Professor Dame Helen Louise Gardner DBE (13 February 1908 - 4 June 1986) was an English literary critic and academic, whose work mainly concerned the poets T. S. Eliot and John Donne.
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Early Life and Education
She was born on 1908 in Finchley in North London, the middle child and only daughter of the journalist Charles Gardner and his wife, also called Helen. Helen was eleven when her father died and the family thereafter made their home with her grandparents. Mrs Gardner, a very musical woman, was highly ambitious for her gifted daughter, who demonstrated artistic talent from a young age. Helen's early education was at the North London Collegiate School. In 1926 she went to St Hilda's College, Oxford, and in 1929 obtained a first-class honors degree in English language and literature. She died in Bicester in 1986.
Academic career
Her teaching career began at the University of Birmingham, where she held a temporary post. After three years as an assistant lecturer at Royal Holloway College in London, she returned to Birmingham, as a member of the English department (1934–41).
She became a tutor at Oxford in 1941 and was a fellow of St Hilda's College, Oxford from 1942. In 1966, she became Merton Professor of English literature in the University of Oxford, the first woman to hold this chair. Her specialist areas were T. S. Eliot, the Metaphysical poets, Milton and religious poetry, with many essays published on the subjects, as well as on literary criticism itself. She edited The New Oxford Book of English Verse, 1250-1950 and The Metaphysical Poets.
Her 1949 collection of essays, The Art of T.S. Eliot, is regarded a seminal work on the poet. In particular, she challenged the notion that Eliot was only accessible to those well-versed in his many allusions:
"It is better, in reading poetry of this kind, to trouble too little about the ‘meaning’ than to trouble too much. If there are passages whose meaning seems elusive, where we feel we are ‘missing the point,’ we should read on, preferably aloud... We must find the meaning in the reading..."[1]
She revisited Eliot's work in 1978 with her study of The Composition of Four Quartets, published by Faber and Faber.
Gardner also compiled The Faber Book of Religious Verse (1972) and The New Oxford Book of English Verse (1973).
Her work led to great acclaim, being awarded the CBE in 1962 and a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1967, and receiving honorary degrees from Cambridge, London, Harvard, and Yale universities.
Trivia
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Lists of miscellaneous information should be avoided. Please relocate any relevant information into appropriate sections or articles. (December 2007) |
- The character of E.M. Ashford in Margaret Edson's Wit is based on Helen Gardner.
- She was a lifelong Labour-voter and, when she lived in Birmingham, canvassed for Labour in a Conservative area.
- Helen Gardner was one of the key witnesses for the defense in the obscenity trial of Lady Chatterley's Lover in 1960
References
- ^ The Art of T.S. Eliot (1949) Cresset Press
Planting an Amaryllis Bulb Indoors
Helen and Barbara, in Canada, plant a tropical plant, Amaryllis. Visit http://www.learningtogardenwithbarbara.com for more videos and other gardening tips.
Author: HelenAndBarbara
Keywords: learningtogarden learntogarden plantingbulbs plantingamaryllis plantingamarylis
Added: November 18, 2008
Ringo & Maureen
One of my favourite couple from 20 century! The 18-year-old Cox married Ringo Starr on February 11, 1965. Their first child, Zak Starkey, was born on September 13, 1965. (Zak was followed by Jason on August 19, 1967 and Lee on November 11, 1970). During this time, Maureen was very much a part of Ringo's life, and they did everything together. She sang backup vocals on "The Continuing Story of Bungalow Bill" and was, along with Yoko Ono, in attendance at the rooftop concert in 1969 (Paul can be heard saying "Thanks Mo," in reference to Maureen's cheering after the final performance of "Get Back".) The very first song in the Beatles' Apple Records catalog was a special private recording sung by Frank Sinatra as a favor to Ringo Starr as a 22nd birthday gift for Maureen in 1968. Sammy Cahn rewrote Lorenz Hart's lyrics to "The Lady Is a Tramp" and personalized them about Maureen (who was a great Sinatra fan). Sinatra recorded the song in Los Angeles, and only a few copies were pressed before the master tape was destroyed. Ringo surprised Maureen with the one-of-a-kind single on August 4, 1968. Any surviving copies of the disc would be counted among the most priceless artifacts of Beatles/Sinatra memorabilia. A poor quality copy of the song began circulating in collector circles. It is now available on several bootleg albums. In a 2005 interview with Andre Gardner on WMGK Radio in Philadelphia, former Beatles business manager Peter Brown described extensively his role in getting Sinatra to do the record. Cahn plays piano while Sinatra sings the reworked lyrics. They are the only two performers on the song. Despite all of the marriage problems the couple faced, such as Maureen's affair with George Harrison, which is mentioned in Pattie Boyd's biography Wonderful Tonight, Maureen Starkey did not want a divorce. Her husband, however, simply wanted out. Maureen eventually accepted. On July 17, 1975, the divorce was finalized on the grounds of Ringo's affair with an American model, Nancy Lee Andrews.[1] In her book John, John Lennon's first wife, Cynthia, wrote that after her divorce from Ringo, Maureen was so upset that she rode a motorbike at full speed into a brick wall and required plastic surgery to repair injuries to her face. I love them!
