George Benson Johnston
Encyclopedia
George Benson Johnston was a Canadian poet
(who published as George Johnston), translator, and academic "best known for lyric poetry that delineates with good-humoured wisdom the pleasures and pains of suburban family life." He also had an international reputation as a scholar and translator of the Icelandic Saga
s.
, in 1913, the son of Margaret Black and Benson Johnston, an insurance agent. The family moved to the Toronto
suburbs in 1923. Johnston knew in high school that he wanted to be a writer.
He studied at the University of Toronto
under Pelham Edgar and E.J. Pratt. There he "read T.S. Eliot, the early William Butler Yeats
, James Joyce
, Ezra Pound
, and added Alexander Pope
as a personal favorite." In 1935 he published two poems, "Annabelle" and "The Life in August," in the college magazine, Acta Victoriana.
Johnston received his B.A.
in 1936, and went to Europe. He stayed in England
, continuing to write. He published a story in the London Mercury in 1937. He soon returned to Canada, but continued to send his work to British magazines.
Johnston served as a Royal Canadian Air Force
pilot in World War II
, serving in Canada, Britain
, and West Africa
. In 1944 he married Jeanne McCrae; their family would include six children, five by birth and one by adoption.
After the war Johnston returned to the University of Toronto, receiving his M.A.
in 1946 under the direction of Northrop Frye
. He taught at Mount Allison University
from 1947 to 1949.
In 1950 Johnston joined the English department at Carleton College in Ottawa
(now Carleton University
), where he taught until retirement in 1979.
Johnston learned Old Norse
from Peter Foote
of the University of London
, and in 1957 began translating Norse sagas. His first effort, The Saga of Gisli, appeared in 1963; it is still in print. Seven of its poems were included in The Oxford Book of Verse in English Translation, edited by Charles Tomlinson
.
Johnston has made a dozen translations from Old and Modern Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian, and Faeroese. He has translated two books of poetry by Norwegian poet Knut Ødegård
.
In 1959 Johnston published his first book of his own poetry, The Cruising Auk, which was favourably reviewed by Eric Nicol
and Northrop Frye, and by the American magazine Alphabet. Alphabet, Chicago's Poetry
magazine, and Canada's Tamarack Review
, all became regular outlets for Johnson's new work.
He composed a biography of his friend, the painter Carl Fellman Schaefer.
After retiring, Johnston moved to Athelstan, in Quebec
's Eastern Townships
, to raise bees and continue to write.
Northrop Frye called The Cruising Auk "a beautifully unified book, the apparently casual poems carrying the reader along from the first poem to the last in a voyage of self-discovery." He added :"Johnston is an irresistibly readable and quotable poet. His finest technical achievement, I think, apart from his faultless sense of timing, is his ability to incorporate the language of the suburbs into his own diction."
Johnston's work features a recurring persona, Edward, forever on the verge of drowning.
and Carleton University.
An issue of Malahat Review (78, March 1987) was devoted to him.
Writing in Canadian Poetry in 1992, W.J. Keith called "attention to the unfortunate — one is tempted to say scandalous — neglect" of Johnston's poetry by critics and anthologists "in the last twenty years or so."
A festschrift
, The Old Enchanter: A Portrait of George Johnston, was published in 1999.
Except where noted, bibliographic information courtesy The Canadian Encyclopedia.
Canadian poetry
- Beginnings:The earliest works of poetry, mainly written by visitors, described the new territories in optimistic terms, mainly targeted at a European audience...
(who published as George Johnston), translator, and academic "best known for lyric poetry that delineates with good-humoured wisdom the pleasures and pains of suburban family life." He also had an international reputation as a scholar and translator of the Icelandic Saga
Saga
Sagas, are stories in Old Norse about ancient Scandinavian and Germanic history, etc.Saga may also refer to:Business*Saga DAB radio, a British radio station*Saga Airlines, a Turkish airline*Saga Falabella, a department store chain in Peru...
s.
Life
Johnston was born in Hamilton, OntarioHamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
, in 1913, the son of Margaret Black and Benson Johnston, an insurance agent. The family moved to the Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
suburbs in 1923. Johnston knew in high school that he wanted to be a writer.
