T.S. Eliot was an American-English poet, essayist, and playwright considered one of the 20th century’s greatest poets. His work, characterized by its modernist style, explores themes of spirituality, existential despair, and cultural disillusionment. Famous works like The Waste Land and Four Quartets reflect his innovative use of language and structure and his deep engagement with questions of human purpose, tradition, and faith. Eliot’s influence extends beyond poetry into literary criticism and drama.
Quotes
“Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.”
“The end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.”
“April is the cruellest month.”
“Most of the evil in this world is done by people with good intentions.”
“Only by acceptance of the past can you alter it.”
“Every moment is a fresh beginning.”
“To do the useful thing, to say the courageous thing, to contemplate the beautiful thing: that is enough for one man’s life.”
“Humankind cannot bear very much reality.”
“Where is the Life we have lost in living?”
“Whatever you think, be sure it is what you think; whatever you want, be sure that it is what you want; whatever you feel, be sure that it is what you feel.”
“Success is relative. It is what we can make of the mess we have made of things.”
“If you aren’t in over your head, how do you know how tall you are?”
“The greatest proof of moral courage is the ability to face oneself.”
“It is never too late to be what you might have been.”
“For us, there is only the trying. The rest is not our business.”
“Where there is no temple, there shall be no homes.”
“The true Church can never fail. For it is based upon a rock.”
“Anxiety is the handmaiden of creativity.”
“We do not know very much of the future
Except that from generation to generation
The same things happen again and again.
Men learn little from others’ experience.
But in the life of one man, never
The same time returns. Sever
the cord, shed the scale. Only
The fool, fixed in his folly, may think
He can turn the wheel on which he turns.”