The theories of the major philosophers of the 18th century secular enlightenment were biblical and theological in spite of themselves. M. H. Abrams 18thbiblicalcentury Change image and share on social
We believed that to understand literature, you had to understand its place in history and culture. M. H. Abrams believeculturehistory Change image and share on social
The first test any poem must pass is no longer, 'Is it true to nature?' but a criterion looking in a different direction: namely, 'Is it sincere? Is it genuine?' M. H. Abrams criteriondirectiongenuine Change image and share on social
Secular thinkers have no more been able to work free of the centuries-old Judeo-Christian culture than Christian theologians were able to work free of their inheritance of classical and pagan thought. The process... has not been the deletion and replacement of religious ideas but rather the assimilation and reinterpretation of religious ideas. M. H. Abrams assimilationcenturychristian share on social
The survival of artistic modes in which we recognize ourselves, identify ourselves and place ourselves will survive as long as humanity survives. M. H. Abrams artistichumanityidentify Change image and share on social
Key metaphors help determine what and how we perceive and how we think about our perceptions. M. H. Abrams determinekeymetaphor Change image and share on social
If you learn one thing from having lived through decades of changing views, it is that all predictions are necessarily false. M. H. Abrams changedecadefalse Change image and share on social
Jews had an outsider's eye on a lot of Western tradition. M. H. Abrams eyejewlot Change image and share on social