Marjorie Hope Nicolson
Encyclopedia
Marjorie Hope Nicolson was born February 18, 1894 in Yonkers, New York
, USA, the daughter of Charles Butler Nicolson, editor-in-chief of the Detroit Free Press
during World War I
and later that paper's correspondent in Washington, DC, and Lissie Hope Morris.
She graduated from the University of Michigan
with a B.A. degree in 1914, followed by her M.A. in 1918. Afterwards, she attended Yale
, where she received a Ph.D. in 1920, where she was the first woman to receive the distinguished John Addison Porter
Prize for her dissertation. This was followed by post-doctoral work at Johns Hopkins
from 1923-1926.
Nicolson worked for her father at the newspaper for a while, as a drama critic, before becoming dean and professor at Smith College
from 1929-1941. She left when she was hired as the first female graduate school professor at Columbia University
, where she remained until 1962, eventually becoming chairman of the graduate department of English and Comparative Literature.
In 1940, she became the first woman president of Phi Beta Kappa. She was also president of the Modern Language Association
in 1963.
An authority on 17th-century literature and thought, she was the author of numerous books, listed below. She was awarded the Pilgrim Award
from the Science Fiction Research Association
in 1971 for her pioneering work in the relationship between science and literature.
She died on March 9, 1981 in White Plains
, NY.
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA, the daughter of Charles Butler Nicolson, editor-in-chief of the Detroit Free Press
Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Free Press is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, USA. The Sunday edition is entitled the Sunday Free Press. It is sometimes informally referred to as the "Freep"...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and later that paper's correspondent in Washington, DC, and Lissie Hope Morris.
She graduated 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...
with a B.A. degree in 1914, followed by her M.A. in 1918. Afterwards, she attended 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...
, where she received a Ph.D. in 1920, where she was the first woman to receive the distinguished John Addison Porter
John Addison Porter
John Addison Porter was an American Professor of Chemistry. He was born in Catskill, New York and died in New Haven, Connecticut...
Prize for her dissertation. This was followed by post-doctoral work at Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
from 1923-1926.
Nicolson worked for her father at the newspaper for a while, as a drama critic, before becoming dean and professor at Smith College
Smith College
Smith College is a private, independent women's liberal arts college located in Northampton, Massachusetts. It is the largest member of the Seven Sisters...
from 1929-1941. She left when she was hired as the first female graduate school professor at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
, where she remained until 1962, eventually becoming chairman of the graduate department of English and Comparative Literature.
In 1940, she became the first woman president of Phi Beta Kappa. She was also president of the Modern Language Association
Modern Language Association
The Modern Language Association of America is the principal professional association in the United States for scholars of language and literature...
in 1963.
An authority on 17th-century literature and thought, she was the author of numerous books, listed below. She was awarded the Pilgrim Award
Pilgrim Award
The Pilgrim Award is presented by the Science Fiction Research Association for Lifetime Achievement in the field of science fiction scholarship. It was created in 1970 and was named after J. O. Bailey’s pioneering book Pilgrims Through Space and Time. Fittingly, the first award was presented to...
from the Science Fiction Research Association
Science Fiction Research Association
The Science Fiction Research Association , founded in 1970, is the oldest, non-profit professional organization committed to encouraging, facilitating, and rewarding the study of science fiction and fantasy literature, film, and other media...
in 1971 for her pioneering work in the relationship between science and literature.
She died on March 9, 1981 in White Plains
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
, NY.
Books
- The Art of Description, F.S. Crofts & Co., (1937)
- Newton Demands the Muse: Newton's Opticks and the Eighteenth Century Poets, Princeton University PressPrinceton University Press-Further reading:* "". Artforum International, 2005.-External links:* * * * *...
, (1946), (1966) - Voyages to the Moon, Macmillan Co., (1948)
- The Breaking of the Circle, (1950)
- Science and Imagination, (1956); Archon Books, (1976)
- Mountain Gloom and Mountain Glory: The Development of the Aesthetics of the Infinite, (1959); University of WashingtonUniversity of WashingtonUniversity of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
Press, (1997) - A Reader's Guide to John MiltonJohn MiltonJohn Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
, (1963); Syracuse UniversitySyracuse UniversitySyracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
Press, (1998) - Pepys' Diary and the New Science, (1965)
- Books are Not Dead Things, College of William and MaryCollege of William and MaryThe College of William & Mary in Virginia is a public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States...
, (1966) - "This Long Disease, My Life": Alexander PopeAlexander PopeAlexander 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...
and the Sciences, Princeton University PressPrinceton University Press-Further reading:* "". Artforum International, 2005.-External links:* * * * *...
, (1968) - John MiltonJohn MiltonJohn Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
: A Reader's Guide to His Poetry, Octagon Books, (1971) - The Conway Letters: The Correspondence of Anne, Viscountess Conway, Henry MoreHenry MoreHenry More FRS was an English philosopher of the Cambridge Platonist school.-Biography:Henry was born at Grantham and was schooled at The King's School, Grantham and at Eton College...
and Their Friends, 1642-1684, ed. by Marjorie Hope Nicolson, Oxford University PressOxford University PressOxford University Press is the largest university press in the world. It is a department of the University of Oxford and is governed by a group of 15 academics appointed by the Vice-Chancellor known as the Delegates of the Press. They are headed by the Secretary to the Delegates, who serves as...
, (1992) - The Virtuoso, by Thomas ShadwellThomas ShadwellThomas Shadwell was an English poet and playwright who was appointed poet laureate in 1689.-Life:Shadwell was born at Stanton Hall, Norfolk, and educated at Bury St Edmunds School, and at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, which he entered in 1656. He left the university without a degree, and...
, ed. by Marjorie Hope Nicolson & David Stuart Rodes, University of Nebraska Press, (1992) - Zephyr and Boreas: Winds of Change in the Fiction of Ursula K. Le GuinUrsula K. Le GuinUrsula Kroeber Le Guin is an American author. She has written novels, poetry, children's books, essays, and short stories, notably in fantasy and science fiction...
: A Festschrift in Memory of Pilgrim AwardPilgrim AwardThe Pilgrim Award is presented by the Science Fiction Research Association for Lifetime Achievement in the field of science fiction scholarship. It was created in 1970 and was named after J. O. Bailey’s pioneering book Pilgrims Through Space and Time. Fittingly, the first award was presented to...
Winner, Marjorie Hope Nicolson, ed. by George Edgar Slusser & Robert Reginald. San BernardinoSan Bernardino, CaliforniaSan Bernardino is a city located in the Riverside-San Bernardino metropolitan area , and serves as the county seat of San Bernardino County, California, United States...
, CA: Borgo Press, (1997).
- "Two Voices: Science and Literature", Rockefeller Institute Review, Vol. 1, No. 3 (June 1963):1–11.