Eleanor Duckett
Encyclopedia
Eleanor Shipley Duckett (7 November 1880, Bridgwater
, Somerset
, England – 23 November 1976) was an English-born philologist
and medieval
historian who spent most of her career in the United States. For thirty years, she taught at Smith College
(Northampton, Massachusetts
). Duckett published a number of books with University of Michigan Press
, mainly on European history, religious history, and saints, and was a reviewer for The New York Times Book Review
. Initially, Duckett was known for writing accessible historical books on the Middle Ages; later, she acquired a reputation as an authority on early medieval saints. A devout Episcopalian
, Duckett was the lifelong companion of novelist Mary Ellen Chase
.
, and taught classic literature in high school. After studies at Girton College, Cambridge
, which allowed women but did not yet offer a doctoral degree, she went to the United States and on a fellowship attended Bryn Mawr College
, where she received her doctorate in 1914. In part, her move toward the United States was motivated by the lack of respect for women scholars in England. In 1964 she recalled how at Cambridge she showed the manuscript of her first book to "an eminent scholar," who asked her, "Do you want me to judge it on its own merits or as the work of a woman?"
In 1914, Duckett attained a position at Western College for Women
in Ohio
, and in 1916 began teaching Latin
at Smith, after 1928 as a full professor, where she would remain the rest of her career. In 1926, she met novelist Mary Ellen Chase
, who was from Blue Hill, Maine
. They lived together until Chase's death in 1973, and were honored by having adjoining halls named for them on the Smith college campus. In 1928 she was named the John M. Greene Professor of Classical Languages and Literature. She retired in 1949 and was named emeritus professor. In 1952, she finally received her doctorate from Girton College on the basis of her four published books on early medieval history.
Duckett continued to write and travel, mostly to Cambridge and Maine, where she and Chase stayed on the coast at a summer house called Windswept, a name which Chase was to use for one of her most popular novels. In 1973, after Chase died, Duckett lost the house in Northampton where she and Chase had lived since the 1920s and entered a nursing home. She died in 1976, and is buried next to Chase, near Windswept.
.
Bridgwater
Bridgwater is a market town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is the administrative centre of the Sedgemoor district, and a major industrial centre. Bridgwater is located on the major communication routes through South West England...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England – 23 November 1976) was an English-born philologist
Philology
Philology is the study of language in written historical sources; it is a combination of literary studies, history and linguistics.Classical philology is the philology of Greek and Classical Latin...
and medieval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
historian who spent most of her career in the United States. For thirty years, she taught at Smith College
Smith College
Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
(Northampton, Massachusetts
Northampton, Massachusetts
The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population of Northampton's central neighborhoods, was 28,549...
). Duckett published a number of books with University of Michigan Press
University of Michigan Press
The University of Michigan Press is part of the University of Michigan Library and serves as a primary publishing unit of the University of Michigan, with special responsibility for the creation and promotion of scholarly, educational, and regional books and other materials in digital and print...
, mainly on European history, religious history, and saints, and was a reviewer for The New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to The New York Times in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely read book review publications in the industry. The offices are located near Times Square in New York...
. Initially, Duckett was known for writing accessible historical books on the Middle Ages; later, she acquired a reputation as an authority on early medieval saints. A devout Episcopalian
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
, Duckett was the lifelong companion of novelist Mary Ellen Chase
Mary Ellen Chase
Mary Ellen Chase was an American educator, teacher, scholar, and author. She is regarded as one of the most important regional literary figures of the early twentieth century....
.
Biography
Duckett received her BA (1903) and MA (1904), as well as a degree in pedagogy (1905) from the University of LondonUniversity of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, and taught classic literature in high school. After studies at Girton College, Cambridge
Girton College, Cambridge
Girton College is one of the 31 constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge. It was England's first residential women's college, established in 1869 by Emily Davies and Barbara Bodichon. The full college status was only received in 1948 and marked the official admittance of women to the...
, which allowed women but did not yet offer a doctoral degree, she went to the United States and on a fellowship attended Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College
Bryn Mawr College is a women's liberal arts college located in Bryn Mawr, a community in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania, ten miles west of Philadelphia. The name "Bryn Mawr" means "big hill" in Welsh....
, where she received her doctorate in 1914. In part, her move toward the United States was motivated by the lack of respect for women scholars in England. In 1964 she recalled how at Cambridge she showed the manuscript of her first book to "an eminent scholar," who asked her, "Do you want me to judge it on its own merits or as the work of a woman?"
In 1914, Duckett attained a position at Western College for Women
Western College for Women
Western College for Women was a women's college in Oxford, Ohio between 1855 and 1974.-History:Western College was founded in 1853 as Western Female Seminary. It was a daughter school of Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts. Its first principal Helen Peabody and most of the early...
in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, and in 1916 began teaching Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
at Smith, after 1928 as a full professor, where she would remain the rest of her career. In 1926, she met novelist Mary Ellen Chase
Mary Ellen Chase
Mary Ellen Chase was an American educator, teacher, scholar, and author. She is regarded as one of the most important regional literary figures of the early twentieth century....
, who was from Blue Hill, Maine
Blue Hill, Maine
Blue Hill is a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,390 at the 2000 census. It is home to Blue Hill Memorial Hospital, George Stevens Academy, the now-closed Liberty School, New Surry Theatre, Kneisel Hall, Bagaduce Music Lending Library, the Kollegewidgwok Yacht Club...
. They lived together until Chase's death in 1973, and were honored by having adjoining halls named for them on the Smith college campus. In 1928 she was named the John M. Greene Professor of Classical Languages and Literature. She retired in 1949 and was named emeritus professor. In 1952, she finally received her doctorate from Girton College on the basis of her four published books on early medieval history.
Duckett continued to write and travel, mostly to Cambridge and Maine, where she and Chase stayed on the coast at a summer house called Windswept, a name which Chase was to use for one of her most popular novels. In 1973, after Chase died, Duckett lost the house in Northampton where she and Chase had lived since the 1920s and entered a nursing home. She died in 1976, and is buried next to Chase, near Windswept.
Publications and research interests
Duckett began her career as a Latin teacher and philologist, but in the 1920s moved steadily toward the Middle Ages. At this time also, her writing style began to change, possibly under the influence of Chase, toward a more active, accessible, and engaging style, "with considerable wit and sympathetic insight into character." In 1938, she published Gateway to the Middle Ages, which proved an accessible and popular book and established her reputation as a writer for a general audience. Finding more and more popular and scholarly recognition, she continued to cultivate her acquaintance with the scholarly authorities of her time, aided also by her position as a reviewer for The New York Times Book ReviewThe New York Times Book Review
The New York Times Book Review is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to The New York Times in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely read book review publications in the industry. The offices are located near Times Square in New York...
.
Select bibliography
- Gateway to the Middle Ages (1938)
- Alfred the Great and his England (Collins, 1957)
- The Wandering Saints of the Early Middle Ages (London: Collins; New York: Norton, 1959)