W. J. M. Starkie
Encyclopedia
William Joseph Myles Starkie (10 December 1860 - 21 July 1920) was a noted Greek
scholar and translator of Aristophanes
. He was President of Queen's College, Galway (1897–1899) and the last Resident Commissioner of National Education for Ireland under British rule (1899–1920).
, Sligo
, where his father was Resident Magistrate
. He was the fifth son of William Robert Starkie JP
(1824–1897) and Francis Powers Starkie. He spent his early years at Creggane Manor in Rosscarbery
near Cork
with his four older brothers and younger sister, Edyth Starkie
, who became a painter and was married to Arthur Rackham
. After a short time at Clongowes Wood College
he entered Shrewsbury School
, Shropshire
in 1877 and was the only Roman Catholic in the school. He became one of the Shrewsbury (Rowing) crew and was also Head of School before he went to Trinity College, Cambridge
in 1880. Three years later he took his First in the Classical Tripos
, and then abandoned the chance of a Fellow
ship to set off and wander in Italy
and Greece
.
On his return to Ireland
he chose to lead an academic career. Obliged to begin again as a freshman at Trinity College, Dublin
, he won the first classical scholarship, the Berkeley gold medal for Greek and was later awarded the Madden Prize, which allowed him to travel in Palestine
and Persia. In 1890, having obtained the highest recorded marks in classics, he became a Fellow
and Tutor
of Trinity College. In 1897 he published The Wasps of Aristophanes
, or Vespae which became the first of the Aristophanic works which established his distinction in the field. That same year he resigned his Fellowship to become President
of Queen's College
in Galway
. He received honorary degrees from Trinity College
(1898) and the Royal University of Ireland
(1909). In 1914 he became a member of the Irish Privy Council
.
In 1893 he married May, the daughter of Cornelius Walsh, a Dublin solicitor. She had been one of his students at Alexandra College
in Dublin where he had once taught classics. Hers was a colorful family that their two eldest children went on to describe, Enid
in her autobiography, A Lady's Child, and Walter
in his autobiography, Scholars and Gypsies. Their other children were Muriel, Ida (known as Chou-Chou), Nancy, and Humphrey Robert who died in infancy (1916).
Bishops and clergy. Catholic Canon law delegated the moral supervision of each child to his parish priest. In addition some clerics opposed the amalgamation of boys and girls schools as being morally dangerous. In the end the Catholic authorities prevailed.
He was responsible for making Shakespeare familiar to the boys and girls in the National schools throughout Ireland, and he also introduced Irish History
into the National School's primary curriculum. Up until then the authorities forbade lessons in Irish History
or even Geography
in order to prevent any chance of nurturing independence in the classroom. When authorizing the distribution of the pro-establishment Irish history text by Patrick Weston Joyce
, Starkie stated, "There can be little doubt that the Board were guilty of narrow pedantry
in neglecting as worthless the whole previous spiritual life of the pupil and the multitude of associations, imaginations, and sentiments that formed the contents of his consciousness." However, after the Easter Rising
of 1916, he withdrew Joyce's
text from the classrooms declaring the teaching of Irish history too dangerous a subject for the National schools. Some even claimed that by carrying recently sanctioned textbooks home children were actually corrupting their parents with nationalism.
He died at Cushendun
on 21 July 1920 from diabetes, one year before the discovery of insulin
. His son was the scholar Walter Starkie
, known for his books on his travels with the Gypsies and as a Spanish
translator. His eldest daughter was Enid Starkie
, who was known for her biographies of French
poets.
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
scholar and translator 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...
. He was President of Queen's College, Galway (1897–1899) and the last Resident Commissioner of National Education for Ireland under British rule (1899–1920).
Life
He was born at Rosses PointRosses Point
Rosses Point is a village in County Sligo, Ireland and also the name of the surrounding peninsula. The point guards Sligo Harbour and is marked by the Metal Man lighthouse, a 3.7 metre high guardian statue placed offshore by local seafarers in 1821 and maintained by the Commissioners of Irish...
