C. H. Sisson
Charles Hubert Sisson, born on April 22, 1914, in Bristol, England, was a prominent English poet, translator, and civil servant. Influenced early on by the works of T. S. Eliot and Ezra Pound, Sisson pursued a rich academic journey that included studies at the University of Bristol and further education in Germany and France. His career included significant roles in the British civil service, where he advanced to the position of undersecretary. During World War II, Sisson served in the British Army Intelligence Corps and began his literary career, writing essays and reviews, as well as translating German works.
He published his first novel, "An Asiatic Romance," in 1953, but it was his poetry that solidified his reputation, particularly his collection "In the Trojan Ditch: Collected Poems and Selected Translations," released in 1974. Sisson's translation work, including a major project on Dante's "La divina commedia," and his literary contributions established him as a key figure in post-World War II English poetry. Throughout his life, Sisson maintained a strong connection to the Anglican Church, which influenced his writing. His accolades, including an honorary doctorate from the University of Bristol in 1980, reflect his respected standing in the literary community before his passing in 2003.
On this Page
Subject Terms
C. H. Sisson
- Born: April 22, 1914
- Birthplace: Bristol, England
- Died: September 6, 2003
- Place of death: Somerset, England
Biography
Charles Hubert Sisson was born on April 22, 1914, in Bristol, England. His parents were Richard Percy and Ellen Minnie Worlock Sisson. As a child, Sisson read from the many books in his home, despite the fact that neither of his parents was well educated. He studied at a local secondary school and was an excellent student. Fittingly, when he graduated, he received a book of T. S. Eliot’s poems as a gift.
An important influence on Sisson was his introduction to the work of Ezra Pound in 1931. While at the University of Bristol, he read Pound’s How to Read (1931) and ABC of Reading (1934). He graduated from the University of Bristol in 1934 with an honors B.A. and he continued his education in Berlin, Freiburg, and Paris. He was alarmed by the rise of fascism on the Continent in the mid-1930’s.
When he returned to England, Sisson became a civil servant, working in the Ministry of Labour as assistantprincipal from 1936 to 1942. He continued to rise through the ranks, ultimately becoming the undersecretary in 1962, a position he held for six years. Sisson married Nora Gilbertson in 1937, and the couple had two daughters. In World War II, he served in the British Army Intelligence Corps. During this time, he spent several years in India.
Sisson wrote essays and reviews throughout his life, beginning in 1937. He also began his long career as a translator during the war, starting with works by the German author Heinrich Heine. During the same time, he turned to practicing the craft of poetry. He published his first book, the novel An Asiatic Romance, in 1953; however, by 1959, he was regularly publishing poetry. At the same time, Sisson was undergoing a shift in his spiritual life, choosing to enter the Anglican Church.
In 1965, Sisson returned to long fiction, publishing the novel Christopher Homm before once again working at his poetry and translations. Critics note that his translation of Catullus affected his own creative writing. In addition to a critical assessment of English poetry in the first half of the twentieth century, Sisson also finished his poetry collection In the Trojan Ditch: Collected Poems and Selected Translations. Published during the same year as Sisson’s retirement from the Civil Service, 1974, the book received positive reviews.
In 1980, Sisson undertook a major project, a translation of Dante Alighieri’s La divina commedia. Sisson continued to publish poetry, translations, essays, and an autobiography throughout the 1980’s and 1990’s. He died in 2003. By the time he was awarded an honorary doctorate in literature from the University of Bristol in 1980, Sisson’s reputation as a poet and writer was well established. Reviewers and critics named him as a “major talent.”
Sisson was one of the most important English poets of the post-World War II era. His work stands in contrast to that of W. H. Auden and demonstrates his connections to the Anglican Church. As an alternative voice, as a worthy poet, and as a man of integrity, Sisson won for himself a significant place in English literary history.