Aging Quote by Virginia Woolf
““(W)hy is poetry wholly an elderly taste? When I was twenty I could not for the life of me read Shakespeare for pleasure; now it lights me as I walk to think I have two acts of King John tonight, and shall next read Richard the Second. It is poetry that I want now -- long poems. I want the concentration and the romance, and the words all glued together, fused, glowing; having no time to waste any more on prose. When I was twenty I liked Eighteenth Century prose; now it's poetry I want, so I repeat like a tipsy sailor in the front of a public house.””
About This Quote
Source Essay: Modern Fiction, 1919
Reflects on how age changes literary taste, preferring poetry’s depth and intensity over prose.
In simple terms: Aging shifts preference toward richer, poetic works.
Key Takeaway
Embrace evolving tastes.
Themes
literature
age
taste
poetry
Mood
reflective
nostalgic
Type
literary
personal
When to use this quote
- reading choices
- academic study
- personal growth
- creative writing
Key Concepts
aesthetic evolution
nostalgia
Questions to Reflect On
- How does age affect your artistic preferences?
- Why might poetry feel more urgent now?
A Different Perspective
May romanticize poetry, ignoring prose value.