, Sligo
Sligo
Sligo is the county town of County Sligo in Ireland. The town is a borough and has a charter and a town mayor. It is sometimes referred to as a city, and sometimes as a town, and is the second largest urban area in Connacht...
, where his father was Resident Magistrate
Resident Magistrate
A resident magistrate is a title for magistrates used in certain parts of the world, that were, or are, governed by the British. Sometimes abbreviated as RM, it refers to suitably qualified personnel - notably well versed in the law - brought into an area from outside as the local magistrate,...
. He was the fifth son of William Robert Starkie JP
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
(1824–1897) and Francis Powers Starkie. He spent his early years at Creggane Manor in Rosscarbery
Rosscarbery
Rosscarbery or Roscarbery is a town in County Cork, Ireland. The town is on a shallow estuary, which opens onto Rosscarbery Bay.-History:...
near Cork
Cork (city)
Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
with his four older brothers and younger sister, Edyth Starkie
Edyth Starkie
Edyth Starkie was an established portrait painterand sculptor who was married to Arthur Rackham. She was born on the west coast of Ireland at Westcliff, near Galway.-Early life:...
, who became a painter and was married to Arthur Rackham
Arthur Rackham
Arthur Rackham was an English book illustrator.-Biography:Rackham was born in London as one of 12 children. At the age of 18, he worked as a clerk at the Westminster Fire Office and began studying part-time at the Lambeth School of Art.In 1892 he left his job and started working for The...
. After a short time at Clongowes Wood College
Clongowes Wood College
Clongowes Wood College is a voluntary secondary boarding school for boys, located near Clane in County Kildare, Ireland. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1814, it is one of Ireland's oldest Catholic schools, and featured prominently in James Joyce's semi-autobiographical novel A Portrait of the...
he entered Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged 13 to 18, founded by Royal Charter in 1552. The present campus to which the school moved in 1882 is located on the banks of the River Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England...
, Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
in 1877 and was the only Roman Catholic in the school. He became one of the Shrewsbury (Rowing) crew and was also Head of School before he went to 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...
in 1880. Three years later he took his First in the Classical Tripos
Classical Tripos
The Classical Tripos is the taught course in classics at the University of Cambridge, equivalent to Literae Humaniores at Oxford. It is traditionally a three year degree, but for those who have not studied Latin and Greek at school a four year course has been introduced...
, and then abandoned the chance of a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
ship to set off and wander in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
.
On his return to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
he chose to lead an academic career. Obliged to begin again as a freshman at Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, he won the first classical scholarship, the Berkeley gold medal for Greek and was later awarded the Madden Prize, which allowed him to travel in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
and Persia. In 1890, having obtained the highest recorded marks in classics, he became a Fellow
Fellow
A fellow in the broadest sense is someone who is an equal or a comrade. The term fellow is also used to describe a person, particularly by those in the upper social classes. It is most often used in an academic context: a fellow is often part of an elite group of learned people who are awarded...
and Tutor
Tutor
A tutor is a person employed in the education of others, either individually or in groups. To tutor is to perform the functions of a tutor.-Teaching assistance:...
of Trinity College. In 1897 he published The Wasps of Aristophanes
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...
, or Vespae which became the first of the Aristophanic works which established his distinction in the field. That same year he resigned his Fellowship to become President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
of Queen's College
National University of Ireland, Galway
The National University of Ireland, Galway is a constituent university of the National University of Ireland...
in Galway
Galway
Galway or City of Galway is a city in County Galway, Republic of Ireland. It is the sixth largest and the fastest-growing city in Ireland. It is also the third largest city within the Republic and the only city in the Province of Connacht. Located on the west coast of Ireland, it sits on the...
