History Quote by Virginia Woolf
““To give a truthful account of London society at that or indeed at any other time, is beyond the powers of the biographer or the historian. Only those who have little need of the truth, and no respect for it - the poets and the novelists - can be trusted to do it, for this is one of the cases where the truth does not exist. Nothing exists. The whole thing is a miasma - a mirage.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, 1925
Woolf argues that objective truth about society is unattainable; only those indifferent to truth, like poets and novelists, can claim to represent it, revealing the illusionary nature of social narratives.
In simple terms: Truth about society is elusive; only those who ignore truth can claim to depict it.
Key Takeaway
Question the reliability of social narratives.
Themes
illusion
truth
representation
literature
society
Mood
skeptical
reflective
critical
Type
analytical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- reading literature
- studying history
- media analysis
- critical theory
- cultural critique
Key Concepts
subjectivity
narrative construction
historical relativism
Questions to Reflect On
- How do we discern truth in historical narratives?
- What role do artists play in shaping perceived reality?
A Different Perspective
The claim dismisses the possibility of factual social accounts, which can undermine objective scholarship.