He studied at the University of Toronto
University of Toronto
The University of Toronto is a public research university in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, situated on the grounds that surround Queen's Park. It was founded by royal charter in 1827 as King's College, the first institution of higher learning in Upper Canada...
under Pelham Edgar and E.J. Pratt. There he "read T.S. Eliot, the early William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats
William Butler Yeats was an Irish poet and playwright, and one of the foremost figures of 20th century literature. A pillar of both the Irish and British literary establishments, in his later years he served as an Irish Senator for two terms...
, James Joyce
James Joyce
James Augustine Aloysius Joyce was an Irish novelist and poet, considered to be one of the most influential writers in the modernist avant-garde of the early 20th century...
, Ezra Pound
Ezra Pound
Ezra Weston Loomis Pound was an American expatriate poet and critic and a major figure in the early modernist movement in poetry...
, and added Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope was an 18th-century English poet, best known for his satirical verse and for his translation of Homer. He is the third-most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, after Shakespeare and Tennyson...
as a personal favorite." In 1935 he published two poems, "Annabelle" and "The Life in August," in the college magazine, Acta Victoriana.
Johnston received his B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in 1936, and went to Europe. He stayed in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, continuing to write. He published a story in the London Mercury in 1937. He soon returned to Canada, but continued to send his work to British magazines.
Johnston served as a Royal Canadian Air Force
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
pilot in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, serving in Canada, Britain
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
. In 1944 he married Jeanne McCrae; their family would include six children, five by birth and one by adoption.
After the war Johnston returned to the University of Toronto, receiving his M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in 1946 under the direction of Northrop Frye
Northrop Frye
Herman Northrop Frye, was a Canadian literary critic and literary theorist, considered one of the most influential of the 20th century....
. He taught at Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University
Mount Allison University is a primarily undergraduate Canadian liberal arts and science university situated in Sackville, New Brunswick. It is located about a half hour from the regional city of Moncton and 20 minutes from the Greater Moncton International Airport...
from 1947 to 1949.
In 1950 Johnston joined the English department at Carleton College in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
(now Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
), where he taught until retirement in 1979.
Johnston learned Old Norse
Old Norse
Old Norse is a North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age, until about 1300....
from Peter Foote
Peter Foote
Peter Godfrey Foote was a scholar of Old Norse literature and Scandinavian studies. He inaugurated the Department of Scandinavian Studies at University College London, and headed it for 20 years.-Early life and education:...
of the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, and in 1957 began translating Norse sagas. His first effort, The Saga of Gisli, appeared in 1963; it is still in print. Seven of its poems were included in The Oxford Book of Verse in English Translation, edited by Charles Tomlinson
Charles Tomlinson
Alfred Charles Tomlinson, CBE is a British poet and translator, and also an academic and artist. He was born and raised in Penkhull in the city of Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.-Life:...
.
Johnston has made a dozen translations from Old and Modern Icelandic, Danish, Norwegian, and Faeroese. He has translated two books of poetry by Norwegian poet Knut Ødegård
Knut Ødegård
Knut Ødegård is a Norwegian writer.Born in Molde, Norway, Ødegård made his poetic debut in 1967. Since then he has published many volumes of poetry, two novels for young adults, two books about Iceland, a play, and several reinterpretations...
.
In 1959 Johnston published his first book of his own poetry, The Cruising Auk, which was favourably reviewed by Eric Nicol
Eric Nicol
Eric Patrick Nicol was a Canadian writer, best known as a longtime humour columnist for the Vancouver, British Columbia newspaper The Province...
and Northrop Frye, and by the American magazine Alphabet. Alphabet, Chicago's Poetry
Poetry (magazine)
Poetry , published in Chicago, Illinois since 1912, is one of the leading monthly poetry journals in the English-speaking world. Published by the Poetry Foundation and currently edited by Christian Wiman, the magazine has a circulation of 30,000 and prints 300 poems per year out of approximately...
magazine, and Canada's Tamarack Review
Tamarack Review
The Tamarack Review was a Canadian literary magazine, published from 1956 to 1982. Established and edited by Robert Weaver, other figures associated with the magazine's editorial staff included Anne Wilkinson, William Toye and John Robert Colombo....
, all became regular outlets for Johnson's new work.
He composed a biography of his friend, the painter Carl Fellman Schaefer.
After retiring, Johnston moved to Athelstan, in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
's Eastern Townships
Eastern Townships
The Eastern Townships is a tourist region and a former administrative region in south-eastern Quebec, lying between the former seigneuries south of the Saint Lawrence River and the United States border. Its northern boundary roughly followed Logan's Line, the geologic boundary between the flat,...
