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John Collins Pope

1904 – 1997

American literature professor and scholar of Old English

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About John Collins Pope

Lived 1904 – 1997 (aged 92). John Collins Pope was an American philologist, university teacher and literary scholar.

John Collins Pope (December 4, 1904 – April 18, 1997) was an American scholar of Old English. He taught at Yale University English Department from 1928 to 1971, where he was William Lampson Professor Emeritus of English at the time of his death. He was described by fellow Old English specialist Fred C. Robinson as "the leading Old English scholar of his generation".

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Pope was educated at the Taft School and Yale University (BA 1925; PhD 1931). He then joined Yale's faculty, remaining there for his entire career. He produced editions of several Old English texts. He also proposed a scansion system for Old English in which rhythmic stress is assigned using musical patterns.

Pope was elected a Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy in 1968 and a Fellow of the Medieval Academy of America in 1972. He received the Wilbur Cross Medal in 1972. A festschrift in his honour, Old English Studies in Honour of John C. Pope, was published in 1974.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Yale University
Employers
Yale University
Awards
Guggenheim Fellowship; Fellow of the Medieval Academy of America; Wilbur Cross Medal
Also known as
John C. Pope

People in John Collins Pope's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Collins Pope's

Frequently asked questions

Who was John Collins Pope?

American literature professor and scholar of Old English

When was John Collins Pope born?

John Collins Pope was born on 4 December 1904 in Cleveland.

When did John Collins Pope die?

John Collins Pope died on 18 April 1997 in New Haven.

What was John Collins Pope's occupation?

John Collins Pope was a philologist, university teacher and literary scholar.

What nationality was John Collins Pope?

John Collins Pope was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: John Collins Pope

· Wikidata: Q59629505

· DBpedia: John C. Pope

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Collins Pope. https://biography.guide/john-collins-pope/

MLA: "John Collins Pope." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-collins-pope/.

Chicago: "John Collins Pope." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-collins-pope/.

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