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Edmund BlundenEnglish poet, writer and critic
Date of Birth: 01.11.1896
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- Edmund Charles Blunden: A Renowned Poet, Writer, and Critic
- Military Service and Literary Debut
- Literary Career
- Return to England and Academic Pursuits
- Oxford Professorship
- Personal Life
- Death and Legacy
Edmund Charles Blunden: A Renowned Poet, Writer, and Critic
Early Life and EducationEdmund Charles Blunden was born in London on November 1, 1896, the eldest of nine children. His mother, Georgina Margaret Tyler, was a schoolteacher, and his father, Charles Edmund Blunden, was a clerk. Blunden attended Christ's Hospital school and later The Queen's College, Oxford, where he studied English literature.
Military Service and Literary Debut
In August 1915, Blunden joined the Royal Sussex Regiment and served in the First World War. Despite spending two years on the front lines, he miraculously escaped physical injury, a feat he attributed to his small stature. His experiences in the war, however, left a lasting emotional impact. After the war, Blunden received a scholarship to Harvard University but left in 1920 to pursue a literary career.
Literary Career
Blunden's first poetry collection, "The Waggoner," was published in 1920. He also collaborated with Alan Porter to edit the poems of the peasant poet John Clare. His subsequent collection, "The Shepherd" (1922), won the Hawthornden Prize. To support himself, Blunden accepted a position as a lecturer in English in Tokyo.
Return to England and Academic Pursuits
Blunden returned to England in 1927 and became the literary editor of the "Nation" magazine. He also taught at Merton College and became an assistant editor of the "Times Literary Supplement." In 1947, he returned to Tokyo as a member of the British liaison mission and later became Professor of English at the University of Hong Kong.
Oxford Professorship
In 1966, Blunden was elected Oxford Professor of Poetry, succeeding Robert Graves. He held the position until 1968, delivering public lectures and overseeing the graduate program in English.
Personal Life
Blunden was married three times. His first wife, Mary Daines, whom he met during the war, gave birth to three children. After their divorce in 1931, he married the writer and critic Sylva Norman in 1933. They divorced in 1945, and Blunden married his former student, Claire Margaret Poynting, in the same year.
Death and Legacy
Edmund Blunden died from a heart attack at his home in Long Melford on January 20, 1974. He is buried in the churchyard of Holy Trinity Church. Remembered as a gifted poet, critic, and teacher, Blunden's work continues to resonate with readers today.