. He received honorary degrees from Trinity College
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
(1898) and the Royal University of Ireland
Royal University of Ireland
The Royal University of Ireland was founded in accordance with the University Education Act 1879 as an examining and degree-awarding university based on the model of the University of London. A Royal Charter was issued on April 27, 1880 and examinations were opened to candidates irrespective of...
(1909). In 1914 he became a member of the Irish Privy Council
Privy Council of Ireland
The Privy Council of Ireland was an institution of the Kingdom of Ireland until 31 December 1800 and of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland 1801-1922...
.
In 1893 he married May, the daughter of Cornelius Walsh, a Dublin solicitor. She had been one of his students at Alexandra College
Alexandra College
Alexandra College is a private, single-sex school located in Milltown, Dublin, Ireland. It serves girls from ages 4 to 19 as boarding or day pupils. The school is one of the most prestigious in Ireland and ranks highly in Leaving Certificate results tables...
in Dublin where he had once taught classics. Hers was a colorful family that their two eldest children went on to describe, Enid
Enid Starkie
Enid Mary Starkie CBE, Litt.D , was an Irish literary critic, known for her biographical works on French poets. She was a Fellow of Somerville College, Oxford, and Lecturer and then Reader in the University.-Early life:She was the eldest daughter of Rt. Hon...
in her autobiography, A Lady's Child, and Walter
Walter Starkie
Walter Fitzwilliam Starkie CMG, CBE, Litt.D was an Irish scholar, Hispanist, author and musician.Born in Killiney, County Dublin, he was the eldest son of the noted Greek scholar and translator of Aristophanes, William Joseph Myles Starkie and May Caroline Walsh. Starkie grew up surrounded by...
in his autobiography, Scholars and Gypsies. Their other children were Muriel, Ida (known as Chou-Chou), Nancy, and Humphrey Robert who died in infancy (1916).
Resident Commissioner of Education
He was appointed Resident Commissioner of National Education for Ireland in February, 1899 and showed the vigour and freedom from convention unusual in holders of official positions. He set out to reform the existing educational system and his opponents had reason to dread the vigour of his onslaught. He started with abolishing the 'Results' system in which the amount of a teacher's salary depended on the results of the annual oral examinations of their pupils. This tended to produce a very mechanical form of teaching aimed mainly at satisfying the Inspector. A child could pass a Reading Test and not understand a word of it. With the payment of a regular salary matters improved. In 1904 he began a campaign to amalgamate small schools, but here he ran afoul of the CatholicCatholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
Bishops and clergy. Catholic Canon law delegated the moral supervision of each child to his parish priest. In addition some clerics opposed the amalgamation of boys and girls schools as being morally dangerous. In the end the Catholic authorities prevailed.
He was responsible for making Shakespeare familiar to the boys and girls in the National schools throughout Ireland, and he also introduced Irish History
History of Ireland
The first known settlement in Ireland began around 8000 BC, when hunter-gatherers arrived from continental Europe, probably via a land bridge. Few archaeological traces remain of this group, but their descendants and later Neolithic arrivals, particularly from the Iberian Peninsula, were...
into the National School's primary curriculum. Up until then the authorities forbade lessons in Irish History
History of Ireland
The first known settlement in Ireland began around 8000 BC, when hunter-gatherers arrived from continental Europe, probably via a land bridge. Few archaeological traces remain of this group, but their descendants and later Neolithic arrivals, particularly from the Iberian Peninsula, were...
or even Geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
in order to prevent any chance of nurturing independence in the classroom. When authorizing the distribution of the pro-establishment Irish history text by Patrick Weston Joyce
Patrick Weston Joyce
Patrick Weston Joyce was an Irish historian, writer and music collector, known particularly for his research in local place names of Ireland.-Biography:...
