Eric Griffiths (critic)
Encyclopedia
Eric Griffiths is a British academic and literary critic.
. He has been a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge
since 1980. Before that he was a Research Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge
.
Griffiths has not published heavily, but he is a reputable teacher. Vanessa Feltz
is a former student of his. He has made a number of appearances in television documentaries.
and Christopher Ricks
. He admires the works of Giacomo Puccini, Marcel Proust, Geoffrey Hill and Samuel Beckett.
, after criticising his long Introduction to Dante in English (2005), Roger Scruton
, who had taught him and whom he liked, and Terry Eagleton
.
In December 1997 Griffiths interviewed college student Tracy Playle for a place for a BA in English at Trinity. Playle afterwards complained that she had been treated unfairly during the interview and had been mocked for her Essex
accent and her inability to recognise ancient Greek. The event was reported in the media causing some controversy regarding the nature of Oxbridge interviews. Subsequently Griffiths' role as an interviewer was discontinued.
Griffiths has an excellent knowledge of popular music, and often uses lyrics by Bob Dylan, Talking Heads and other artists in lectures and tutorials. In May 2008 a Tripos question in the Practical Criticism examination exam included song lyrics, from Love Is a Losing Game
, by Amy Winehouse
. Widespread attention in the national press prompted the identification in some papers of Griffiths as the examiner responsible.
Life
He was born in Liverpool into what he describes as a 'Welsh-speaking, chapel-going family', and educated at Cambridge University and Princeton UniversityPrinceton 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 has been a Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
since 1980. Before that he was a Research Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College, Cambridge
Christ's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge.With a reputation for high academic standards, Christ's College averaged top place in the Tompkins Table from 1980-2000 . In 2011, Christ's was placed sixth.-College history:...
.
Griffiths has not published heavily, but he is a reputable teacher. Vanessa Feltz
Vanessa Feltz
Vanessa Jane Feltz is an English television personality, broadcaster and journalist. She currently presents an early morning radio show on BBC Radio 2, a mid morning phone-in show on BBC London 94.9. In 2011, she started hosting The Vanessa Show on Channel 5. The first series ended on June 24th...
is a former student of his. He has made a number of appearances in television documentaries.
Works
The Printed Voice of Victorian Poetry (1989) remains his most substantial book. In loose terms he is a sceptic on literary theory, and a follower of the tradition of William EmpsonWilliam Empson
Sir William Empson was an English literary critic and poet.He was known as "燕卜荪" in Chinese.He was widely influential for his practice of closely reading literary works, fundamental to the New Critics...
and Christopher Ricks
Christopher Ricks
Sir Christopher Bruce Ricks, FBA is a British literary critic and scholar. He is the William M. and Sara B. Warren Professor of the Humanities at Boston University and Co-Director of the Editorial Institute at Boston University, and was Professor of Poetry at the University of Oxford from 2004...
. He admires the works of Giacomo Puccini, Marcel Proust, Geoffrey Hill and Samuel Beckett.
Controversy
Griffiths is an noted academic controversialist. Antagonists have included Helen VendlerHelen Vendler
Helen Hennessy Vendler is a leading American critic of poetry.-Life and career:Vendler has written books on Emily Dickinson, W. B. Yeats, Wallace Stevens, John Keats, and Seamus Heaney. She has been a professor of English at Harvard University since 1984; between 1981 and 1984 she taught...
, after criticising his long Introduction to Dante in English (2005), Roger Scruton
Roger Scruton
Roger Vernon Scruton is a conservative English philosopher and writer. He is the author of over 30 books, including Art and Imagination , Sexual Desire , The Aesthetics of Music , and A Political Philosophy: Arguments For Conservatism...
, who had taught him and whom he liked, and Terry Eagleton
Terry Eagleton
Terence Francis Eagleton FBA is a British literary theorist and critic, who is regarded as one of Britain's most influential living literary critics...
.
In December 1997 Griffiths interviewed college student Tracy Playle for a place for a BA in English at Trinity. Playle afterwards complained that she had been treated unfairly during the interview and had been mocked for her Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
accent and her inability to recognise ancient Greek. The event was reported in the media causing some controversy regarding the nature of Oxbridge interviews. Subsequently Griffiths' role as an interviewer was discontinued.
Griffiths has an excellent knowledge of popular music, and often uses lyrics by Bob Dylan, Talking Heads and other artists in lectures and tutorials. In May 2008 a Tripos question in the Practical Criticism examination exam included song lyrics, from Love Is a Losing Game
Love Is a Losing Game
"Love Is a Losing Game" is a song written and recorded by English singer-songwriter Amy Winehouse for her second album Back to Black . The track was chosen as the fifth single from the album. It was her last single before her death in July of 2011. The single was released on December 10, 2007 in...
, by Amy Winehouse
Amy Winehouse
Amy Jade Winehouse was an English singer-songwriter known for her powerful deep contralto vocals and her eclectic mix of musical genres including R&B, soul and jazz. Winehouse's 2003 debut album, Frank, was critically successful in the UK and was nominated for the Mercury Prize...
. Widespread attention in the national press prompted the identification in some papers of Griffiths as the examiner responsible.