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Robert Penn Warren

Robert Penn Warren Quotes

Poet

Robert Penn Warren was an American poet, novelist, and literary critic. His works are known for their profound social insight and unique portrayal of Southern culture. Warren's poetry and novels have won numerous literary awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1947 and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1955.

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All Men Ifs Knows History World Past Writing Poetry Life May Thinking Definitions Doe Ends Humans Littles Looks Poetry Is Self Trying

Famous Robert Penn Warren Quotes

“The asking and the answering which history provides may help us to understand, even to frame, the logic of experience to which we shall submit. History cannot give us a program for the future, but it can give us a fuller understanding of ourselves, and of our common humanity, so that we can better face the future.”

Giving May Helping Faces Humanity Understanding Common Program Logic Asking Submit Common Humanity

Book:The Legacy of the Civil War

Source: The Legacy of the Civil War

“Process as process is neither morally good nor morally bad. We may judge results but not process. The morally bad agent may perform the deed which is good. The morally good agent may perform the deed which is bad. Maybe a man has to sell his soul to get the power to do good.”

Men May Soul Process Results Judging Sells Deeds Agents

Book:All the King's Men

Source: All the King's Men

“So little time we live in Time, And we learn all so painfully, That we may spare this hour's term To practice for Eternity.”

May Littles Time Term Hours Practice Eternity Spares Little Time

Book:The Collected Poems of Robert Penn Warren

Source: The Collected Poems of Robert Penn Warren

“The poem . . . is a little myth of man's capacity of making life meaningful. And in the end, the poem is not a thing we see-it is, rather, a light by which we may see-and what we see is life.”

Men Writing May Littles Ends Light Poetry Capacity Myth Meaningful Meaning Of Life Poetry Is Meaningful Life Life Means Great Poetry What Is Poetry

Author:Robert Penn Warren

“Your business as a writer is not to illustrate virtue but to show how a fellow may move toward it or away from it.”

May Shows Moving Virtue Fellows Vices

Book:Robert Penn Warren talking: interviews, 1950-1978

Source: Robert Penn Warren talking: interviews, 1950-1978

“The poem is not a thing we see; it is, rather, a light by which we may see.”

May Light Poetry Myth Poetry Is Great Poetry

Author:Robert Penn Warren

About the Author

Born: April 24, 1905
Died: September 15, 1989
Known for: Poet
Quotes: 125

Related Topics

Men Ifs Knows History World Past Writing Poetry Life May Thinking Definitions Doe Ends Humans Littles Looks Poetry Is Self Trying

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People Ifs Thinking Knows Men World Way Want Love Life Inspirational Needs Giving Feels Should Writing Trying Years Mind Firsts

Books & Sources

All the King's MenRelated source material

The Collected Poems of Robert Penn WarrenRelated source material

The Legacy of the Civil WarRelated source material

Robert Penn Warren talking: interviews, 1950-1978Related source material

A Place to Come ToRelated source material

Selected Poems, 1923-1975Related source material

Wilderness: A Tale of the Civil WarRelated source material

A Robert Penn Warren readerRelated source material

A Time to Hear and Answer: Essays for the Bicentennial SeasonRelated source material

Cleanth Brooks and Robert Penn Warren: A Literary CorrespondenceRelated source material

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