, to raise bees and continue to write.
Writing
The Canadian Encyclopedia calls Johnston "best known for lyric poetry that delineates with good-humoured wisdom the pleasures and pains of suburban family life." The Encyclopedia of Literature in Canada says that his books "contain witty and domestic satires" which "hint at uncertainty and vulnerability as well."Northrop Frye called The Cruising Auk "a beautifully unified book, the apparently casual poems carrying the reader along from the first poem to the last in a voyage of self-discovery." He added :"Johnston is an irresistibly readable and quotable poet. His finest technical achievement, I think, apart from his faultless sense of timing, is his ability to incorporate the language of the suburbs into his own diction."
Johnston's work features a recurring persona, Edward, forever on the verge of drowning.
Recognition
Johnston has received honorary degrees from Queen's UniversityQueen's University
Queen's University, , is a public research university located in Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Founded on 16 October 1841, the university pre-dates the founding of Canada by 26 years. Queen's holds more more than of land throughout Ontario as well as Herstmonceux Castle in East Sussex, England...
and Carleton University.
An issue of Malahat Review (78, March 1987) was devoted to him.
Writing in Canadian Poetry in 1992, W.J. Keith called "attention to the unfortunate — one is tempted to say scandalous — neglect" of Johnston's poetry by critics and anthologists "in the last twenty years or so."
A festschrift
Festschrift
In academia, a Festschrift , is a book honoring a respected person, especially an academic, and presented during his or her lifetime. The term, borrowed from German, could be translated as celebration publication or celebratory writing...
, The Old Enchanter: A Portrait of George Johnston, was published in 1999.
Poetry
- The Cruising Auk. Toronto, Oxford U P, 19591959 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* In the United States, "Those serious new Bohemians, the beatniks, occupied with reading their deliberately undisciplined, protesting verse in night clubs and hotel ballrooms, created more publicity...
. - Home Free. Toronto: Oxford, 19661966 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Raymond Souster founds the League of Canadian Poets...
. - Happy Enough: Poems 1935-72. Toronto: Oxford, 19721972 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* John Betjeman becomes Poet Laureate...
. ISBN 0195401999 - Taking a Grip: Poems 1971-78. Ottawa: Golden Dog, 19781978 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E Magazine, edited by Bruce Andrews and Charles Bernstein, first published...
. ISBN 0919614272 - Auk Redivivus: Selected Poems. Ottawa: Golden Dog, 19811981 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Jane Greer launched Plains Poetry Journal, an advance guard of the New Formalism movement....
. ISBN 0919614396 - Ask Again. Moonbeam, ON: Penumbra, 19841984 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:*December 19 - Philip Larkin turns down the British Poet Laureateship, and Ted Hughes becomes Poet Laureate....
. ISBN 092080666X - Endeared by Dark: The Collected Poems. (19901990 in poetryNationality words link to articles with information on the nation's poetry or literature .-Events:* Allen Ginsberg crowned "Majelis King" in Prague on May Day...
).
Prose
- On Translation - II. London: Viking Society for Northern Research, U College, 1961.
- Carl: Portrait of a Painter (1986)
Translated
- The Saga of Gisli the Outlaw (1963. Toronto: U of Toronto P, 1999. ISBN 9780802062192
- The Faroe Islanders' Saga (1975)
- The Greenlanders' Saga (1976)
- Rocky Shores: An Anthology of Faroese Poetry. (Pastoral Investigation of Social Trends: Working Paper). Wilfion Books, 1981. ISBN 9780905075105
- Wind over Romsdale: Poems by Knut Ødegård. Moonbeam, ON: Penumbra P, 1982. ISBN 092080621X
- Bee-Buzz, Salmon Leap (1989), more poetry of Knut Ødegård. Moonbeam, ON: Penumbra P, 1988. ISBN 0921254016
Edited
- The Collected Poems of George Whalley. Kingston, ON: Quarry P, 1986.Search results: George Whalley, Open Library, Web, May 12, 2011. ISBN 0919627420, ISBN 0919627455
Except where noted, bibliographic information courtesy The Canadian Encyclopedia.
External links
- George Benson Johnston in the Canadian Encyclopedia.
- The Later Poetry of George Johnston discussed in Canadian Poetry.