Middlebrow by Virginia Woolf (1917)
In her 1925 essay “Middlebrow,” Virginia Woolf examines the cultural phenomenon of the “middlebrow”—the person who is neither a highbrow nor a lowbrow, but instead occupies a middle ground between the two. Woolf argues that the middlebrow is a product of the modern age, and that the middlebrow’s tastes and interests are shaped by the mass media and popular culture. She argues that the middlebrow is a “mediocre” person who is content to consume the “second-rate” products of the culture industry, and that the middlebrow’s tastes are often shallow and superficial. Woolf also argues that the middlebrow is a threat to the highbrow, as the middlebrow’s tastes are often more popular and accessible than those of the highbrow. Ultimately, Woolf argues that the middlebrow is a symptom of a larger cultural malaise, and that the only way to combat the middlebrow is to cultivate a more discerning and critical attitude towards culture.
By Virginia Woolf · First published 1917 · Genre: Modernist Literature, Feminist Literature, Satire · 3,253 words
First lines
[This letter was written, but not sent to The New Statesman.]
To THE EDITOR OF THE "NEW STATESMAN"
What this Textopian page supports
Middlebrow is listed on Textopian as an essay by Virginia Woolf, dated 1917 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: Virginia Woolf
- Date: 1917 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Modernist Literature, Feminist Literature, Satire, Philosophical Fiction
- Length: 3,253 words
- Structure: 1 section, 20 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Middlebrow by Virginia Woolf
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Middlebrow?
- How does this essay by Virginia Woolf fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Modernist Literature first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- A Society by Virginia Woolf
- A Room Of Ones Own by Virginia Woolf
- Why by Virginia Woolf
- The Modern Essay by Virginia Woolf
- The Humane Art by Virginia Woolf
- Something Of Myself by Rudyard Kipling
Genres
- Modernist Literature — Middlebrow is a modernist work by Virginia Woolf, which is characterized by its experimental style and its exploration of the inner consciousness of its characters.
- Feminist Literature — Middlebrow is a feminist work by Virginia Woolf, which explores the role of women in society and the challenges they face in achieving success and recognition.
- Satire — Middlebrow is a satirical work by Virginia Woolf, which uses humor and irony to critique the middle class and its values.
- Philosophical Fiction — Middlebrow is a philosophical work by Virginia Woolf, which explores the nature of truth and reality and the human condition.
Tags
advt · art · betwixt · bloomsbury · book · british · brows · called · charlotte · dead · empire · essay