Kemp Malone
Encyclopedia
Kemp Malone was a prolific medievalist, etymologist
, philologist, and specialist in Chaucer who was lecturer and then professor of English Literature at Johns Hopkins University
from 1924 to 1956.
Born in an academic family, Kemp Malone graduated from Emory College
as it then was in 1907, with the ambition of mastering all the languages that impinged upon the development of Middle English
. He spent several years in Germany, Denmark and Iceland. When World War I
broke out he served two years in the United States Army and was discharged with the rank of Captain.
Malone served as President of the Modern Language Association
, and other philological associations (see link) and was etymology editor of the American College Dictionary, 1947. He resisted the views of Old English poetry as products of a purely oral tradition
. He contended that we must look to poets' individual elaboration of traditional structures: "A given poet was reckoned worthy if he handled with skill the stuff of which, by convention, poems must be made" (Malone, "The old tradition: poetic form" in A Literary History of England, Albert C. Baugh, editor, p. 31)
His interests ranged from 10th century manuscripts to the etymology of contemporary comic strip names. American speech, the English language, the historical Arthur
(his suggestion was the Roman dux
Lucius Artorius Castus
), Caedmon and Beowulf
(he edited a facsimile of the Thorkelin transcripts, 1951), Deor
- all were subjects among his hundreds of publications. He edited and translated a large corpus of medieval poetry: Widsith
from the Exeter Book
(1936). A sample of his production is Ten Old English Poems put into Modern English alliterative verse, The Johns Hopkins Press; Baltimore 1941 (sample at link)
His library, given to Emory University
carries his name as a memorial. His papers (30 document boxes) were deposited in 1983 at Johns Hopkins University
(Ms 129).
Etymology
Etymology is the study of the history of words, their origins, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.For languages with a long written history, etymologists make use of texts in these languages and texts about the languages to gather knowledge about how words were used during...
, philologist, and specialist in Chaucer who was lecturer and then professor of English Literature at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
from 1924 to 1956.
Born in an academic family, Kemp Malone graduated from Emory College
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
as it then was in 1907, with the ambition of mastering all the languages that impinged upon the development of Middle English
Middle English
Middle English is the stage in the history of the English language during the High and Late Middle Ages, or roughly during the four centuries between the late 11th and the late 15th century....
. He spent several years in Germany, Denmark and Iceland. When World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
broke out he served two years in the United States Army and was discharged with the rank of Captain.
Malone served as President of the Modern Language Association
Modern Language Association
The Modern Language Association of America is the principal professional association in the United States for scholars of language and literature...
, and other philological associations (see link) and was etymology editor of the American College Dictionary, 1947. He resisted the views of Old English poetry as products of a purely oral tradition
Oral literature
Oral literature corresponds in the sphere of the spoken word to literature as literature operates in the domain of the written word. It thus forms a generally more fundamental component of culture, but operates in many ways as one might expect literature to do...
. He contended that we must look to poets' individual elaboration of traditional structures: "A given poet was reckoned worthy if he handled with skill the stuff of which, by convention, poems must be made" (Malone, "The old tradition: poetic form" in A Literary History of England, Albert C. Baugh, editor, p. 31)
His interests ranged from 10th century manuscripts to the etymology of contemporary comic strip names. American speech, the English language, the historical Arthur
King Arthur
King Arthur is a legendary British leader of the late 5th and early 6th centuries, who, according to Medieval histories and romances, led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the early 6th century. The details of Arthur's story are mainly composed of folklore and literary invention, and...
(his suggestion was the Roman dux
Dux
Dux is Latin for leader and later for Duke and its variant forms ....
Lucius Artorius Castus
Lucius Artorius Castus
Lucius Artorius Castus was a Roman military commander. A member of the gens Artoria , he has been suggested as a potential historical basis for King Arthur....
), Caedmon and Beowulf
Beowulf
Beowulf , but modern scholars agree in naming it after the hero whose life is its subject." of an Old English heroic epic poem consisting of 3182 alliterative long lines, set in Scandinavia, commonly cited as one of the most important works of Anglo-Saxon literature.It survives in a single...
(he edited a facsimile of the Thorkelin transcripts, 1951), Deor
Deor
"Deor" is an Old English poem found in the late 10th century collection the Exeter Book. The poem consists of the lament of the scop Deor, who lends his name to the poem, which was given no formal title. Modern scholars do not actually believe Deor to be the author of this poem.In the poem, Deor's...
- all were subjects among his hundreds of publications. He edited and translated a large corpus of medieval poetry: Widsith
Widsith
Widsith is an Old English poem of 144 lines that appears to date from the 9th century, drawing on earlier oral traditions of Anglo-Saxon tale singing. The only text of the fragment is copied in the Exeter Book, a manuscript of Old English poetry compiled in the late 10th century containing...
from the Exeter Book
Exeter Book
The Exeter Book, Exeter Cathedral Library MS 3501, also known as the Codex Exoniensis, is a tenth-century book or codex which is an anthology of Anglo-Saxon poetry. It is one of the four major Anglo-Saxon literature codices. The book was donated to the library of Exeter Cathedral by Leofric, the...
(1936). A sample of his production is Ten Old English Poems put into Modern English alliterative verse, The Johns Hopkins Press; Baltimore 1941 (sample at link)
His library, given to Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
carries his name as a memorial. His papers (30 document boxes) were deposited in 1983 at Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
(Ms 129).