When I was a graduate student, the leading spirits at Harvard were interested in the history of ideas. M. H. Abrams graduateharvardhistory Change image and share on social
The Romantics were whipping boys of the New Criticism, but they appealed to me anyway. I was recalcitrant. It was clear to me that they had thought innovatively. M. H. Abrams appealboyclear Change image and share on social
We worked on solving the problem of voice communications in a noisy military environment. We established military codes that are highly audible and invented selection tests for personnel who had a superior ability to recognize sound in a noisy background. M. H. Abrams abilityaudiblebackground share on social
It's amazing how, age after age, in country after country, and in all languages, Shakespeare emerges as incomparable. M. H. Abrams ageamazecountry Change image and share on social
We are human, and nothing is more interesting to us than humanity. M. H. Abrams humanhumanityinterest Change image and share on social
John Updike is always fun. And one of my former students, Tom Pynchon. And Harold Bloom, another former student. M. H. Abrams bloomfunharold Change image and share on social
Hard work makes easy reading or, at least, easier reading. M. H. Abrams easyhardmake Change image and share on social
If you read quickly to get through a poem to what it means, you have missed the body of the poem. M. H. Abrams bodymeanmiss Change image and share on social
I was never a monist - always a diversitarian. M. H. Abrams diversitarianmonist Change image and share on social
When something startlingly new comes up, young people, especially, seize it. You can't complain about that. I think its heyday has passed, but it's had an effect and will continue to have an effect. M. H. Abrams complaincontinueeffect Change image and share on social
