Emeritus Professor Phyllis Hodgson (1909–2000) was a Medievalist and translator of medieval texts.

Professional career

Hodgson was an undergraduate at Bedford College, London,, and did her doctoral work at

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, where she would soon go on to earn the title of Professor. She then spent the remainder of her professional career at

Bedford College, London file:Bedford College in York place - photographer is unknown but guess 1908.png, Bedford College was in York Place after 1874 Bedford College was founded in London in 1849 as the first higher education college for education of women, women in th ...

before it became

Royal Holloway, University of London Royal Holloway, University of London (RHUL), formally incorporated as Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, is a public research university and a constituent college of the federal University of London. It has six schools, 21 academic departm ...

, teaching Old and Middle English- her extensive time working at the college resulted in her teaching medievalists, including Elizabeth Salter, Stanley Hussey and David Burnley.https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/english/informationforcurrentstudents/departmentalprizes.aspx Hodgson continued to teach at Bedford College until her retirement in 1972.

Literary works

Hodgson edited the works of ''

The Cloud of Unknowing ''The Cloud of Unknowing'' (Middle English: ''The Cloude of Unknowyng'') is an anonymous work of Christian mysticism written in Middle English in the latter half of the 14th century. The text is a spiritual guide on contemplative prayer in the ...

and the Book of Privy Counselling'', originally for the Early English Text Society in 1944, extensively revising them in her retirement. She also edited the General Prologue to ''

The Canterbury Tales ''The Canterbury Tales'' ( enm, Tales of Caunterbury) is a collection of twenty-four stories that runs to over 17,000 lines written in Middle English by Geoffrey Chaucer between 1387 and 1400. It is widely regarded as Chaucer's ''Masterpiece, ...

'' and ''

The Franklin's Tale "The Franklin's Tale" ( enm, The Frankeleyns Tale) is one of ''The Canterbury Tales'' by Geoffrey Chaucer. It focuses on issues of providence, truth, generosity and ''gentillesse'' in human relationships. Synopsis A medieval franklin was free, ...

''. Hodgson continued to pursue her interests of Medieval Literature and old English Christian Mysticism, going on to publish the only modern edition of ''The Orchard of Syon'', the fifteenth-century Middle English translation of Catherine of Siena’s ''Diologo'' that was made for the Bridgettines nuns of the Syon Monastery. Hodgson also wrote brief reviews of medievalist texts in the journal '' Modern Language Review''.

Death

Hogdson continued to research and write as a medieval scholar long after her work at Royal Holloway was complete, and died on 3 June 2000, aged 91.

Posthumous acknowledgements

After Hodgson's death, Royal Holloway introduced the ‘Phyllis Hodgson Prize’ for any BA, Masters or PHD student with an ‘Exceptional achievement’ in Hodgson’s field.

List of literary contributions

* ''Deonise Hid Diuinite: And Other Treatises on Contemplative Prayer Related to the Cloud of Unknowing'' - Editor * ''Chaucer: The General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales'' - Editor * ''The Cloud of Unknowing and the Book of Privy Counselling'' - Editor- * ''General Prologue to the Canterbury Tales'' - Editor * ''Introduction to Geoffrey Chaucer

'' - Editor * ''Three Fourteenth Century English Mystics (Writers & Their Works)'' - Writer

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hodgson, Phyllis Medieval texts British women editors British editors British medievalists Women medievalists Academics of Bedford College, London 1909 births 2000 deaths British women historians 20th-century English historians