Gary Taylor (English literature scholar)
Encyclopedia
Gary Taylor is George Matthew Edgar Professor of English at Florida State University
, author of numerous books and articles, and joint editor of the Oxford Shakespeare and Oxford Middleton.
(1979) and to a doctorate in English from the University of Cambridge
(1988). With Stanley Wells
, he worked for eight years as the "enfant terrible" of the Oxford Shakespeare (1978–86), a project that generated much controversy through editorial decisions such as printing two separate texts of King Lear
and attributing a poem commonly known as "Shall I die?" to Shakespeare (an attribution that has since been almost universally rejected). He has taught at Oxford University, Catholic University of America, Brandeis University
(where he was Chair of the English department), and the University of Alabama
(where he directed the Hudson Strode Program in Renaissance
Studies, 1995–2005). In 2005, he joined the English Department at Florida State University, where he became founder and first director of the interdisciplinary History of Text Technologies program.
Taylor has written extensively on Shakespeare, Middleton
, early modern culture, canon formation, race and ethnicity, gender and masculinity. Four of his works are included in the Random House
list of the hundred most important books on Shakespeare (more than any other non-British author). He is best known for his work as an editor, textual critic, and editorial theorist, for which he has received fellowships from the Folger Shakespeare Library
, the National Endowment for the Humanities
, and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
. He has also written for Time
, The Guardian
, and other periodicals, spoken to many theatre audiences, and been often interviewed on radio and television.
Taylor devoted twenty years to The Collected Works of Thomas Middleton, published by Oxford University Press
in 2007. With John Lavagnino, he led a team of 75 contributors from 12 countries to produce "the Middleton First Folio," designed to establish Middleton’s status as "our other Shakespeare." Among other works, Taylor and Lavagnino chose to print the entire texts of William Shakespeare's plays Macbeth
and Measure for Measure
, on the theory that Middleton revised both of these plays after their original composition. They include Shakespeare's Timon of Athens
as well, but in this case postulating that it was a collaboration between the two authors. Also included in the volume are such anonymous plays as A Yorkshire Tragedy
, The Second Maiden's Tragedy
(presented under the title The Lady's Tragedy) and The Revenger's Tragedy
, which are generally, though not universally, credited to Middleton by modern scholars.
Taylor is married to the feminist critic Celia R. Daileader. They divide their time between Tallahassee, Florida
, and Lecce, Italy.
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, author of numerous books and articles, and joint editor of the Oxford Shakespeare and Oxford Middleton.
Life
The first member of his family to graduate from high school, Taylor won scholarships that led to bachelor’s degrees in English and Classics from the University of KansasUniversity of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
(1979) and to a doctorate in English from the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
(1988). With Stanley Wells
Stanley Wells
Stanley William Wells, CBE, is a Shakespeare scholar and Chairman of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.Wells took his first degree at University College, London, and was awarded an honorary DLitt by the University of Warwick in 2008...
, he worked for eight years as the "enfant terrible" of the Oxford Shakespeare (1978–86), a project that generated much controversy through editorial decisions such as printing two separate texts of King Lear
King Lear
King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
and attributing a poem commonly known as "Shall I die?" to Shakespeare (an attribution that has since been almost universally rejected). He has taught at Oxford University, Catholic University of America, Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
(where he was Chair of the English department), and the University of Alabama
University of Alabama
The University of Alabama is a public coeducational university located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States....
(where he directed the Hudson Strode Program in Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
Studies, 1995–2005). In 2005, he joined the English Department at Florida State University, where he became founder and first director of the interdisciplinary History of Text Technologies program.
Taylor has written extensively on Shakespeare, Middleton
Thomas Middleton
Thomas Middleton was an English Jacobean playwright and poet. Middleton stands with John Fletcher and Ben Jonson as among the most successful and prolific of playwrights who wrote their best plays during the Jacobean period. He was one of the few Renaissance dramatists to achieve equal success in...
, early modern culture, canon formation, race and ethnicity, gender and masculinity. Four of his works are included in the Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
list of the hundred most important books on Shakespeare (more than any other non-British author). He is best known for his work as an editor, textual critic, and editorial theorist, for which he has received fellowships from the Folger Shakespeare Library
Folger Shakespeare Library
The Folger Shakespeare Library is an independent research library on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., in the United States. It has the world's largest collection of the printed works of William Shakespeare, and is a primary repository for rare materials from the early modern period...
, the National Endowment for the Humanities
National Endowment for the Humanities
The National Endowment for the Humanities is an independent federal agency of the United States established by the National Foundation on the Arts and the Humanities Act of 1965 dedicated to supporting research, education, preservation, and public programs in the humanities. The NEH is located at...
, and the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
The John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation was founded in 1925 by Mr. and Mrs. Simon Guggenheim in memory of their son, who died April 26, 1922...
. He has also written for Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, and other periodicals, spoken to many theatre audiences, and been often interviewed on radio and television.
Taylor devoted twenty years to The Collected Works of Thomas Middleton, published by Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press
Oxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
in 2007. With John Lavagnino, he led a team of 75 contributors from 12 countries to produce "the Middleton First Folio," designed to establish Middleton’s status as "our other Shakespeare." Among other works, Taylor and Lavagnino chose to print the entire texts of William Shakespeare's plays Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
and Measure for Measure
Measure for Measure
Measure for Measure is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1603 or 1604. It was classified as comedy, but its mood defies those expectations. As a result and for a variety of reasons, some critics have labelled it as one of Shakespeare's problem plays...
