Name E. J. | Education University of Glasgow | |
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Born 29 November 1927 ( 1927-11-29 ) Breslau, Germany Occupation Academic, Author, English Literature, Shakespeare Died July 18, 2011, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom Books Shakespeare - the "lost years", Shakespeare's impact on his conte, Myriad‑minded Shakespeare, The Texts of Othello and Shak, The Texts of Othello and Shak | ||
Ernst Anselm Joachim Honigmann (29 November 1927 – 18 July 2011) was Professor of English Literature, Shakespeare scholar, and Fellow of the British Academy.
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Early life
Born in Breslau, Germany (now Wrocław, Poland), Ernst Honigmann arrived in England in 1935, age 7, as a refugee from Nazi Germany, together with his father, the zoologist Dr Hans D.S. Honigmann (Director of Breslau Zoo), mother, Ursula, and brothers, Friederich and Paul.
Education and career
Honigmann attended Hillhead High School (Glasgow). He took his first degree in English Literature at the University of Glasgow 1944-48. He gained his BLitt working on a study of the chronology of Shakespeare's plays, under the supervision of J. C. Maxwell, at Merton College, Oxford 1948-50.
Honigmann was one of the three founder Fellows of the Shakespeare Institute (University of Birmingham) in Stratford-upon-Avon where he worked from 1951-54. He gained his DLitt after returning to the University of Glasgow from 1954–67, where he was Lecturer in English alongside Peter Alexander, his former teacher. In 1968 Honigmann became Reader and two years later Joseph Cowen Professor of English Literature at Newcastle University (also holding the position of leader of the English Department for 20 years), until his retirement from active University life in 1989, whereupon he was appointed Emeritus Professor. Honigmann was also elected to the Fellowship of the British Academy in 1989.
Honigmann authored and edited many books and papers, annotated editions of texts, and was a General Editor of the Revels Plays & Revels Plays Companion Library from 1976 - 2000. His classic texts remain relevant, and have been reprinted many times.
Honigmann continued to write after his retirement with his last paper being published posthumously. In retirement he worked both independently and on several collaborations in Shakespeare studies, created a new edition of Othello for the Arden Shakespeare, wrote a personal memoir Togetherness: episodes from the Life of a refugee, and created poetry and short stories (the latter mainly for the amusement of his grandchildren).