William John Courthope

British literary critic

Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Article History

Quick Facts

Born:: July 17, 1842, South Malling, Sussex

Died:: April 10, 1917, near Whiligh (aged 74)

Subjects Of Study:: poetry

See all related content

William John Courthope (born July 17, 1842, South Malling, Sussex—died April 10, 1917, near Whiligh) was a literary critic who believed that poetry expresses a nation’s history. His History of English Poetry (6 vol., 1895–1910) traces the development of English poetry in relation to the age in which it was written. He also continued Whitwell Elwin’s edition of Alexander Pope’s poetical works and wrote Joseph Addison, a life of the essayist, in both of which his love for the classical tradition in English shines through.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Encyclopaedia Britannica.