, Starkie stated, "There can be little doubt that the Board were guilty of narrow pedantry
Pedant
A pedant is a person who is excessively concerned with formalism and precision, or who makes a show of his or her learning.-Etymology:The English language word "pedant" comes from the French pédant or its older mid-15th Century Italian source pedante, "teacher, schoolmaster"...
in neglecting as worthless the whole previous spiritual life of the pupil and the multitude of associations, imaginations, and sentiments that formed the contents of his consciousness." However, after the Easter Rising
Easter Rising
The Easter Rising was an insurrection staged in Ireland during Easter Week, 1916. The Rising was mounted by Irish republicans with the aims of ending British rule in Ireland and establishing the Irish Republic at a time when the British Empire was heavily engaged in the First World War...
of 1916, he withdrew Joyce's
Patrick Weston Joyce
Patrick Weston Joyce was an Irish historian, writer and music collector, known particularly for his research in local place names of Ireland.-Biography:...
text from the classrooms declaring the teaching of Irish history too dangerous a subject for the National schools. Some even claimed that by carrying recently sanctioned textbooks home children were actually corrupting their parents with nationalism.
He died at Cushendun
Cushendun
Cushendun is a small coastal village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It sits off the A2 coast road between Cushendall and Ballycastle. It has a sheltered harbour and lies at the mouth of the River Dun and Glendun, one of the nine Glens of Antrim. The Mull of Kintyre in Scotland is only about...
on 21 July 1920 from diabetes, one year before the discovery of insulin
Insulin
Insulin is a hormone central to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle....
. His son was the scholar Walter Starkie
Walter Starkie
Walter Fitzwilliam Starkie CMG, CBE, Litt.D was an Irish scholar, Hispanist, author and musician.Born in Killiney, County Dublin, he was the eldest son of the noted Greek scholar and translator of Aristophanes, William Joseph Myles Starkie and May Caroline Walsh. Starkie grew up surrounded by...
, known for his books on his travels with the Gypsies and as a Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
translator. His eldest daughter was Enid Starkie
Enid Starkie
Enid Mary Starkie CBE, Litt.D , was an Irish literary critic, known for her biographical works on French poets. She was a Fellow of Somerville College, Oxford, and Lecturer and then Reader in the University.-Early life:She was the eldest daughter of Rt. Hon...
, who was known for her biographies of French
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
poets.
Works Translated
- The Wasps of AristophanesThe WaspsThe 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...
(1897) - Acharnians of AristophanesThe AcharniansThe Acharnians is the third play - and the earliest of the eleven surviving plays - by the great Athenian playwright Aristophanes. It was produced in 425 BCE on behalf of the young dramatist by an associate, Callistratus, and it won first place at the Lenaia festival...
(1909) - The CloudsThe CloudsThe Clouds is a comedy written by the celebrated playwright Aristophanes lampooning intellectual fashions in classical Athens. It was originally produced at the City Dionysia in 423 BC and it was not well received, coming last of the three plays competing at the festival that year. It was revised...
(1911)
Other Writings
- Recent editions of Catullus, (1890?)
- Recent Reforms in Irish Education, (1902)
- Dr. Starkie and the Catholic Clerical National School Managers of Ireland, (1903, with John Curry)
- A History of Irish Primary and Secondary Education during the last decade, (1911)
- Early Attic comedy and its bearings upon political and social life at Athens, (1911)
- Continuation Schools, (1912)
- Gospel According to St. Matthew XXVI.45, and XXVIII.2, (1920)
- An Aristotelian analysis of "the comic", illustrated from AristophanesAristophanesAristophanes , son of Philippus, of the deme Cydathenaus, was a comic playwright of ancient Athens. Eleven of his forty plays survive virtually complete...
, RabelaisFrançois RabelaisFrançois Rabelais was a major French Renaissance writer, doctor, Renaissance humanist, monk and Greek scholar. He has historically been regarded as a writer of fantasy, satire, the grotesque, bawdy jokes and songs...
, ShakespeareWilliam ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
and MolièreMolièreJean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
, (1920)