Dame Jean Iris Murdoch was an Anglo-Irish philosopher and novelist who rose to prominence in the 20th century and is regarded as one of the most popular Irish writers to have ever emerged from the country. Murdoch studied at elite schools and then went on to study the classics at Somerville College, University of Oxford, before acquiring her post graduate degree from University of Cambridge. Murdoch’s novels became popular due to the way in which she dealt with morality and the interplay between good and evil. Her first novel ‘Under the Net’ was published in 1954 and remains her most famous work. It was included among the 100 best English novels of the 20th century by Modern Library. Her other noted works include ‘ A Severed Head’, ‘Henry and Cato’, ‘The Bell’, ‘The Book and the Brotherhood’, ‘The Green Knight’, ‘The Philosopher’s Pupil’ and ‘The Message to the Planet’ among others. Murdoch was also a well-known philosopher and had written plenty of papers on the subject during her lifetime. Murdoch produced a considerable amount of work throughout her career and has gone down in history as one of Ireland’s finest authors. Her writings covered several subjects and viewpoints. We have sorted Iris Murdoch’s most popular quotes from her novels, stories and writings. Here is a collection of thoughts, quotation and sayings by Iris Murdoch on morality, good and evil, happiness, education, grief, the power of the unconscious and sexual relationships.
Jealousy is the most dreadfully involuntary of all sins.
Iris Murdoch
Every book is the wreck of a perfect idea.
Iris Murdoch
We live in a fantasy world, a world of illusion. The great task in life is to find reality" says Iris Murdoch.
But given the state of the world, is it wise?
The most essential and fundamental aspect of culture is the study of literature, since this is an education in how to picture and understand human situations.
Perhaps when distant people on other planets pick up some wavelength of ours all they hear is a continuous scream.
Iris Murdoch
The bicycle is the most civilized conveyance known to man. Other forms of transport grow daily more nightmarish. Only the bicycle remains pure in heart.
Every artist is an unhappy lover. And unhappy lovers want to tell their story.
Iris Murdoch
People have obsessions and fears and passions which they don't admit to. I think every character is interesting and has extremes. It's the novelist privilege to see how odd everyone is.
We defend ourselves with descriptions and tame the world by generalizing.
Iris Murdoch
As we live our precarious lives on the brink of the void, constantly coming closer to a state of nonbeing, we are all too often aware of our fragitlity.
Iris Murdoch
There is a gulf fixed between those who can sleep and those who cannot. It is one of the greatest divisions of the human race.
Iris Murdoch
What I needed with all my starved and silent soul was just that particular way of shouting back at the world.
