Art Quote by T.S. Eliot
““Shakespeare acquired more essential history from Plutarch than most men could from the whole British Museum. What is to be insisted upon is that the poet must develop or procure the consciousness of the past and that he should continue to develop this consciousness throughout his career. 8 What happens is a continual surrender of himself as he is at the moment to something which is more valuable. The progress of an artist is a continual self-sacrifice, a continual extinction of personality. 9 There remains to define this process of depersonalization and its relation to the sense of tradition. It is in this depersonalization that art may be said to approach the condition of science.””
About This Quote
Eliot argues that true artistic growth requires absorbing historical consciousness, surrendering personal ego, and aligning with timeless tradition, making art akin to scientific inquiry.
In simple terms: Art demands self‑sacrifice and historical awareness.
Key Takeaway
Great art is depersonalized, rooted in tradition.
Themes
historical consciousness
self‑sacrifice
tradition
art‑science analogy
personal identity
Mood
reflective
introspective
serious
Type
philosophical
literary criticism
quote
When to use this quote
- writing a play
- composing a symphony
- researching a novel
- curating an exhibition
- teaching literature
Key Concepts
historical knowledge
creative process
artist’s ego
cultural continuity
Practical Applications
- Developing deep cultural context for creative work
- Using historical models to innovate
Questions to Reflect On
- How does personal ego limit artistic vision?
- In what ways can art function like science?
