The cautionary tale of Delmore Schwartz’s rise and fall

Delmore Schwartz, once celebrated as a poetic prodigy, has seen his reputation eroded by time and critical reassessment. Emerging as a wunderkind in the literary world, Schwartz’s early promise was undeniable, but his later work fell out of favour, overshadowed by its grandiosity and lack of subtlety.

Despite initial comparisons to literary giants like Hart Crane and Wallace Stevens, Schwartz’s poetry often lacked the depth and nuance of his contemporaries, leading to his gradual decline in the literary canon.

Early promise and swift decline

Schwartz’s early work captured the attention of the literary world, earning him accolades and a reputation as a rising star. However, as his career progressed, the very qualities that had once set him apart began to work against him.

His poetry, characterized by a tendency towards overwrought expression and grandiosity, started to alienate critics and readers alike. The initial brilliance that had marked his early poems gave way to a style seen as heavy-handed and lacking in subtlety.

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The burden of self-absorption

A critical factor in Schwartz’s decline was his inability to move beyond his early themes and metaphors. His work remained rooted in a self-absorption that prevented him from evolving as a poet. This stagnation, coupled with a complacency that crept into his later works, led to his gradual marginalisation in the literary world.

As James Atlas observes in his biography, the tragic life had long since become more riveting than the tragic art, underscoring how Schwartz’s struggles overshadowed his creative output.

Legacy and lessons

Today, Schwartz’s legacy is a sobering reminder of the fleeting nature of artistic success. While his contemporaries like Elizabeth Bishop, John Berryman, and Robert Lowell left behind a body of work that continues to resonate, Schwartz’s poetry is largely forgotten, save for a few early pieces that are still anthologized.

His story serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of hubris and the importance of continual growth and self-reflection in the pursuit of lasting artistic achievement.

Schwartz’s tragic downfall underscores the fragility of artistic success, highlighting how a lack of personal and professional development can lead to obscurity, despite early brilliance.

Famous grammar masters from Oxford University history

The study of Latin was crucial in medieval England for both the Church and the ruling class. As a result, grammar schools sprouted up across the country, with some of them being affiliated with Oxford University.

Notable grammar-masters

Grammar masters were instrumental in teaching generations of students how to read and write Latin. One of the most notable grammar masters in Oxford University history was John of Cornwall, who taught at Cat Hall on the east side of Cat Street.

He is often credited with bringing about a change in the way children learnt Latin, substituting English for French as the language of instruction.

Another famous grammar-master was John Leland, senior, who taught at Peckwater Inn and won a lasting reputation as a grammarian.

He wrote Distinctiones Rhetoricae and other literature, and he kept a school large enough to employ assistants.

Master Robert Lane, destined to hold a similar position of authority at Bristol Grammar School in the future, initially held the role of principal grammaticus under the guidance of John Leland.

John Anwykyll and his innovative approach

John Anwykyll’s appointment as the first head of Magdalen Free Grammar School marked a pivotal moment in the history of Latin education in England, as he introduced an innovative approach to teaching grammar that would go on to revolutionise the way students learned and understood this fundamental subject.

He consented to endeavour to qualify a select group of talented students, ultimately preparing them for careers as instructors who would disseminate his groundbreaking teaching approach.

Lasting impact

Throughout its storied past, Oxford University has been home to a succession of celebrated grammar-masters whose pedagogical innovations and contributions have had a lasting impact on grammar development, and the teaching and learning of Latin.

The significant and lasting effects of their work continue to be evident in the evolution of teaching methods.