John Kermode English historian and literary theorist, literary critic, essayist. Date of Birth: 29.11.1919 Country: Great Britain

1. Early Life and Education
2. Wartime Service
3. Academic Career
4. Literary Contributions
5. Literary Theory and Criticism
6. Influence on Literary Studies
7. Recognition and Honors

Early Life and Education

Born to a dockworker father and waitress mother, Frank Kermode attended the University of Liverpool.

Wartime Service

During World War II, Kermode served in the navy, primarily in the Iceland area. He was demobilized in 1946.

Academic Career

From 1967 to 1974, Kermode was Professor of English at University College London (UCL). He then moved to Cambridge, where he held the same position from 1974 to 1982. Subsequently, he taught at Columbia University and Harvard University.

Literary Contributions

Not confined to academia, Kermode also published widely in non-specialist journals like the Spectator and New Statesman. He co-edited the Fontana Modern Masters series, which gained popularity in university circles.

Literary Theory and Criticism

Kermode's scholarly work spanned various aspects of literature. He wrote monographs on major English poets from Donne to Yeats and Wallace Stevens. He also explored narrative poetics, literary interpretation, and the concepts of the classic and canon, building on T.S. Eliot's ideas.

Influence on Literary Studies

Kermode was influential in introducing French literary theory to British and American academia. He hosted Roland Barthes as a lecturer at UCL.

Recognition and Honors

Kermode was elected to the British Academy (1973) and the Royal Society of Literature. In 1991, he was knighted as a Knight Bachelor.