the paradoxical nature of poetry and tragedy, where the most painful subjects can evoke profound beauty and sensory pleasure. This interplay allows a deep emotional connection between what is felt by the heart and what is understood by the mind, bridging the gap between despair and aesthetic experience.
Themes
PoetryTragedyBeautyEmotionIntellect
In practice
Example use cases
In a literary discussion, one might use this quote to illustrate the complexity of emotional experiences in literature.
More from Tony Harrison
All quotes →Theatre has to be theatrical. It has to draw attention to itself, like poetry.
Tony HarrisonRead
There's a kind of despair about whether art can really do anything, but you have to incorporate that despair into the way you work. I try to soak my work in my sense of futility and fury.
Tony HarrisonRead
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