Author: Lovely60s
Keywords: ringo starr maureen starkey helen shapiro something
Added: October 26, 2008
An Old Fashioned Love Song - A Few Favorite Movie & TV Couples
Some of my favorite movie and TV couples set to "An Old Fashioned Love Song" by Three Dog Night. I had to leave a few out because I couldn't find clips and I just plain forgot about some so look for a sequel :D. Here's the list of who's in this one: 1. Julie Andrews & James Garner in Victor Victoria 2. Judi Dench & Michael Gambon in Cranford 3. Katharine Hepburn & Henry Fonda in On Golden Pond 4. Helen Mirren & John Voight in National Treassure II 5. William Shatner & Catherine Hicks in Star Trek IV 6. Jane Fonda & Robert Redford in The Eletcric Horseman 7. Tom Hanks & Kathleen Quinlan in Apollo 13 8. Judi Dench & Billy Connolly in Her Majesty Mrs. Brown 9. Shirley MaClaine & Peter Sellers in Being There 10. June Carter & Johnny Cash in Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman 11. Meryl Streep & Clint Eastwood in The Bridges of Madison County 12. Helen Mirren & Robert Redford in The Clearing 13. Glenn Close & Christopher Walken in Sarah Plain and Tall 14. Johnathan Frakes & Mirina Sirtis in Star Trexk TNG 15. Tyne Daly & John Karlen in Cagney & Lacey 16. Meryl Streep & Robert Redford in Out of Africa 17. Ellen Pompeo & Patrick Dempsey in Grey's Anatomy 18. Bea Arthur & Leslie Nielson in The Golden Girls 19. Barbara Babcock & Orson Bean in Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman 20. Mary McDonnell & Kevin Costner in Dances With Wolves 21. Dixie Carter & Hal Holbrook in Designing Women 22. Shirley MaClaine & Jack Nicholson in Terms of Endearment 23. Kristin Scott Thomas & Robert Redford in The Horse Whisperer 24. Judi Dench & Michael Williams in A Fine Romance 25. Helen Mirren & Jeremy Irons in Elizabeth I 26. Mel Gibson & ? in Btaveheart 27. Diane Keaton & Jack Nicholson in Somethings Gotta Give 28. Mary McDonnell & Edward James Olmos in Battlestar Galactica 29. Tyne Daly & Richard Crenna in Judjing Amy 30. Julie Andrews & James Garner in One Special Night
Author: mirrenfan2
Keywords: Julie Andrews Helen Mirren Shirley MaClaine Judi Dench Mary McDonnell Meryl Streep
Added: September 10, 2008
Autograph Collection: VINTAGE ACTRESSES
Autographs of vintage actresses Zasu Pitts, Helen Twelvetrees, Lili Damita, Yvonne DeCarlo, Lupe Velez, Beulah Bondi, Jean Parker, Dorothy Gish, Anne Baxter, Ann Dvorak, Gail Russell, Leatrice Joy, Mary Brian, Gale Sondergaard, Ida Lupino, Lili Palmer, Mary Pickford, Ann Todd, Kay Francis, Sylvia Sidney, Ava Gardner, Margaret Lockwood, Pola Negri.
Author: FunWithStuttering
Keywords: vintage classic actress actresses autographs movies film 1930s
Added: August 31, 2008
Jazzaar 2001 - The only certainty is now
jazzaar concerts in Aarau playing The Pantoum of the Lonely featuring Fritz Renold, Vincent Herring, Donny McCaslin, Shelley Paul, Bernd Konrad, Wayne Bergeron, Randy Brecker, Barrie Lee Hall Jr., Valerie Ponomarev, Daniel Woodtli, Tom Garling, Buster Cooper, Vincent Gardner, Dave Taylor, David Wildi, Mark Soskin, Dennis Montgomery, Keith Vivens, Victor Lewis, The Houston Singers and Bob Freedman
Author: Anothen2000
Keywords: jazzaar concerts 2001 Fritz Renold Helen Savari Gospel Music Ecclesiastes
Added: July 29, 2008