Mildred Pope
Encyclopedia
Mildred Katherine Pope was an English
scholar of Anglo-Norman England. She became the first woman to hold a readership at Oxford University.
philology
, she gained a doctoral degree from the University of Paris
in 1904, with a dissertation on Frère Angier. She taught at Somerville College, Oxford
, first as a librarian, and from 1894 as a lecturer.
Given Oxford's policy on admitting women she was not granted a degree from Oxford until after World War I
. She was appointed lecturer, then university reader (in 1928—the first woman at Oxford to achieve that position), and became vice-principal in 1929. She left Oxford for Manchester in 1934 and was later honored with emeritate
. At the University of Manchester
, she was appointed professor of French language and romance philology. In 1939, she became the first woman to receive an honorary doctorate from a French university, in her case the University of Bordeaux
. After her death in 1956, The Oxford Magazine
, in an obituary, called her one of Somerville's "oldest, most distinguished and well-loved members."
and Dorothy Sayers; the character Miss Lydgate in Sayers' Gaudy Night
(1935) is based on Pope. One of her most enduring achievements was the foundation in 1937 of the Anglo-Norman Text Society
, a learned society dedicated to the promotion of the study of Anglo-Norman language and literature which is still operating today. In the Society's Annual Texts series, she contributed to critical editions of La Seinte Resureccion and the Romance of Horn. Her most important publication was From Latin to Modern French, with Especial Consideration of Anglo-Norman (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1934; revised reprints 1952 and 1956), which over seventy years after its original publication has been described as 'classic and still indispensable'.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
scholar of Anglo-Norman England. She became the first woman to hold a readership at Oxford University.
Biography
Trained in Old FrenchOld French
Old French was the Romance dialect continuum spoken in territories that span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium and Switzerland from the 9th century to the 14th century...
philology
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
, she gained a doctoral degree from the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
in 1904, with a dissertation on Frère Angier. She taught at Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College, Oxford
Somerville College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and was one of the first women's colleges to be founded there...
, first as a librarian, and from 1894 as a lecturer.
Given Oxford's policy on admitting women she was not granted a degree from Oxford until after World War I
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...
. She was appointed lecturer, then university reader (in 1928—the first woman at Oxford to achieve that position), and became vice-principal in 1929. She left Oxford for Manchester in 1934 and was later honored with emeritate
Emeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
. 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...
, she was appointed professor of French language and romance philology. In 1939, she became the first woman to receive an honorary doctorate from a French university, in her case the University of Bordeaux
University of Bordeaux
University of Bordeaux is an association of higher education institutions in and around Bordeaux, France. Its current incarnation was established 21 March 2007. The group is the largest system of higher education schools in southwestern France. It is part of the Academy of Bordeaux.There are seven...
. After her death in 1956, The Oxford Magazine
The Oxford Magazine
The Oxford Magazine is a review magazine and newspaper published in Oxford, England. It was established in 1883 and published weekly during Oxford University terms....
, in an obituary, called her one of Somerville's "oldest, most distinguished and well-loved members."
Legacy
Pope taught a number of notable medievalists including Eugène VinaverEugène Vinaver
Eugène Vinaver was a literary scholar who is best-known today for his edition of the works of Sir Thomas Malory....
and Dorothy Sayers; the character Miss Lydgate in Sayers' Gaudy Night
Gaudy Night
Gaudy Night is a mystery novel by Dorothy L. Sayers, the tenth in her popular series about aristocratic sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey, and the third featuring crime writer Harriet Vane....
(1935) is based on Pope. One of her most enduring achievements was the foundation in 1937 of the Anglo-Norman Text Society
Anglo-Norman Text Society
The Anglo-Norman Text Society is a learned society which was founded in 1937 by Professor Mildred K Pope. The founding aim of the society was to promote the study of Anglo-Norman language and Anglo-Norman literature by facilitating the publication of reliable scholarly editions of a broad range of...
, a learned society dedicated to the promotion of the study of Anglo-Norman language and literature which is still operating today. In the Society's Annual Texts series, she contributed to critical editions of La Seinte Resureccion and the Romance of Horn. Her most important publication was From Latin to Modern French, with Especial Consideration of Anglo-Norman (Manchester: Manchester University Press, 1934; revised reprints 1952 and 1956), which over seventy years after its original publication has been described as 'classic and still indispensable'.