George Whalley
George Whalley (1915-1983) was a notable Canadian poet, scholar, and professor, recognized for his contributions to literature and literary criticism. Born in Kingston, Ontario, to a prominent Anglican family, he began his academic journey at Bishop's University, later becoming a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University. His military service in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II earned him the rank of lieutenant commander and the Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal for bravery. After the war, Whalley returned to academia, serving as an assistant professor at Bishop's University before joining Queen's University, where he spent over three decades teaching English.
Whalley's literary output includes two poetry collections and numerous individual poems, which reflect his experiences as a sailor. His posthumously published works further explore literary themes, including essays on Aristotle's Poetics and a book on British Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. He also contributed to Canadian literature through radio plays and historical narratives about Canadian exploration. Whalley's writing is characterized by precision and economy, and he played a significant role in enhancing the reputation of Canadian literary studies.
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George Whalley
Poet
- Born: July 25, 1915
- Birthplace: Kingston, Ontario, Canada
- Died: May 27, 1983
Biography
George Whalley, the son of a senior Anglican clergyman, the Very Reverend Arthur Whalley, and Dorothy Quirk Whalley, was born in 1915 in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. He attended Bishop’s University, completing his undergraduate studies n 1935. He then was made a Rhodes Scholar for Quebec, enabling him to attend Oriel College, Oxford University, where he completed his studies in 1939. At the outbreak of World War II shortly thereafter, he served in the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve for five years, attaining the rank of lieutenant commander and receiving the Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal for bravery. While stationed in England in 1944, he met and married Elizabeth Watts, by whom he had three children.
On demobilization, he became an assistant professor at Bishop’s University from 1945 through 1948. He earned a master’s degree from Oxford University in 1945 and later received another master’s degree and a research fellowship from Bishop’s University. This led to studies at King’s College, London, where he received his Ph.D. in 1950. At this time he also began an illustrious academic career as a professor of English at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario. He remained at Queen’s University until his retirement in 1980, twice serving as head of the English department. He died of cancer in 1983.
Whalley began his literary career by writing poetry, using his experiences as a sailor for some of his material. He published two collections of his poetry, Poems: 1939-1944 (1946) and No Man an Island (1948). He continued to publish individual poems which were included in The Collected Poems of George Whalley, published posthumously in 1986.
Whalley later wrote several nonfiction works, including a book about British Romantic poet Samuel Taylor Coleridge. He also wrote several essays on Aristotle’s Poetics and the relationship of Coleridge’s theory to Poetics. His book Studies in Literature and the Humanities was published posthumously in 1985.
In 1953 he wrote a play for radio, Death in the Barren Ground, about Edgar Christian, a Canadian who explored the Arctic. Whalley edited Christian’s diary and his interest in Christian led him to write The Legend of John Hornby (1962), about an explorer who accompanied Christian on his Arctic expedition. Both in poetry and prose, Whalley’s style is precise, controlled, and economic. He contributed to the growing reputation of Canadian literary studies.