Douglass Parker
Encyclopedia
Douglass Stott Parker, Sr. (May 27, 1927 – February 8, 2011) was an American classicist, academic, and translator.
Born in LaPorte, Indiana
, the son of Cyril Rodney Parker and Isobel (Ross) Parker, Douglass received an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan
and a doctorate from Princeton University
. He was also a Fellow at the Center for Hellenic Studies
in 1961-1962, its inaugural year, and a Guggenheim Scholar.
Parker is known for his work in Greek and Roman comedy, particularly his translations of Aristophanes
’ plays Lysistrata
(1964), The Wasps
(1962) and The Congresswomen (Ecclesiazusae) (1967). He is also known for his translations of Terence
’s The Eunuch (Eunuchus
), and Plautus
' The Brothers Menaechmus (Menaechmi
), as well as other classical and literary works. His translations of plays have been republished multiple times, and have been performed around the world.
Parker was Professor of Classics at the University of Texas at Austin for forty years, recruited there in 1967 by William Arrowsmith
. Earlier he had been a professor at Yale
(1953-55) and at the University of California, Riverside
(1955-67). He taught classes in Greek and Latin languages and literature, as well as a discipline of his own creation, parageography—the study of imaginary worlds. His courses crossed traditional disciplinary boundaries and were popular; he was known at the University of Texas for his breadth of knowledge and teaching, and won graduate and undergraduate teaching awards. In 2011 the Journal Didaskalia dedicated its new endeavors to "Douglass Parker, who embodied the interplay between scholarship and practice, between an acute understanding of the ancient world and a keen sense of modern audience."
Parker had a passion for jazz, playing the trombone throughout his life, and elements of jazz improvisation and creativity also were themes in his research and teaching. He had interests in fantasy and science fiction as well, and published one of the first scholarly analyses of Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings
. Creativity and fantasy are foundations of imaginary words—including those of the Odyssey
, the Land of Oz
, and Middle Earth—and in parageography Parker sought insight on the creative process of writing.
Parker died after a bout with cancer at his home in Austin, Texas at age 83. He suggested that his epitaph read: "but I digress...".
Born in LaPorte, Indiana
LaPorte, Indiana
La Porte is a city in La Porte County, Indiana, United States, of which it is the county seat. Its population was 22,053 at the 2010 census. It is one of the two principal cities of the Michigan City-La Porte, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the...
, the son of Cyril Rodney Parker and Isobel (Ross) Parker, Douglass received an undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and a doctorate from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. He was also a Fellow at the Center for Hellenic Studies
Center for Hellenic Studies
The Center for Hellenic Studies is a research institute for classics located in Washington, D.C. at 3100 NW Whitehaven Street. It is affiliated with Harvard University....
in 1961-1962, its inaugural year, and a Guggenheim Scholar.
Parker is known for his work in Greek and Roman comedy, particularly his translations of Aristophanes
Aristophanes
Aristophanes , son of Philippus, of the deme Cydathenaus, was a comic playwright of ancient Athens. Eleven of his forty plays survive virtually complete...
’ plays Lysistrata
Lysistrata
Lysistrata is one of eleven surviving plays written by Aristophanes. Originally performed in classical Athens in 411 BC, it is a comic account of one woman's extraordinary mission to end The Peloponnesian War...
(1964), The Wasps
The Wasps
The Wasps is the fourth in chronological order of the eleven surviving plays by Aristophanes, the master of an ancient genre of drama called 'Old Comedy'. It was produced at the Lenaia festival in 422 BC, a time when Athens was enjoying a brief respite from The Peloponnesian War following a one...
(1962) and The Congresswomen (Ecclesiazusae) (1967). He is also known for his translations of Terence
Terence
Publius Terentius Afer , better known in English as Terence, was a playwright of the Roman Republic, of North African descent. His comedies were performed for the first time around 170–160 BC. Terentius Lucanus, a Roman senator, brought Terence to Rome as a slave, educated him and later on,...
’s The Eunuch (Eunuchus
Eunuchus
Eunuchus is a comedy written by the Roman playwright Terence featuring a complex plot of familial misunderstanding.-Prologue:...
), and Plautus
Plautus
Titus Maccius Plautus , commonly known as "Plautus", was a Roman playwright of the Old Latin period. His comedies are the earliest surviving intact works in Latin literature. He wrote Palliata comoedia, the genre devised by the innovator of Latin literature, Livius Andronicus...
' The Brothers Menaechmus (Menaechmi
Menaechmi
Menaechmi, a Latin-language play, is often considered Plautus' greatest play. The title is sometimes translated as The Brothers Menaechmus or The Two Menaechmuses....
), as well as other classical and literary works. His translations of plays have been republished multiple times, and have been performed around the world.
Parker was Professor of Classics at the University of Texas at Austin for forty years, recruited there in 1967 by William Arrowsmith
William Arrowsmith
William Ayres Arrowsmith was an American classicist, academic, and translator.-Life:Born in Orange, New Jersey, the son of Walter Weed Arrowsmith and Dorothy Arrowsmith, William grew up in Wellesley, Massachusetts...
. Earlier he had been a professor at Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
(1953-55) and at the University of California, Riverside
University of California, Riverside
The University of California, Riverside, commonly known as UCR or UC Riverside, is a public research university and one of the ten general campuses of the University of California system. UCR is consistently ranked as one of the most ethnically and economically diverse universities in the United...
(1955-67). He taught classes in Greek and Latin languages and literature, as well as a discipline of his own creation, parageography—the study of imaginary worlds. His courses crossed traditional disciplinary boundaries and were popular; he was known at the University of Texas for his breadth of knowledge and teaching, and won graduate and undergraduate teaching awards. In 2011 the Journal Didaskalia dedicated its new endeavors to "Douglass Parker, who embodied the interplay between scholarship and practice, between an acute understanding of the ancient world and a keen sense of modern audience."
Parker had a passion for jazz, playing the trombone throughout his life, and elements of jazz improvisation and creativity also were themes in his research and teaching. He had interests in fantasy and science fiction as well, and published one of the first scholarly analyses of Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
. Creativity and fantasy are foundations of imaginary words—including those of the Odyssey
Odyssey
The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, the other work ascribed to Homer. The poem is fundamental to the modern Western canon, and is the second—the Iliad being the first—extant work of Western literature...
, the Land of Oz
Land of Oz
Oz is a fantasy region containing four lands under the rule of one monarch.It was first introduced in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, one of many fantasy countries that he created for his books. It achieved a popularity that none of his other works attained, and after four years, he...
, and Middle Earth—and in parageography Parker sought insight on the creative process of writing.
Parker died after a bout with cancer at his home in Austin, Texas at age 83. He suggested that his epitaph read: "but I digress...".
External links
- David Stokes, homage to Douglass Parker, Parageography, Issue 1, Summer 2003
- Tribute to Parker by the University of Texas College of Liberal Arts
- Didaskalia memorial to Douglass Parker
- CAMWS memorial: Douglass Parker
- Video clips (2000) of the Thiasos Theater Company production of Douglass Parker's translation of Aristophanes' Wealth, from BBC2's documentary series The Road to Riches
- Video clips (2001) of the Thiasos Theater Company production of Douglass Parker's translation of Aristophanes' Peace