Ramon Guthrie
Ramon Guthrie was an American poet and professor, born in New York in 1896. He moved to Paris at a young age, immersing himself in the local culture and studying at the University of Paris. Despite not having a high school diploma, he achieved significant academic accomplishments, earning a licence and doctorat en droit from the University of Toulouse. Guthrie was a versatile individual, with interests in painting, Romanesque and Gothic architecture, and the study of French literature, specifically Provencal and old French at the Sorbonne.
Throughout his career, he taught French, poetry, and writing, holding positions such as an assistant professor at the University of Arizona and later a professor of French and comparative literature at Dartmouth College from 1930 to 1963. His poetry is particularly noted for its exploration of themes and styles influenced by both ancient and modern French traditions. One of his most acclaimed works, "Maximum Security Ward," published in 1970, reflects on his experiences in Paris during the 1920s and 1930s. Guthrie's literary contributions were recognized in various publications, including the Paris Review. He passed away in 1973, leaving behind a legacy in poetry and education.
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Subject Terms
Ramon Guthrie
Poet
- Born: January 14, 1896
- Birthplace: New York, New York
- Died: November 22, 1973
Biography
Ramon Guthrie was born in New York in 1896. He moved to Paris shortly before his twenty-first birthday, where he was a student at the University of Paris in 1919, and from1922 to 1923. He married Marguerite Maurey in 1922. Guthrie was interested in painting and Romanesque and Gothic architecture, and he steeped himself in French culture. He studied Provencal and old French at the Sorbonne. He did not have a high school diploma, but while in France he received a licence and doctorat en droit, degrees that foreigners could earn at the University of Toulouse.
In order to support himself, Guthrie moved back and forth between the United States and France, teaching French, poetry, and writing when he could. From 1924 to1926, Guthrie was an assistant professor of Romance languages at the University of Arizona in Tucson. From 1930 to 1963, he was a professor of French and comparative literature at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. He earned his M.A. from Dartmouth in 1938. Guthrie completed wartime service during both World War I and World War II.
While Guthrie undertook multiple artistic endeavors, including painting, writing fiction, and art criticism, he is mainly known for his poetry. One of his most recognized and respected works, Maximum Security Ward, was published in 1970, and contains his mature poetry littered with Parisian memories spanning from 1920 to1939. In most of his writing, Guthrie experimented with tone, attitude, and style derived from ancient and modern French tradition. His poetry was published in many different magazines like the Paris Review. Guthrie died in 1973.