Alfred Edward Housman, better known as A.E. Housman, was born on March 26, 1859 in Worcestershire, England. He was the eldest of seven children born to Sarah Jane and Edward Housman. His father worked as a solicitor, and his mother came from a family of prosperous corn merchants. Housman grew up in a middle-class household, where he was encouraged to pursue his academic interests.
Housman attended King Edward's School in Birmingham, where he excelled in his studies, particularly in Latin and Greek. He went on to attend Bromsgrove School before eventually studying at the University of Oxford. At Oxford, Housman focused on classical studies and earned a degree in classics in 1881.
After graduating from Oxford, Housman struggled to find employment in academia. He briefly worked as a clerk in the Patent Office before eventually securing a position as a professor at University College London. Housman later moved to the University of Cambridge, where he taught Latin and Greek literature.
Despite his success as a scholar, Housman is best known for his work as a poet. In 1896, he published his first collection of poems, A Shropshire Lad, which received critical acclaim for its lyrical beauty and emotional depth. The poems in the collection reflect Housman's own struggles with loss and mortality, as well as his atheistic beliefs.
In 1922, Housman published his second collection of poems, Last Poems, which continued to explore themes of death and disillusionment. Despite the somber tone of his poetry, Housman's work was praised for its vivid imagery and poignant expression of human emotion.
Housman was a private individual who kept his personal life largely out of the public eye. He never married and lived a solitary existence, focusing on his work and studies. Housman's brother, Laurence Housman, was a successful playwright and artist who supported his brother's creative pursuits.
After his death in 1936, Housman's poetry continued to resonate with readers around the world. His work influenced a generation of poets, including W.H. Auden and Dylan Thomas, who admired his lyrical style and philosophical depth. Housman's impact on English literature is undeniable, and his poems continue to be studied and celebrated to this day.
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