William James Rolfe
Encyclopedia
William James Rolfe, Litt.D. (1827 - 1910) was an American
Shakespearean
scholar and educator, born in Newburyport, Massachusetts
on December 10, 1827.
He graduated from Amherst
in 1849, and between 1852 and 1868 was head master of high schools at Dorchester
, Lawrence
, Salem
, and Cambridge
, Massachusetts.
Early in his career, he edited selections from Ovid
and Virgil
and (in collaboration) the Cambridge Course of Physics (six volumes, 1867-68).
His Shakespearean work began with an edition of George Lillie Craik
's English of Shakespeare (1867). This led to the preparation of a complete edition - the Friendly Edition - of Shakespeare (forty volumes, 1870-83; new edition, 1903-07).
He also edited a complete edition of Tennyson
(twelve volumes, 1898) and verse by many of the other great English poets. He wrote a very useful Satchel Guide to Europe, revised annually for 35 years; and:
William James Rolfe died on July 7, 1910 at the home of a son in Tisbury, Massachusetts. He was the father of John Carew Rolfe
, Charles J. Rolfe and George Rolfe.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Shakespearean
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 educator, born in Newburyport, Massachusetts
Newburyport, Massachusetts
Newburyport is a small coastal city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States, 35 miles northeast of Boston. The population was 21,189 at the 2000 census. A historic seaport with a vibrant tourism industry, Newburyport includes part of Plum Island...
on December 10, 1827.
He graduated from Amherst
Amherst College
Amherst College is a private liberal arts college located in Amherst, Massachusetts, United States. Amherst is an exclusively undergraduate four-year institution and enrolled 1,744 students in the fall of 2009...
in 1849, and between 1852 and 1868 was head master of high schools at Dorchester
Dorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is named after the town of Dorchester in the English county of Dorset, from which Puritans emigrated and is today endearingly nicknamed "Dot" by its residents. Dorchester, including a large...
, Lawrence
Lawrence, Massachusetts
Lawrence is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States on the Merrimack River. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a total population of 76,377. Surrounding communities include Methuen to the north, Andover to the southwest, and North Andover to the southeast. It and Salem are...
, Salem
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
, and Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, Massachusetts.
Early in his career, he edited selections from Ovid
Ovid
Publius Ovidius Naso , known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who is best known as the author of the three major collections of erotic poetry: Heroides, Amores, and Ars Amatoria...
and Virgil
Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...
and (in collaboration) the Cambridge Course of Physics (six volumes, 1867-68).
His Shakespearean work began with an edition of George Lillie Craik
George Lillie Craik
George Lillie Craik was a Scottish writer and literary critic.Born at Kennoway, Fife, he was educated at the University of St. Andrews, and went to London in 1824, where he wrote largely for the"Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge."...
's English of Shakespeare (1867). This led to the preparation of a complete edition - the Friendly Edition - of Shakespeare (forty volumes, 1870-83; new edition, 1903-07).
He also edited a complete edition of Tennyson
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson
Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, FRS was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom during much of Queen Victoria's reign and remains one of the most popular poets in the English language....
(twelve volumes, 1898) and verse by many of the other great English poets. He wrote a very useful Satchel Guide to Europe, revised annually for 35 years; and:
- Shakespeare the Boy (1896)
- The Elementary Study of English (1896)
- Life of Shakespeare (1901)
- Life of William Shakespeare (1904)
- Shakesperean Proverbs (1908)
William James Rolfe died on July 7, 1910 at the home of a son in Tisbury, Massachusetts. He was the father of John Carew Rolfe
John Carew Rolfe
John Carew Rolfe, Ph.D. was an American classical scholar, the son of William J. Rolfe.He graduated from Harvard University in 1881 and from Cornell University in 1885....
, Charles J. Rolfe and George Rolfe.