Lascelles Abercrombie
Encyclopedia
Lascelles Abercrombie (9 January 1881 – 27 October 1938) was a British
poet
and literary critic, one of the "Dymock poets
". He was born in Ashton upon Mersey
and educated at Malvern College
, and at the University of Manchester
.
Before the First World War
, he lived for a time at Dymock
in Gloucestershire
, part of a community that included Rupert Brooke
and Robert Frost
. Edward Thomas
also visited. In 1922 he was appointed Professor of English at the University of Leeds
in preference to J. R. R. Tolkien
, with whom he shared, as author of The Epic (1914), a professional interest in heroic poetry. In 1929 he moved on to the University of London
, and in 1935 to a prestigious readership at Oxford University. He wrote a series of works on the nature of poetry, including The Idea of Great Poetry (1925) and Romanticism (1926). Abercrombie repeated in volume after volume the same view of the nature of poetry -- that it is the representation of the poet's own imaginative experience, conveyed by literary technique to the reader, in whom the same experience is then replicated. The lack of a discussion of such topics in English universities at the time meant that the limitations in this view were not pointed out, and Abercrombie lacked the stimulus of a critical response that would have helped him to amend and develop his theory. His critical studies of Hardy (1912) and Wordsworth (published posthumously) belonged to a much more familiar genre, and were remembered longer.
He also published several volumes of original verse, largely metaphysical poems in dramatic form, and a number of verse plays. His poems and plays were collected in 'Poems' (1930). In the same year he published separately his most ambitious poem, 'The Sale of Saint Thomas' in six 'Acts'. A number of fellow poets and professors of literature (including Oliver Elton
, Charles Williams
and Una Ellis-Fermor) admired the sublimity of his themes and his ability to clothe metaphysical thought in vivid imagery.
Abercrombie is remembered today less for his writings than because of his close friendship with Edward Marsh, Rupert Brooke, and other 'Georgian' poets.
He was the brother of the architect Patrick Abercrombie
. One of his sons was the cell biologist Michael Abercrombie
. A grandson, Jeff Cooper, produced an admirable bibliography of his grandfather, with brief but important notes, while a great-grandson of the poet is the author Joe Abercrombie
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
and literary critic, one of the "Dymock poets
Dymock poets
The Dymock poets were a literary group of the early 20th century who made their home near the village of Dymock in Gloucestershire, England, near to the border with Herefordshire. They were Robert Frost, Lascelles Abercrombie, Rupert Brooke, Edward Thomas, Wilfrid Wilson Gibson, and John...
". He was born in Ashton upon Mersey
Ashton upon Mersey
Ashton upon Mersey is an area of Sale in the Metropolitan Borough of Trafford, Greater Manchester, England. It lies on the south bank of the River Mersey, in the northwestern part of Sale, and is situated about south of Manchester city centre....
and educated at Malvern College
Malvern College
Malvern College is a coeducational independent school located on a 250 acre campus near the town centre of Malvern, Worcestershire in England. Founded on 25 January 1865, until 1992, the College was a secondary school for boys aged 13 to 18...
, and at the University of Manchester
University of Manchester
The University of Manchester is a public research university located in Manchester, United Kingdom. It is a "red brick" university and a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive British universities and the N8 Group...
.
Before the First World War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he lived for a time at Dymock
Dymock
Dymock is a small village in the Forest of Dean district of Gloucestershire, England about four miles south of Ledbury, with a population of approx. 300 people....
in Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, part of a community that included Rupert Brooke
Rupert Brooke
Rupert Chawner Brooke was an English poet known for his idealistic war sonnets written during the First World War, especially The Soldier...
and Robert Frost
Robert Frost
Robert Lee Frost was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. His work frequently employed settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, using them to examine complex social and...
. Edward Thomas
Edward Thomas (poet)
Philip Edward Thomas was an Anglo-Welsh writer of prose and poetry. He is commonly considered a war poet, although few of his poems deal directly with his war experiences. Already an accomplished writer, Thomas turned to poetry only in 1914...
also visited. In 1922 he was appointed Professor of English at the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
in preference to J. R. R. Tolkien
J. R. R. Tolkien
John Ronald Reuel Tolkien, CBE was an English writer, poet, philologist, and university professor, best known as the author of the classic high fantasy works The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion.Tolkien was Rawlinson and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon at Pembroke College,...
, with whom he shared, as author of The Epic (1914), a professional interest in heroic poetry. In 1929 he moved on to the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, and in 1935 to a prestigious readership at Oxford University. He wrote a series of works on the nature of poetry, including The Idea of Great Poetry (1925) and Romanticism (1926). Abercrombie repeated in volume after volume the same view of the nature of poetry -- that it is the representation of the poet's own imaginative experience, conveyed by literary technique to the reader, in whom the same experience is then replicated. The lack of a discussion of such topics in English universities at the time meant that the limitations in this view were not pointed out, and Abercrombie lacked the stimulus of a critical response that would have helped him to amend and develop his theory. His critical studies of Hardy (1912) and Wordsworth (published posthumously) belonged to a much more familiar genre, and were remembered longer.
He also published several volumes of original verse, largely metaphysical poems in dramatic form, and a number of verse plays. His poems and plays were collected in 'Poems' (1930). In the same year he published separately his most ambitious poem, 'The Sale of Saint Thomas' in six 'Acts'. A number of fellow poets and professors of literature (including Oliver Elton
Oliver Elton
Oliver Elton was an English literary scholar whose works include A Survey of English Literature in six volumes, criticism, biography, and translations from several languages including Icelandic and Russian...
, Charles Williams
Charles Williams
-United Kingdom:* Sir Charles Hanbury Williams , Member of Parliament and satirist* Charles Williams, Baron Williams of Elvel , life peer ennobled in 1985* Charles Williams , principal of Jesus College, Oxford...
and Una Ellis-Fermor) admired the sublimity of his themes and his ability to clothe metaphysical thought in vivid imagery.
Abercrombie is remembered today less for his writings than because of his close friendship with Edward Marsh, Rupert Brooke, and other 'Georgian' poets.
He was the brother of the architect Patrick Abercrombie
Patrick Abercrombie
Sir Leslie Patrick Abercrombie ) was an English town planner. Educated at Uppingham School, Rutland; brother of Lascelles Abercrombie, poet and literary critic.-Career:...
. One of his sons was the cell biologist Michael Abercrombie
Michael Abercrombie
Michael Abercrombie FRS was a British cell biologist and embryologist.He was the son of the poet Lascelles Abercrombie.-External links:* http://www.ijdb.ehu.es/web/paper.php?doi=10761842...
. A grandson, Jeff Cooper, produced an admirable bibliography of his grandfather, with brief but important notes, while a great-grandson of the poet is the author Joe Abercrombie
Joe Abercrombie
Joe Abercrombie is a British fantasy writer and film editor. He is the author of The First Law trilogy.-Early life:Abercrombie was born in Lancaster, England...
.
External links
- Lascelles Abercrombie in Wikilivres.info
- Encyclopaedia Britannica, Lascelles Abercrombie
- Elizabeth Whitcomb Houghton Collection, containing letters by Abercrombie
- Index entry for Lascelles Abercrombie at Poets' Corner
- Dymock Poets Archive University of Gloucestershire Archives and Special Collections