Iris Murdoch Quotes

We live in a fantasy world, a world of illusion. The great task in life is to find reality. Iris Murdoch

All art is a struggle to be, in a particular sort of way, virtuous. Iris Murdoch

Writing is like getting married. One should never commit oneself until one is amazed at one’s luck. Iris Murdoch

Human affairs are not serious, but they have to be taken seriously. Iris Murdoch

He … was a sociologist; he had got into an intellectual muddle early on in life and never managed to get out. Iris Murdoch

A bad review is even less important than whether it is raining in Patagonia. Iris Murdoch

But fantasy kills imagination, pornography is death to art. Iris Murdoch

Bereavement is a darkness impenetrable to the imagination of the unbereaved. Iris Murdoch

In almost every marriage there is a selfish and an unselfish partner. A pattern is set up and soon becomes inflexible, of one person always making the demands and one person always giving way. Iris Murdoch

We can only learn to love by loving. Iris Murdoch

Being good is just a matter of temperament in the end. Iris Murdoch