b. 1888d. 1974
John Crowe Ransom
John Crowe Ransom was an important literary leader in the early twentieth century, especially in the New Criticism movement as well as the Southern Agrarians. His poetry has been set to music by American composer Lee Hoiby, among others.
About
Born in Tennessee, Ransom graduated from Vanderbilt University and studied at Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. He taught at Vanderbilt University, where he began leading meetings of the “Fugitives,” a group of writers opposed to industrialism and devoted to classicism and agrarian values.
Later, Ransom taught at Kenyon College and founded The Kenyon Review. He only published three volumes of poetry himself, but spent the majority of his career as a critic. His poetry is spare and formal, characterized by ironic twists.
–Christie Finn Source: Academy of American Poets website
Related Information
Poetry Foundation
poetryfoundation.org/poets/john-crowe-ransomModern American Poetry
modernamericanpoetry.org/poet/john-crowe-ransom
Sheet Music