Robert Warshow Quotes

A collection of quotes by Robert Warshow.

Robert Warshow (1908-1955) was an American cultural critic and essayist known for his insightful observations on American popular culture and literature. He was born on February 14, 1908, in New York City, and grew up in a Jewish immigrant family. Warshow attended the University of Michigan, where he developed a keen interest in literature and writing.

In the 1940s, Warshow began his career as a film critic, writing for the influential publication, Partisan Review. His essays on film, which were marked by their thoughtful analysis and cultural context, shaped the field of film criticism during the post-war era. Warshow was particularly adept at examining the deeper meanings and social implications of popular movies.

Aside from film, Warshow's writings spanned a wide range of topics, including literature, politics, and sports. His essays were characterized by their lucidity, wit, and ability to engage readers on a profound level.

Unfortunately, Warshow's promising career was cut short when he died of a heart attack at the age of 46 on February 19, 1955. Despite his relatively short life, his works continue to be influential and his legacy as a cultural critic endures. Robert Warshow's writings are still widely read and studied by scholars, offering valuable insights into the cultural landscape of mid-20th-century America.

The experience of the gangster as an experience of art is un

The experience of the gangster as an experience of art is universal to Americans. There is almost nothing we understand better or react to more readily or with quicker intelligence. In ways that we do not easily or willingly define, the gangster speaks for us, expressing that part of the American psyche which rejects the qualities and the demands of modern life, which rejects Americanism itself.

Robert Warshow

Crime

Modern equalitarian societies whether democratic or authorit

Modern equalitarian societies whether democratic or authoritarian in their political forms, always base themselves on the claim that they are making life happier. Happiness thus becomes the chief political issue -- in a sense, the only political issue -- and for that reason it can never be treated as an issue at all.

Robert Warshow

Equality

Nobody seriously questions the principle that it is the func

Nobody seriously questions the principle that it is the function of mass culture to maintain public morale, and certainly nobody in the mass audience objects to having his morale maintained.

Robert Warshow

Morals