E. A. J. Honigmann
Encyclopedia
Ernst Anselm Joachim Honigmann (29 November 1927 – 18 July 2011) Professor of English Literature
, Shakespeare
scholar, and Fellow of the British Academy
.
, together with his father, the zoologist Dr Hans D.S. Honigmann (Director of Breslau Zoo
), mother, Ursula, and brothers, Friederich and Paul.
(Glasgow
). He took his first degree in English Literature at the University of Glasgow
1944-48. He gained his BLitt working on a study of the chronology of Shakespeare's plays, under the supervision of J. C. Maxwell, at Merton College, Oxford
1948-50.
Honigmann was one of the three founder Fellows of the Shakespeare Institute
(University of Birmingham
) in Stratford-upon-Avon
where he worked from 1951-54. He gained his DLitt after returning to the University of Glasgow from 1954-67, where he was Lecturer in English alongside Peter Alexander, his former teacher. In 1968 Honigmann became Reader and two years later Joseph Cowen Professor of English Literature at Newcastle University (also holding the position of leader of the English Department for 20 years), until his retirement from active University life in 1989, whereupon he was appointed Emeritus Professor. Honigmann was also elected to the Fellowship of the British Academy in 1989.
Honigmann authored and edited many books and papers, annotated editions of texts, and was a General Editor of the Revels Plays & Revels Plays Companion Library from 1976 - 2000. His classic texts remain relevant, and have been reprinted many times.
Honigmann continued to write after his retirement with his last paper being published posthumously. In retirement he worked both independently and on several collaborations in Shakespeare studies, created a new edition of Othello for the Arden Shakespeare
, wrote a personal memoir Togetherness: episodes from the Life of a refugee, and created poetry and short stories (the latter mainly for the amusement of his grandchildren).
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
, 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"...
scholar, and Fellow of the British Academy
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
.
Early life
Born in Breslau, Germany (now Wrocław, Poland), Ernst Honigmann arrived in England in 1935, age 7, as a refugee from Nazi GermanyNazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
, together with his father, the zoologist Dr Hans D.S. Honigmann (Director of Breslau Zoo
Zoological Garden in Wrocław
The Wrocław Zoological Garden, known simply as the Wrocław Zoo is a scientific zoo on Wróblewskiego Street in Wrocław, Poland. It is the oldest zoo in Poland, having been founded in 1865 as the Breslau Zoological Garden while the city was part of Prussia. The zoo covers about in downtown Wrocław...
), mother, Ursula, and brothers, Friederich and Paul.
Education and career
Honigmann attended Hillhead High SchoolHillhead High School
Hillhead High School is a day school located in Glasgow, Scotland, on Oakfield Avenue, neighbouring the University of Glasgow. It is one of the largest schools in Glasgow.Until 1976 it was a selective school...
(Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
). He took his first degree in English Literature at the University of Glasgow
University of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
1944-48. He gained his BLitt working on a study of the chronology of Shakespeare's plays, under the supervision of J. C. Maxwell, at Merton College, Oxford
Merton College, Oxford
Merton College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Its foundation can be traced back to the 1260s when Walter de Merton, chancellor to Henry III and later to Edward I, first drew up statutes for an independent academic community and established endowments to...
1948-50.
Honigmann was one of the three founder Fellows of the Shakespeare Institute
Shakespeare Institute
The Shakespeare Institute is a centre for postgraduate study dedicated to the study of William Shakespeare and the literature of the English Renaissance. It is part of the University of Birmingham, and is located in Stratford-upon-Avon....
(University of Birmingham
University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Birmingham, England. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Birmingham Medical School and Mason Science College . Birmingham was the first Redbrick university to gain a charter and thus...
) in Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
where he worked from 1951-54. He gained his DLitt after returning to the University of Glasgow from 1954-67, where he was Lecturer in English alongside Peter Alexander, his former teacher. In 1968 Honigmann became Reader and two years later Joseph Cowen Professor of English Literature at Newcastle University (also holding the position of leader of the English Department for 20 years), until his retirement from active University life in 1989, whereupon he was appointed Emeritus Professor. Honigmann was also elected to the Fellowship of the British Academy in 1989.
Honigmann authored and edited many books and papers, annotated editions of texts, and was a General Editor of the Revels Plays & Revels Plays Companion Library from 1976 - 2000. His classic texts remain relevant, and have been reprinted many times.
Honigmann continued to write after his retirement with his last paper being published posthumously. In retirement he worked both independently and on several collaborations in Shakespeare studies, created a new edition of Othello for the Arden Shakespeare
Arden Shakespeare
The Arden Shakespeare is a long-running series of scholarly editions of the works of William Shakespeare. It presents fully edited modern-spelling editions of the plays and poems, with lengthy introductions and full commentaries...
, wrote a personal memoir Togetherness: episodes from the Life of a refugee, and created poetry and short stories (the latter mainly for the amusement of his grandchildren).
Books
- The Stability of Shakespeare's Text (Edward Arnold, 1965)
- Shakespearian Tragedy and the Mixed Response Inaugural lecture (University of Newcastle, 1971)
- Shakespeare: Seven Tragedies - The Dramatist's Manipulation of Response (Macmillan, 1976; Palgrave 2002)
- Shakespeare's Mingled Yarn and 'Measure for Measure' (OUP, 1981)
- Shakespeare's Impact on his Contemporaries (Macmillan, 1982)
- Shakespeare: The Lost Years (Manchester University Press, 1985)
- Shakespeare and his Contemporaries: Essays in comparison (Ed.) (Revels Plays Companion Library, 1986)
- John Weever: a biography of a literary associate of Shakespeare and Jonson, together with a photographic facsimile of of Weever's 'Epigrammes' (Manchester University Press, 1987)
- Myriad-minded Shakespeare: Essays chiefly on the Tragedies and Problem Comedies (Macmillan, 1989)
- Playhouse Wills, 1558-1642 with Susan Brock (Revels Plays Companion Library, 1993)
- British Academy Shakespeare Lectures, 1980-89 (Ed.) (British Academy, OUP, 1993)
- The Texts of Othello and Shakespearian Revision (Routledge, 1996)
Editions
- King John (Arden ShakespeareArden ShakespeareThe Arden Shakespeare is a long-running series of scholarly editions of the works of William Shakespeare. It presents fully edited modern-spelling editions of the plays and poems, with lengthy introductions and full commentaries...
, 1954) - Milton's Sonnets (Macmillan, 1966)
- King Richard the Third (New Penguin Shakespeare, 1968)
- Twelfth Night, or What You Will (The Macmillan Shakespeare, 1971)
- Paradise Lost, Book X with C. A. Patrides (The Macmillan Milton, 1972)
- Othello (Arden ShakespeareArden ShakespeareThe Arden Shakespeare is a long-running series of scholarly editions of the works of William Shakespeare. It presents fully edited modern-spelling editions of the plays and poems, with lengthy introductions and full commentaries...
, 1997, 3rd edn 2001)
Other publications
- Togetherness: episodes from the life of a refugee by E.A. J. Honigmann
- Catholic Shakespeare? A response to Hildegard Hammerschmidt-Hummel by E.A.J. Honigmann
- Contributions by E.A.J. Honigmann to the The New York Review of BooksThe New York Review of BooksThe New York Review of Books is a fortnightly magazine with articles on literature, culture and current affairs. Published in New York City, it takes as its point of departure that the discussion of important books is itself an indispensable literary activity...