Skip to content

Reading [poetry], you know, is rather like opening the…

“Reading [poetry], you know, is rather like opening the door to a horde of rebels who swarm out attacking one in twenty places at once - hit, roused, scraped, bared, swung through the air, so that life seems to flash by; then again blinded, knocked on the head - all of which are agreeable…” quote by Virginia Woolf
Download Open image
“Reading [poetry], you know, is rather like opening the door to a horde of rebels who swarm out attacking one in twenty places at once - hit, roused, scraped, bared, swung through the air, so that life seems to flash by; then again blinded, knocked on the head - all of which are agreeable sensations for a reader (since nothing is more dismal than to open the door and get no response).”

Virginia Woolf

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Reading poetry overwhelms the mind with chaotic, vivid sensations, demanding active engagement.

In simple terms: Poetry bombards the mind with vivid feelings.

Key Takeaway

Embrace poetry’s intensity.

Themes

creativity emotion literature

Mood

intense reflective

Type

literary philosophical

When to use this quote

  • personal reflection
  • artistic appreciation
  • mental stimulation

Key Concepts

surrealism sensory overload

Questions to Reflect On

  • How does poetry change your perception?
  • What emotions does it awaken?
A Different Perspective

Some readers may feel overwhelmed or confused.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Virginia Woolf

Explore all 1,872 Virginia Woolf quotes

More Air quotes

Browse all 6,278 Air quotes