Frank Kermode
Frank Kermode was a prominent British literary critic, born in 1919 on the Isle of Man. He received his education at Liverpool University and held various academic posts, including the King Edward VII Chair in English Literature at Cambridge University from 1974 to 1982. Kermode is well-known for his insightful writings on William Shakespeare, which laid the groundwork for his later acclaimed works such as "The Sense of an Ending" and "Shakespeare's Language." His writing style is characterized by elegant prose and intricate literary interpretations, appealing to both scholars and general readers alike. Although he was influenced by French structuralists and poststructuralists, Kermode maintained a unique narrative theory that distinguished him within the field of literary criticism. In addition to his academic pursuits, he was a polymath with broad interests in the arts, and his later works are often categorized as literary journalism, aimed at a wider audience. Kermode received numerous accolades throughout his career, including a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II in 1991, and he was recognized as a member of both the British Academy and the Royal Society of Literature.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Frank Kermode
Literary Critic
- Born: November 29, 1919
- Birthplace: Douglas, Isle of Man
- Died: August 17, 2010
- Place of death: Cambridge, England
Biography
British literary critic Frank Kermode was born in 1919 on the Isle of Man and was educated at Liverpool University. He has held academic positions at various institutions, including University College London, Harvard University, and Columbia University. He held the prestigious King Edward VII Chair in English Literature at Cambridge University from 1974 until 1982.
Kermode’s earliest writings on William Shakespeare reveal the interest in language that would later inform his mature criticism, including the critically revered The Sense of an Ending: Studies in the Theory of Fiction (1967), and his most popular book, the best-selling Shakespeare’s Language (2000). Highly prolific, Kermode considers his short pieces to be his most successful. He is noted by academicians for the intricacy of his literary interpretations and the elegance of his prose. Although influenced in the 1970’s by the French structuralists and poststructuralists, such as Jacques Derrida and Roland Barthes, Kermode maintained his independence from the Continental theorists, and his narrative theory stands on its own as some of the most brilliant criticism of the twentieth century.
A polymath with interests in all of the arts, Kermode’s intellectual reach beyond academia is especially noteworthy. His later writings are best classified as literary journalism: highly erudite and sophisticated yet accessible to intelligent readers outside of the literary discipline. Kermode was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1991. He has been named a member of the British Academy and the Royal Society of Literature as well as an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters.