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'''Eric Valentine Gordon''' ([[14 February]] [[1896]] – [[1938]]) was a Canadian philologist who worked alongside [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] on various scholastic works and published books. Gordon was educated at [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_College,_British_Columbia Victoria Victoria College] and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McGill_University McGill University]. He also attended [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_College,_Oxford University College] at [[University of Oxford|Oxford University]] (1920), and later taught at [[University of Leeds|Leeds University]] (1922-1931) and [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Manchester Manchester University] (1932-1938).<ref>[[Jane Chance]] (2003), ''[[Tolkien the Medievalist]]''</ref> In 1930, he married [[Ida Gordon|Ida Pickles]], a former student.
'''Eric Valentine Gordon''' ([[14 February]] [[1896]] – [[29 July]] [[1938]]) was a Canadian philologist who worked alongside [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] on various scholastic works and published books.  
==Early life==
Gordon was educated at [[wikipedia:Victoria College, British Columbia|Victoria College]] and [[wikipedia:McGill University|McGill University]]. He also attended [[wikipedia:University College, Oxford|University College]] at [[University of Oxford|Oxford University]] (1920), and later taught at [[University of Leeds|Leeds University]] (1922-1931).<ref name=chance>[[Jane Chance]] (2003), ''[[Tolkien the Medievalist]]''</ref>  


==Works with Tolkien on Old and Middle English==
==Works with Tolkien==
While Tolkien was teaching at [[Leeds University]], Gordon worked with him on ''[[A Middle English Vocabulary]]'' and ''[[Sir Gawain and the Green Knight]]''. After Gordon had come to Leeds, Tolkien wrote in [[Diary of J.R.R. Tolkien|his diary]] "Eric Valentine Gordon has come and got firmly established and is my devoted friend and pal."<ref>[[Humphrey Carpenter]] (2000), ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography]]'', New York: Houghton Mifflin, page 111</ref>
While Tolkien was teaching at [[Leeds University]], Gordon had come to Leeds and Tolkien wrote in [[Diary of J.R.R. Tolkien|his diary]] "Eric Valentine Gordon has come and got firmly established and is my devoted friend and pal."<ref>[[Humphrey Carpenter]] (2000), ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography]]'', New York: Houghton Mifflin, page 111</ref> Gordon worked with him on ''[[A Middle English Vocabulary]]'' and ''[[Sir Gawain and the Green Knight]]''.


While Gordon died in 1938, yet another two works, to which Tolkien contributed, were published posthumously by [[Ida Gordon|Ida]], Gordon's wife and a philologist as well. The first was ''[[Pearl (E.V. Gordon)|Pearl]]'' (1953; Tolkien contributed to this book with a section, "[[Form and Purpose]]", in the introduction) and the second was ''[[The Seafarer (I.L. Gordon)|The Seafarer]]'' (1960).<ref>[[Humphrey Carpenter]] (2000), ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography]]'', New York: Houghton Mifflin, page 145</ref><ref>[[Verlyn Flieger]] (2001). ''[[A Question of Time]]'', p. 262</ref> Both works were revised and completed by Ida Gordon.
The two also began the ''[[Viking Club]]'' where they would read [[Old Norse|Old Icelandic]] sagas (and drink a lot of beer) with students and faculty, and invent original [[Old English|Anglo-Saxon]] songs. A collection of these was privately published as the book ''[[Songs for the Philologists]]''.<ref>[[Humphrey Carpenter]] (2000), ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography]]'', New York: Houghton Mifflin, page 112</ref>
==The Viking Club ==
 
Gordon also began the ''[[Viking Club]]'' with Tolkien. In this club they would read [[Old Norse|Old Icelandic]] sagas (and drink beer) with students and faculty, and invent original [[Old English|Anglo-Saxon]] songs. A collection of these was privately published as the book ''[[Songs for the Philologists]]''.
In 1930, he married [[I.L. Gordon|Ida Pickles]], a former student and fellow philologist and later he taught at [[wikipedia:University of Manchester|Manchester University]] (1932-1938).<ref name=chance/>
 
While Gordon died in 1938, yet another two works, to which Tolkien contributed, were published posthumously by Ida, who completed and revised them. The first was ''[[Pearl (E.V. Gordon)|Pearl]]'' (1953; Tolkien contributed to this book with a section, "[[Form and Purpose]]", in the introduction) and the second was ''[[The Seafarer (I.L. Gordon)|The Seafarer]]'' (1960).<ref>[[Humphrey Carpenter]] (2000), ''[[J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography]]'', New York: Houghton Mifflin, page 145</ref><ref>[[Verlyn Flieger]] (2001). ''[[A Question of Time]]'', p. 262</ref>


==Bibliography, selected==
==Bibliography, selected==
*[[1922]]: ''[[A Middle English Vocabulary]]'' (editor)
;Books
*[[1925]]: ''[[Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (edition)|Sir Gawain and the Green Knight]]'', co-edited with [[J.R.R. Tolkien]]
*[[1925]]: ''[[Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (edition)|Sir Gawain and the Green Knight]]'' (co-editor with [[J.R.R. Tolkien]])
*[[1927]]: ''[[An Introduction to Old Norse]]''
*[[1927]]: ''[[An Introduction to Old Norse]]''
*[[1936]]: ''[[Songs for the Philologists]]'', with [[J.R.R. Tolkien]] et al.
*[[1937]]: ''[[The Battle of Maldon (E.V. Gordon)|The Battle of Maldon]]'' (editor)
*[[1937]]: ''[[The Battle of Maldon]]'' (editor)
*[[1953]]: ''[[Pearl (E.V. Gordon)|Pearl]]'' (editor, later edited by [[I.L. Gordon]])
*[[1953]]: ''[[Pearl (E.V. Gordon)|Pearl]]'' (editor)
*[[1960]]: ''[[The Seafarer (I.L. Gordon)|The Seafarer]]'' (editor, reworked by [[I.L. Gordon]])
 
;Poems
*[[1936]]: "[[Su Klukka Heljar]]" and "[[When I'm Dead]]", in ''[[Songs for the Philologists]]''


===As contributor===
;As contributor
*[[1923]]: ''[[A Northern Venture]]''
*[[1923]]: ''[[A Northern Venture]]''


==See also==
==See also==
*[[G.H. Cowling]]
*[[G.H. Cowling]]
*[[Letter to E.V. Gordon (2 January 1929)]]


==External links==
==External links==

Latest revision as of 13:35, 15 March 2024

Eric Valentine Gordon (14 February 189629 July 1938) was a Canadian philologist who worked alongside J.R.R. Tolkien on various scholastic works and published books.

Early life[edit | edit source]

Gordon was educated at Victoria College and McGill University. He also attended University College at Oxford University (1920), and later taught at Leeds University (1922-1931).[1]

Works with Tolkien[edit | edit source]

While Tolkien was teaching at Leeds University, Gordon had come to Leeds and Tolkien wrote in his diary "Eric Valentine Gordon has come and got firmly established and is my devoted friend and pal."[2] Gordon worked with him on A Middle English Vocabulary and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.

The two also began the Viking Club where they would read Old Icelandic sagas (and drink a lot of beer) with students and faculty, and invent original Anglo-Saxon songs. A collection of these was privately published as the book Songs for the Philologists.[3]

In 1930, he married Ida Pickles, a former student and fellow philologist and later he taught at Manchester University (1932-1938).[1]

While Gordon died in 1938, yet another two works, to which Tolkien contributed, were published posthumously by Ida, who completed and revised them. The first was Pearl (1953; Tolkien contributed to this book with a section, "Form and Purpose", in the introduction) and the second was The Seafarer (1960).[4][5]

Bibliography, selected[edit | edit source]

Books
Poems
As contributor

See also[edit | edit source]

External links[edit | edit source]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Jane Chance (2003), Tolkien the Medievalist
  2. Humphrey Carpenter (2000), J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography, New York: Houghton Mifflin, page 111
  3. Humphrey Carpenter (2000), J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography, New York: Houghton Mifflin, page 112
  4. Humphrey Carpenter (2000), J.R.R. Tolkien: A Biography, New York: Houghton Mifflin, page 145
  5. Verlyn Flieger (2001). A Question of Time, p. 262