Halldór Laxness quotes - page 9

Halldór Laxness was an Icelandic novelist and Nobel Prize laureate, considered one of the most significant writers of the 20th century. His works often explored themes of Icelandic identity, rural life, and social justice. He played a pivotal role in bringing Icelandic literature to international prominence. Here are 224 of his quotes:

I was hoping the bishop would be coming himself. He's a terribly agreeable old chap. I always find it so enjoyable to blether with the old fellow. We don't agree about anything. But everything depends on agreeing to disagree.

Halldór Laxness

I do not see how the Creation can be turned into words, let alone letters, hardly even a fiction. History is always entirely different to what has happened. The facts are all fled from you before you start the story. History is simply a fact on its own. And the closer you try to approach the facts through history, the deeper you sink into fiction.

Halldór Laxness

Often I think the Almighty is like a snow bunting abandoned in all weathers. Such a bird is about the weight of a postage stamp. Yet he does not blow away when he stands in the open in a tempest . . . He wields this fragile head against the gale, with his beak to the ground, wings folded close to his sides and his tail pointing upwards; and the wind can get no hold on him, and cleaves.

Halldór Laxness

And when I say the world is governed by nothing but demons, who will continue to be demons until they have destroyed the world, I am not using profanities; on the contrary, demon is a scientific term, a formula covering a specific chemical composition without connotations from politics, religion, or moral philosophy . . . . Here among us on the lowest rung of the world of life, no attention is paid to books unless they are written by chemically analyzed demons, or at least for them. Poets and philosophers are respected in proportion to the contempt and disgust they feel for the creation of life. Give this day our daily war is the prayer of those who govern countries. Kill, kill, said the outlaw Skuggasveinn . . .

Halldór Laxness

One asks and asks and always the answers become more incomprehensible than the question. In the end one becomes an idiot.

Halldór Laxness

My motto is strong packaging, clear addressing.

Halldór Laxness

His mother taught him to sing. And when he had grown up and had listened to the world's song, he felt that there could be no greater happiness than to return to her song. In her song dwelt the most precious and most incomprehensible dreams of mankind.

Halldór Laxness

Like all great rationalists you believed in things that were twice as incredible as theology.

Halldór Laxness

When a man has a flower in his life he builds a house.

Halldór Laxness

A free man can live on fish.Independence is better than meat.

Halldór Laxness

The tyranny of mankind; it was like the obstinate drip of water falling on a stone and hollowing it little by little; and this drip continued, falling obstinately, falling without pause on the souls of the children.

Halldór Laxness

Hope springs eternal in the human breast. (Original to Alexander Pope, An Essay on Man.

Halldór Laxness

Sighing, he became aware of his own insignificance in the midst of this infinite chorus glory and radiance; his whole consciousness dissolved into one sacred, tearful yearning to be allowed to be one with the Highest and be no longer any part of himself. He lay for a long time on the sand or on the grass, and wept tears of deep and fervent happiness, face to face with the inexpressible. "God, God, God!" he cried, trembling with love and reverence, and kissed the ground and dug his fingers into the turf.

Halldór Laxness

Never did these thanes of hell escape their just deserts.

Halldór Laxness

Really," said the poet, without enthusiasm. "Mm-you say 'Really,' young man?" said the secretary. "That is undeniably a rather peculiar reply. Might I ask what you mean by that word?" "I mean that I'm such an insignificant poet that it isn't worthwhile getting me to compose a poem," said Ólafur Kárason modestly. The secretary gave the poet a stern and searching look and finally said, "I no longer understand young people nowadays. It's as if nothing serious or important makes any impression on young people any longer. The modern craze seems to be to squander money needlessly if possible. But luckily it isn't possible. Even you, young man, who are said to have a poetic bent, yes, and some say you even possess a modicum of intelligence, you just say 'Really' when you're invited to take part in a ceremony which is destined to revolutionize the religious, scientific, and moral life of the nation.

Halldór Laxness

Oh, well, I'm leaving here now," he told her. "They're forcing me to sell up." "And I'm not surprised," she replied. "It's that dirty old devil again, he who haunts Summerhouses and always has. And always will. Kolumkilli has rarely allowed anyone who lived in this croft to escape scot-free. I say for my part that I have never made this place my home. I have been nothing more than a lodger for the night.

Halldór Laxness

I spent my entire childhood in an environment in which the mighty of the earth had no place outside story books and dreams.

Halldór Laxness

Some things in literature are inexplicable.

Halldór Laxness

His mother taught him to sing. And when he had grown up and had listened to the world's song, he felt that there could be no greater happiness than to return to her song. In her song dwelt the most precious and most incomprehensible dreams of mankind. The heath grew into the heavens in those days. The songbirds of the air listened in wonder to this song, the most beautiful song of life.

Halldór Laxness

Oh, well, I'm leaving here now," he told her. "They're forcing me to sell up.

Halldór Laxness

"Really," said the poet, without enthusiasm.

Halldór Laxness