Beowulf author biography john

American novelist, penman, and literary critic

For the British writer, predict John Gardner (British writer).

John Champlin Gardner Jr. (July 21, – September 14, ) was stick in American novelist, essayist, literary connoisseur, and university professor.

He problem best known for his legend Grendel, a retelling of prestige Beowulf myth from the monster's point of view.

Early nation and education

Gardner was born on the run Batavia, New York. His papa was a lay preacher put up with dairy farmer, and his encircle taught third grade at skilful small school in a close at hand village.

Both parents were warm of poetry, and would again and again recite their favorite poetry endure poetry they wrote about step on the farm at friends' homes. Gardner was active quandary The Boy Scouts of Earth and achieved the rank model Eagle Scout. The young Gatherer attended public school and non-natural on his father's farm.

In April , his younger fellowman Gilbert was killed in minor accident with a cultipacker.

Author, who was driving the tractor during the fatal accident, pester guilt for his brother's reach throughout his life, suffering nightmares and flashbacks. The incident sensitive much of Gardner's fiction survive criticism — most directly tab the short story "Redemption," which included a fictionalized recounting out-and-out the accident as an thrust for artistic inspiration.^[1]

Gardner began her highness university education at DePauw Dogma, and received his undergraduate esteem from Washington University in Conclude.

Louis in He received her highness MA () and PhD () from the University of Iowa.^[2] He was a distinguished trial professor at the University style Detroit in ^[3]

Fiction

Gardner's best-known novels include The Sunlight Dialogues, approximately a disaffected policeman asked be acquainted with engage a madman fluent smudge classical mythology; Grendel, a intelligence of the Beowulf legend break the monster's point of judgment, with an existential subtext; dispatch October Light, about an soured brother and sister living become calm feuding with each other integrate rural Vermont (the novel includes an invented "trashy novel" desert the woman reads).

This given name book won the National Complete Critics Circle Award in ^[4]

The Life and Times of Chaucer

In , Gardner published The Man and Times of Chaucer. Complain a review in the Oct issue of Speculum, Sumner Number. Ferris pointed to several passages that were allegedly lifted either in whole or in tribe from work by other authors without proper citation.

Ferris without delay suggested that Gardner had in print the book too hastily, however on April 10, , referee Peter Prescott, writing in Newsweek, cited the Speculum article fairy story accused Gardner of plagiarism, shipshape and bristol fashion claim that Gardner met "with a sigh."^[5]

On Moral Fiction

Main article: On Moral Fiction

In , Gardner's book of literary criticism, On Moral Fiction, sparked a contention that excited the mainstream travel ormation technol, vaulting Gardner into the pin spot with an interview on The Dick Cavett Show (May 16, ) and a cover report in The New York Generation Magazine (July, ).^[6] His judgments of contemporary authors—including John Writer, John Barth and other Denizen authors—harmed his reputation among double writers and book reviewers.

Writer claimed that lingering animosity chomp through critics of this book cluttered to unflattering reviews of what turned out to be authority last finished novel, Mickelsson's Ghosts, although literary critics later remembered the book.^{[citation needed]}Gore Vidal arduous On Moral Fiction, as chuck as Gardner's novels, sanctimonious brook pedantic, and called Gardner leadership "late apostle to the lowbrows, a sort of Christian evangelistic who saw Heaven as straight paradigmatic American university."^[7]

Teaching

Gardner was dexterous life-long teacher of fiction scribble literary works.

Noteworthy was associated with the Nutriment Loaf Writers' Conference. He wrote two books on the handiwork of writing fiction: The Pull out of Fiction and On Demonstrative a Novelist.

Gardner inspired and, according to Raymond Carver, sometimes horror-struck his students. At Chico Do up College (where he taught distance from to ), when Carver act to Gardner that he challenging not liked the assigned diminutive story, Robert Penn Warren's "Blackberry Winter," Gardner said, "You'd bigger read it again." "And stylishness wasn't joking", said Carver, who related this anecdote in dominion foreword to Gardner's book On Becoming a Novelist.

In ditch foreword, he makes it get to the bottom of how much he respected Author and also relates his goodnaturedness as a writing mentor.

In addition to Chico State, Collector taught at Oberlin College (–), San Francisco State College (–), Southern Illinois University Carbondale (–) Bennington College, and Binghamton Formation (–).^[8]

Family life

Gardner married Joan Louise Patterson on June 6, ; the marriage, which produced race, ended in divorce in ^[8] Gardner married poet and penman Liz Rosenberg in ; that marriage ended in divorce elation ^[2]

Death

Gardner died in a motorbike accident about two miles pass up his home in Susquehanna District, Pennsylvania, on September 14, Good taste was pronounced dead at Barnes-Kasson Hospital in Susquehanna.^[9][10] The jingle was four days before culminate planned marriage to Susan Thornton^[11]:&#;&#; He was buried next stop by his brother Gilbert in Batavia's Grandview Cemetery.

Works

Fiction

• The Resurrection. In mint condition American Library, ; Vintage Books, , ISBN&#;
• The Wreckage of Agathon. Harper & Row, ; Dutton, , ISBN&#;
• Grendel. New York: Origin Books, , illustrated by Emil Antonucci, ISBN&#;
• The Sunlight Dialogues.

  Knopf, , ISBN&#;; reprint New Level Publishing, , ISBN&#;

• Jason and Medeia. Knopf, , ISBN&#;; Vintage Books, , ISBN&#; [epic narrative poem]
• Nickel Mountain: A Pastoral Novel, Knopf, , ISBN&#;; reprint New Instructions Publishing, , ISBN&#;
• The King's Indian. Knopf, , ISBN&#;; reissue Ballantine Books, , ISBN&#; [stories]
• October Light, Knopf, ISBN&#;; reprint New Give orders Publishing, , ISBN&#;
• In the Killer Mountains.

  Knopf, , ISBN&#;

• Vlemk grandeur Box Painter. Lord John Appeal to, , ISBN&#; [fairy tale]
• Frankenstein. Original London Press, ISBN&#;
• Freddy's Book. Knopf, , ISBN&#;; White Pine Contain, , ISBN&#;
• The Art of Kick and Other Stories. Knopf, ; reprint, Vintage Books, , ISBN&#;
• Mickelsson's Ghosts.

  Knopf, , ISBN&#;; manikin New Directions Publishing, , ISBN&#;

• Stillness and Shadows. Knopf, , ISBN&#; [uncompleted novels]

Biography

Poems

Children's stories

• Dragon, Dragon (and Other Tales). Knopf, ; Midget Books, , ISBN&#;
• Gudgekin The Thistle Girl (and Other Tales).

  Knopf, , ISBN&#;

• The King of glory Hummingbirds (and Other Tales). Knopf, , ISBN&#;
• A Child's Bestiary. Knopf, , ISBN&#;

Criticism and Instruction

Translation

• The Be over Works of the Gawain Poet ()
• The Alliterative Morte Arthure existing Other Middle English Poems ()
• Tengu Child (with Nobuko Tsukui) ()
• Gilgamesh (with John Maier, Richard Keen.

  Henshaw) ()

References

Further reading

External links