John Holloway
John Holloway was a notable British philosopher, poet, and literary critic, born on August 1, 1920, in London. Raised in south London, he served in the army during World War II before pursuing higher education, culminating in a Ph.D. in philosophy from Oxford. His academic career spanned several prestigious institutions, including Cambridge University, where he contributed significantly to English literature and education, particularly by introducing more American literature into the curriculum. Holloway's poetry is characterized by a blend of intellectual depth and humor, often reflecting on everyday language and the richness of common experiences. He published numerous works covering various topics, including philosophy, literary criticism, and the works of notable authors such as Shakespeare. Known for his engaging lecture style, Holloway was respected for his ability to connect with audiences, making complex ideas accessible. He passed away in 1999, leaving a lasting legacy in the fields of literature and philosophy.
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John Holloway
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- Born: August 1, 1920
- Birthplace: London, England
- Died: August 29, 1999
Biography
John Holloway, a philosopher turned poet and literary critic, was born in London on August 1, 1920, the son of Evelyn Astbury Holloway and George Holloway, a stoker at Queen’s Hospital in Hackney, England. Holloway was raised in south London and attended the county school at Beckenham in Kent. From 1939 to 1945, he served in the army in artillery and intelligence. He received an open scholarship in history to New College in Oxford, earning his M.A. in 1945, his Ph.D. in philosophy in 1947, and then receiving a second doctorate in English. In 1946, he married Audrey Gooding, with whom he had two children; he married his second wife, Joan Black, in 1978.
Holloway’s academic profession led him to some of the leading universities in the world, most notably as a fellow of Queens College from 1946 to 1960; a lecturer in English at the University of Aberdeen, from 1949 to 1954; a reader in modern English from 1954 to 1966 and a professor of modern English from 1966 to 1972 at Cambridge University; and to posts in Greece, the University of Chicago, and Johns Hopkins University in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Holloway also was a tour lecturer in Ceylon, India, and Pakistan in 1958, and in the Middle East in 1964.
Holloway produced several collections of verse. He said of his poetry that he “car[ed] for intellectuality, but [cared] for what is (in a sense) primitive, and for the stranger realities that spread all around intellectuality’s narrow circle.” One of his works charted the history of Cambridge, both the town and the university, their folklore, geology, biography, and the very essences of the two. He also produced seminal work in criticism, philosophy, and literary studies and edited numerous collections.
Holloway was a scholar of the first order, and his poetry reflected his deep thinking while also containing an element of humor and wit. His interests were broad. His publications covered aspects of philosophy, rhetoric, and religion; the works of Victorians, Romantics, Classicists, and William Shakespeare; and literary criticism and theory. He was not an elitist, instead finding charm in the everyday language of the people and in the sounds of words as they appeared in street songs, on gravestone epitaphs, and as inscriptions on samplers, sundials, fountains, and bells. In 1970 and 1971, while serving as chair of the English department at Cambridge University, he succeeded in introducing more American literature and contemporary English literature to the curriculum, but the job was thankless and he spent as much time calming anger and soothing hurt egos as administering or bringing about change. Upon his retirement from Cambridge, he was lauded as “O royal Holloway, a college in himself.”
Holloway, an eloquent speaker with a great public presence, was much sought after as a lecturer. He spoke from the heart, conveying a sense of wanting to let his audiences in on some of his favorite stories. He never gave the impression of being a learned scholar intent on spreading enlightenment, instead engaging the audience and sharing what he knew. He made many recordings for schools and also did radio broadcasts. He died in 1999.