, on the theory that Middleton revised both of these plays after their original composition. They include Shakespeare's Timon of Athens
Timon of Athens
The Life of Timon of Athens is a play by William Shakespeare about the fortunes of an Athenian named Timon , generally regarded as one of his most obscure and difficult works...
as well, but in this case postulating that it was a collaboration between the two authors. Also included in the volume are such anonymous plays as A Yorkshire Tragedy
A Yorkshire Tragedy
A Yorkshire Tragedy is an early Jacobean era stage play, a domestic tragedy printed in 1608. The play was originally assigned to William Shakespeare, though the modern critical consensus rejects this attribution, favouring Thomas Middleton....
, The Second Maiden's Tragedy
The Second Maiden's Tragedy
The Second Maiden's Tragedy is a Jacobean play that survives only in manuscript. It was written in 1611, and performed in the same year by the King's Men. The manuscript that survives is the copy that was sent to the censor, and therefore includes his notes and deletions...
(presented under the title The Lady's Tragedy) and The Revenger's Tragedy
The Revenger's Tragedy
The Revenger's Tragedy is an English language Jacobean revenge tragedy, in the past attributed to Cyril Tourneur but is sometimes considered to be the work of Thomas Middleton by "Middletonians"...
, which are generally, though not universally, credited to Middleton by modern scholars.
Taylor is married to the feminist critic Celia R. Daileader. They divide their time between Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee, Florida
Tallahassee is the capital of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat and only incorporated municipality in Leon County, and is the 128th largest city in the United States. Tallahassee became the capital of Florida, then the Florida Territory, in 1824. In 2010, the population recorded by...
, and Lecce, Italy.
Books
- Gary Taylor and Michael Warren, eds., The Division of the Kingdoms (1983).
- Stanley WellsStanley WellsStanley William Wells, CBE, is a Shakespeare scholar and Chairman of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust.Wells took his first degree at University College, London, and was awarded an honorary DLitt by the University of Warwick in 2008...
and Gary Taylor (with John Jowett and William Montgomery), William Shakespeare: A Textual Companion (1987). - Reinventing Shakespeare: A Cultural History from the Restoration to the Present (1989).
- Gary Taylor and John Jowett, Shakespeare Reshaped 1606-1623 (1993).
- Cultural Selection (1996).
- Castration: An Abbreviated History of Western Manhood (2000).
- Buying Whiteness: Race, Culture, and Identity from Columbus to Hip Hop (2005).
- William Shakespeare, Complete Works, eds. Stanley Wells, Gary Taylor, John Jowett and William Montgomery (1986, rev. 2005).
- John FletcherJohn Fletcher (playwright)John Fletcher was a Jacobean playwright. Following William Shakespeare as house playwright for the King's Men, he was among the most prolific and influential dramatists of his day; both during his lifetime and in the early Restoration, his fame rivalled Shakespeare's...
, The Tamer Tamed, ed. Celia R. Daileader and Gary Taylor (2006). - Thomas Middleton and Early Modern Textual Culture, gen. eds. Gary Taylor and John Lavagnino (2007).
- The Collected Works of Thomas Middleton, gen. eds. Gary Taylor and John Lavagnino (2007).
Articles and book chapters
- "The War in King Lear," Shakespeare Survey, 33 (1980), 27-34.
- "The Fortunes of Oldcastle," Shakespeare Survey, 38 (1985), 85-100.
- "Revising Shakespeare," TEXT ME 604 875 4522, 3 (1987), 285-304.
- "The Renaissance and the End of Editing", in Palimpsest: Textual Theory and the Humanities, ed. George Bornstein and Ralph G. Williams (1993), 121-50.
- "Bardicide," in Shakespeare and Cultural Traditions, ed. Roger Pringle et al. (1994), 333-49.
- "Forms of Opposition: Shakespeare and Middleton," English Literary Renaissance, 24 (1994), 283-314.
- "Feeling Bodies", in Shakespeare in the Twentieth Century, ed. Jonathan Bate et al. (1998), 258-79.
- "Hamlet in Africa 1607," in Travel Knowledge, ed. Ivo Kamps and Jyotsna Singh (2000), 211-48.
- "Gender, Hunger, Horror: The History and Significance of The Bloody Banquet,\" Journal of Early Modern Cultural Studies, 1 (2001), 1-45.
- "Divine [ ]senses," Shakespeare Survey 54 (2001), 13-30.
- "Shakespeare's Mediterranean Measure for Measure", in Shakespeare and the Mediterranean, ed. Tom Clayton et al. (2004), 243-69.
- "Making Meaning Marketing Shakespeare 1623," in From Performance to Print in Early Modern England, ed. Peter Holland and Stephen Orgel, volume 3 of Redefining British Theatre History (Palgrave, 2006), 55-72.
External links
- Florida State University, Department of English, Faculty Page for Gary Taylor
- Oxford Middleton website
- History of Text Technologies at Florida State University
- “True Is It That We Have Seen Better Plays”, Time Europe, March 27, 2006.
- “No Holds Barred”, Guardian, February 21, 2006.
- “We have to protect People”, Guardian, December 9, 2004.
- “You vile, hopeless, incompetent Brits”, Guardian, December 10, 2003.