Christopher Logue
Christopher Logue (1926-2011) was a notable English poet, playwright, and screenwriter, recognized for his innovative contributions to literature. Born in Portsmouth, England, Logue served in the British Army and later became part of the vibrant literary scene in postwar Paris, befriending influential figures like Henry Miller and Samuel Beckett. His literary career began with poetry collections such as "Wind and Quadrant" (1953) and evolved to include over forty volumes of poetry, children's books, and plays. Logue is perhaps best known for his ambitious and unfinished adaptation of Homer's "Iliad," known as the "War Music" series, which showcases his ability to render ancient themes in contemporary language while maintaining a unique artistic vision.
In addition to his poetry, Logue acted in various stage productions and films, and contributed to notable publications like "Private Eye." His work earned him several prestigious awards, including the International Griffin Poetry Prize and the Whitbread Poetry Prize. Logue's legacy lies not only in his prolific output across genres but particularly in his significant impact on postwar British poetry, where his adaptations of classical texts have been celebrated for their imaginative and modern interpretations.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Christopher Logue
Poet
- Born: November 23, 1926
- Birthplace: Portsmouth, Hampshire, England
- Died: December 2, 2011
Biography
Christopher Logue was born on November 23, 1926, in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, to John Dominic and Molly Chapman Logue. He attended Prior Park College in Bath, England. From 1944 to 1948, he served in the Royal Highland Regiment (Black Watch) of the British Army, serving in the Middle East.
Logue was associated with the British Poetry Revival and became friends with both Henry Miller and Samuel Beckett while in Paris during the postwar years. Logue’s first book of poetry, Wind and Quadrant, was published in 1953, followed by Devil, Maggot, and Sons and Seven Sonnets in 1954. Throughout the following four decades, Logue produced over forty volumes of poetry, six children’s books, fourteen plays, and other assorted publications, including three somewhat pornographic books under the pseudonym of Count Palmiro Vicarion.
In addition to writing plays and screenplays, Logue also acted in plays such as Hamlet, and in films, notably portraying the poet Algernon Charles Swinburne in The Devils (1970) and as Cardinal Richelieu in the The Peasant’s Revolt (1970). Logue’s own screenplay was produced as Savage Messiah in 1972, and directed by Ken Russell. Logue was also a regular contributor to the magazine Private Eye, beginning in 1962. Additionally, he wrote for the journal Merlin.
Undoubtedly the work that Logue is best known for is his unfinished adaptation of Homer’s Iliad, a project he began in 1959 and which grew to five full-length collections. Collectively, this project is known as the War Music series. Each volume comprises several books of Homer’s story. Logue did not follow the Iliad chronologically, but worked on different sections at different times. His last installment, Cold Calls, was published in 2005 to much acclaim during the poet’s eightieth year. War Music retains the flavor and images of the original, but is freely rendered in contemporary language. He was both true to Homer in his adapation as well as producing a uniquely individual vision of the work.
Logue was widely recognized as a prolific and talented writer. His work has been honored with a number of awards: in 2002, he won the International Griffin Poetry Prize; in 2002, the Bernard F O’Connor Award; and in 2005, the Whitbread Poetry Prize for Cold Calls.
Although Logue’s achievements stretch across genres, he will likely be remembered for War Music, a work that many critics cite as one of the most significant postwar British works of poetry. For over forty years, Logue made a name for himself as both a poetic innovator and as a poet following in the footsteps of the giant, Homer. For this alone he deserves to be considered an important twentieth century poet.
Bibliography
“Christopher Logue.” Poetry Foundation. Poetry Foundation, 2015. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.
Espiner, Mark. “Christopher Logue Obituary.” Guardian. Guardian News & Media, 3 Dec. 2011. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.
Fox, Margalit. “Christopher Logue Dies at 85; Modernized the ‘Iliad’” New York Times. New York Times, 10 Dec. 2011. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.
Logue, Christopher. “Christopher Logue: The Art of Poetry No. 66.” Interview by Shusha Guppy. Paris Review. Paris Review, 2016. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.
Stuttaford, Andrew. “Logue’s Odyssey.” New Criterion 25.4 (2006): 85–88. Poetry & Short Story Reference Center. Web. 29 Mar. 2016.