Kenneth Allott
Kenneth Allott (1912-1973) was a notable Welsh poet, critic, and academic, born in Glamorganshire, South Wales. He spent much of his youth in Cumberland and received his education at St. Cuthbert's grammar school and later at the universities of Durham and Oxford, where he focused on English literature. Allott began his career as a teacher and journalist, eventually becoming a lecturer at Liverpool University, where he held the prestigious Andrew Cecil Bradley Professorship. His literary contributions include the comic novel "The Rhubarb Tree" and several poetry collections, such as "Poems" and "The Ventriloquist's Doll," which reflect his evolving perspective on social and national issues.
Allott's early work was influenced by surrealism and poets like Dylan Thomas, though his tone shifted over time to express deeper emotional vulnerability. He was also recognized for his critical scholarship, particularly regarding Victorian literature and figures like Matthew Arnold. He served as the general editor for "The Pelican Book of English Prose" and edited "The Penguin Book of Contemporary Verse." Despite being regarded as a promising poet, Allott produced few poems after 1943, with his later works showcasing a more profound sense of openness. His "Collected Poems" was published posthumously in 1975, solidifying his legacy in the literary world.
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Kenneth Allott
Writer
- Born: August 29, 1912
- Birthplace: Glamorganshire, South Wales
- Died: May 23, 1973
Biography
Kenneth Allott was born on August 29, 1912, in Glamorganshire, South Wales. He was raised by his aunts after the age of fourteen, and attended St. Cuthbert’s Roman Catholic grammar school in Newcastle. Much of his childhood and adolescence were spent in Cumberland, England. He attended both the universities of Durham and Oxford and earned a B. Litt. at Oxford for his analysis of William Babington’s poetry. Between 1936 and 1939, Allott worked as a teacher and journalist. His first teaching experiences were in adult education, and in 1946 he became a lecturer in English literature at Liverpool University. There he was subsequently appointed Andrew Cecil Bradley Professor of Modern English Literature, a post he held until his death on May 23, 1973. Allott also wrote reviews for the Morning Post and was assistant editor of the influential journal New Verse, to which he was also a regular contributor. It was at this time that he began to earn a reputation as a writer. In 1937, Allott and Stephen Tait published a comic novel called The Rhubarb Tree, and Allott’s first collection of poetry, Poems, was published in 1938. In this volume, the influence of both surrealism and Dylan Thomas is apparent.
Unlike other poets of his generation, Allott was unconvinced that social change could be elicited through collective action. He gave up his religious beliefs early in life and was deeply affected by the approaching holocaust in Europe. His feelings of helplessness surfaced increasingly in his poetry, which was aloof, skeptical, and disdainful in tone. In 1943, Allott published his second volume of poetry, The Ventriloquist’s Doll. In this collection, his tone, once distant and aloof, expresses a more obvious sympathy and solidarity and reveals a desire for national unity. Allott later wrote two plays: A Room with a View, which he and Tait adapted from E. M. Forster’s 1908 novel, was produced at the Cambridge Arts Theatre in February of 1950, and The Publican’s Story was produced in 1953.
Allott became general editor of the five-volume The Pelican Book of English Prose (1956), though, as a scholar, he is perhaps best known for his work on Matthew Arnold and as editor of The Penguin Book of Contemporary Verse. A leading authority on Victorian literature, Allott’s books of criticism include studies of Graham Greene and Jules Verne. Although he was regarded by many as one of the most promising poets of his day, Allott wrote only a few poems between the years of 1943 and his death in 1973. This poetry, however, is considered among his best and captures a new sense of emotional vulnerability and openness. Allott’s Collected Poems was published posthumously in 1975.