Dead man Quote by Walter Pater
“She is older than the rocks among which she sits; like the vampire, she has been dead many times, and learned the secrets of the grave; and has been a diver in deep seas, and keeps their fallen day about her; and trafficked for strange webs with Eastern merchants, and, as Leda, was the mother of Helen of Troy, and, as Saint Anne, the mother of Mary; and all this has been to her but as the sound of lyres and flutes, and lives only in the delicacy with which it has molded the changing lineaments, and tinged the eyelids and the hands.”
About This Quote
Source Poem: The Renaissance, Walter Pater, 1873
A portrayal of a timeless, resilient woman shaped by countless experiences and mythic archetypes.
In simple terms: A woman shaped by many lives and myths.
Key Takeaway
Embrace the depth of your history.
Themes
mythology
resilience
identity
history
art
Mood
reflective
poetic
melancholic
Type
literary
philosophical
inspirational
When to use this quote
- personal reflection
- creative writing
- literary analysis
Key Concepts
Archetype
symbolism
intertextuality
feminine mystique
Questions to Reflect On
- What myths influence your self‑image?
- How does history shape identity?
A Different Perspective
The metaphor may obscure concrete meaning for some readers.
