William Empson
William Empson
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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William Arthur Darbyshire Empson was a British poet, critic, and scholar, commonly known as William Empson.
Birth and Death Dates
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Empson was born on September 19, 1906, in Camberley, Surrey, England. He passed away on April 11, 1984, at the age of 77.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Nationality: British
Profession: Poet, Critic, Scholar
Early Life and Background
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Empson was born into a family of modest means but with strong literary inclinations. His father, William Darbyshire Empson, was a schoolmaster who encouraged his son's love for literature from an early age. Empson was educated at Mill Hill School in London before attending St John's College, Cambridge, where he studied English Literature and developed his skills as a poet and critic.
Major Accomplishments
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Empson's academic career was marked by several notable achievements:
He graduated with honors from Cambridge and later became a fellow of Christ's College.
Empson served in the British Army during World War II, where he rose to the rank of major.
After the war, he returned to academia and taught at various institutions, including the University of Sheffield and the University of London.Notable Works or Actions
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Some of Empson's most notable works include:
Seven Types of Ambiguity (1930), a groundbreaking book on literary analysis that explores the complexities of language and meaning.
The Structure of Complex Words (1951), a scholarly work that examines the etymology and connotations of complex words in English.Impact and Legacy
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Empson's contributions to literature and criticism have had a lasting impact:
His book, Seven Types of Ambiguity, revolutionized literary analysis by introducing new techniques for understanding ambiguous language.
Empson's work on word etymology and connotations has influenced generations of scholars and writers.Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Empson is widely quoted and remembered for his:
Insightful literary analyses, which continue to influence scholarly debates.
Pioneering work in the field of literary criticism, paving the way for future generations of scholars.
Thought-provoking writings, which encourage readers to think critically about language and its complexities.
Empson's legacy as a poet, critic, and scholar has left an indelible mark on literature. His contributions continue to inspire and inform readers around the world.
Quotes by William Empson
Poets, on the face of it, have either got to be easier or to write their own notes; readers have either got to take more trouble over reading or cease to regard notes as pretentious and a sign of bad poetry.
Twixt devil and deep sea, man hacks his caves; Birth, death; one, many; what is true, and seems; Earth’s vast hot iron, cold space’s empty waves.
Life involves maintaining oneself between contradictions that can’t be solved by analysis.
Twixt devil and deep sea, man hacks his caves; Birth, death; one, many; what is true, and seems; Earth's vast hot iron, cold space's empty waves.
I think many people (like myself) prefer to read poetry mixed with prose; it gives you more to go by; the conventions of poetry have been getting far off from normal life, so that to have a prose bridge makes reading poetry seem more natural.
I'm afraid I take ... this rather clinical view of love: it's saving you from madness. I'm not so enthusiastic as other poets have been.
Shall I make it clear, boys, for all to apprehend, Those that will not hear, boys, waiting for the end, Knowing it is near, boys, trying to pretend, Sitting in cold fear, boys, waiting for the end?
Buddhists and Christians contrive to agree about death Making death their ideal basis for different ideals. The Communists however disapprove of death Except when practical.