Bernard Grebanier
Encyclopedia
Bernard Grebanier was an American
drama historian, critic, writer and poet, most notable for his studies of the works of William Shakespeare
.
Grebanier was a professor of English at Brooklyn College
from 1926 until 1964. In 1941 he testified before the Supreme Court of the United States
denouncing a former associate professor as a Communist
during the professor's appeal against dismissal from his position.
Grebanier was friendly with other drama critics in the greater New York City but perhaps none was a better friend than New York Evening Posteditor and chief drama critic, Joseph Cookman
. When Cookman died in 1944, the Post selected Grebanier's tribute to run in the paper among the dozens of tributes sent in.
Grebanier was Brooklyn College's most popular professor between the end of World War II and his retirement in 1965. His Shakespeare classes enrolled hundreds of students every semester. His method of teaching involved a line-by-line reading of Shakespeare's plays, interspersed with commentary on art, politics, and human psychology. Most influential of his books are "The Heart of Hamlet," "The Truth About Shylock," and "Playwriting": In these he 1) characterizes Hamlet as misunderstood by critics, as the hero is neither passive, delaying, crazy, or acting crazy, but rather a Renaissance man who tackles the difficult task of proving Claudius guilty and then proceeds to exact revenge; 2) maintains that Shakespeare does not pursue the question of anti-Semitism in "The Merchant of Venice" but rather uses the stereotype of the Jewish moneylender to ask critical questions about cold-hearted bankers and human compassion; 3) establishes fundamental concepts in the structure of drama that still prevail in creative writing courses across the country.
Among his published works are :
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
drama historian, critic, writer and poet, most notable for his studies of the works of William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
.
Grebanier was a professor of English at Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College
Brooklyn College is a senior college of the City University of New York, located in Brooklyn, New York, United States.Established in 1930 by the New York City Board of Higher Education, the College had its beginnings as the Downtown Brooklyn branches of Hunter College and the City College of New...
from 1926 until 1964. In 1941 he testified before the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
denouncing a former associate professor as a Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
during the professor's appeal against dismissal from his position.
Grebanier was friendly with other drama critics in the greater New York City but perhaps none was a better friend than New York Evening Posteditor and chief drama critic, Joseph Cookman
Joseph Cookman
Joseph ‘Joe’ Cookman was an American journalist, writer, critic and a founder of The Newspaper Guild.-Career:His professional career began in 1922 in New York City where he convinced the City Editor of the New York Telegram later known as the New York World-Telegram to give him a job as a...
. When Cookman died in 1944, the Post selected Grebanier's tribute to run in the paper among the dozens of tributes sent in.
Grebanier was Brooklyn College's most popular professor between the end of World War II and his retirement in 1965. His Shakespeare classes enrolled hundreds of students every semester. His method of teaching involved a line-by-line reading of Shakespeare's plays, interspersed with commentary on art, politics, and human psychology. Most influential of his books are "The Heart of Hamlet," "The Truth About Shylock," and "Playwriting": In these he 1) characterizes Hamlet as misunderstood by critics, as the hero is neither passive, delaying, crazy, or acting crazy, but rather a Renaissance man who tackles the difficult task of proving Claudius guilty and then proceeds to exact revenge; 2) maintains that Shakespeare does not pursue the question of anti-Semitism in "The Merchant of Venice" but rather uses the stereotype of the Jewish moneylender to ask critical questions about cold-hearted bankers and human compassion; 3) establishes fundamental concepts in the structure of drama that still prevail in creative writing courses across the country.
Among his published works are :
- The Uninhibited Byron (1970)
- Barron's Simplified Approach to Chaucer
- "An Introduction to Imaginative Literature" (with Seynour Reiter) (1960)
- The Heart of Hamlet (1960)
- Playwrighting: How to Write for the Theatre (1961)
- The Truth About Shylock (1962)
- "The Great Shakespeare Forgery" (1965)
- Then Came Each Actor (1975)
- Last Harvest: Poems of Bernard Grebanier (1980)