Robert V. Young, Jr. (born 1947) is a
professor
Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a "person who professes". Professors ...
of
Renaissance Literature and
Literary Criticism in the English Department of
North Carolina State University, co-founder and co-editor (with
M. Thomas Hester) of the ''John Donne Journal'', and author of multiple books and articles primarily related to the study of literature. He became the editor of the conservative quarterly ''
Modern Age'' in 2007.
He has served as director of graduate studies in the English Department at NCSU, as well as continuing to teach multiple courses in the department, especially regarding Renaissance and medieval literature. His articles on
English literature and education have appeared in multiple journals and periodicals, including the ''John Donne Journal'', ''
Ben Jonson Journal
''Ben Jonson Journal'' is a biannual academic journal published by Edinburgh University Press in Scotland, in May and November of each year. It was established in 1993. It covers the study of Ben Jonson
Benjamin "Ben" Jonson (c. 11 June 1 ...
'', ''
First Things
''First Things'' (''FT'') is an ecumenical and conservative religious journal aimed at "advanc nga religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society". The magazine, which focuses on theology, liturgy, church history, religio ...
'', ''
The Weekly Standard
''The Weekly Standard'' was an American neoconservative political magazine of news, analysis and commentary, published 48 times per year. Originally edited by founders Bill Kristol and Fred Barnes, the ''Standard'' had been described as a "re ...
'', ''
National Review
''National Review'' is an American conservative editorial magazine, focusing on news and commentary pieces on political, social, and cultural affairs. The magazine was founded by the author William F. Buckley Jr. in 1955. Its editor-in-chief ...
'', and ''
Culture Wars
A culture war is a cultural conflict between social groups and the struggle for dominance of their values, beliefs, and practices. It commonly refers to topics on which there is general societal disagreement and polarization in societal value ...
''. He is also a member of and has served as president (1998–1999) of the
John Donne Society, receiving its 2002 Award for Distinguished Publication in Donne Studies for his book ''Doctrine and Devotion in Seventeenth-Century Poetry''. He is a senior editor of ''Touchstone'' magazine.
His published essays and public lectures cover a wide variety of moral and religious topics as well as Renaissance, Medieval and twentieth-century literary
theory
A theory is a rational type of abstract thinking about a phenomenon, or the results of such thinking. The process of contemplative and rational thinking is often associated with such processes as observational study or research. Theories may be ...
and
criticism. He is particularly well known for his writing on the works of 17th century
English poets John Donne,
Richard Crashaw
Richard Crashaw (c. 1613 – 21 August 1649) was an English poet, teacher, High Church Anglican cleric and Roman Catholic convert, who was one of the major metaphysical poets in 17th-century English literature.
Crashaw was the son of a famous ...
,
Henry Vaughan
Henry Vaughan (17 April 1621 – 23 April 1695) was a Welsh metaphysical poet, author and translator writing in English, and a medical physician. His religious poetry appeared in ''Silex Scintillans'' in 1650, with a second part in 1655.''Oxfo ...
, and
George Herbert
George Herbert (3 April 1593 – 1 March 1633) was an English poet, orator, and priest of the Church of England. His poetry is associated with the writings of the metaphysical poets, and he is recognised as "one of the foremost British devoti ...
.
Dr. Young received his
B.A.
Bachelor of arts (BA or AB; from the Latin ', ', or ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate program in the arts, or, in some cases, other disciplines. A Bachelor of Arts degree course is generally completed in three or four yea ...
in English from
Rollins College and his
M.Phil.
The Master of Philosophy (MPhil; Latin ' or ') is a postgraduate degree. In the United States, an MPhil typically includes a taught portion and a significant research portion, during which a thesis project is conducted under supervision. An MPhil ...
and
Ph.D.
A Doctor of Philosophy (PhD, Ph.D., or DPhil; Latin: or ') is the most common degree at the highest academic level awarded following a course of study. PhDs are awarded for programs across the whole breadth of academic fields. Because it is ...
from
Yale University
Yale University is a Private university, private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Sta ...
. He is also a fluent reader and
translator
Translation is the communication of the meaning of a source-language text by means of an equivalent target-language text. The English language draws a terminological distinction (which does not exist in every language) between ''transl ...
of
Latin
Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...
, as well as a convert to the
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
faith.
Books
Author
*''At War with the Word: Literary Theory and Liberal Education'' (
Intercollegiate Studies Institute
The Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) is a nonprofit educational organization that promotes conservative thought on college campuses.
It was founded in 1953 by Frank Chodorov with William F. Buckley Jr. as its first president. It sponsor ...
, 1999) ()
*''Doctrine & Devotion in Seventeenth-Century Poetry: Studies in Donne, Herbert, Crashaw, and Vaughan'' (Boydell & Brewer, 2000) ()
*''Richard Crashaw and the Spanish Golden Age (Yale studies in English)'' (Yale University Press, 1982) ()
*''A Student's Guide to Literature'' (
Intercollegiate Studies Institute
The Intercollegiate Studies Institute (ISI) is a nonprofit educational organization that promotes conservative thought on college campuses.
It was founded in 1953 by Frank Chodorov with William F. Buckley Jr. as its first president. It sponsor ...
, 2000) ()
Translator
*''Principles of Letter-Writing: A Bilingual Text of Justi Lipsii Epistolica Institutio'' (Southern Illinois University Press, 1996) ()
External links
''The John Donne Journal''John Donne SocietyHis writings in ''Touchstone'' magazine
Articles
"The Bard, the Black, the Jew"in ''
First Things
''First Things'' (''FT'') is an ecumenical and conservative religious journal aimed at "advanc nga religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society". The magazine, which focuses on theology, liturgy, church history, religio ...
'' 141 (March 2004): 22-29
"Before Foucault" a book review in ''
First Things
''First Things'' (''FT'') is an ecumenical and conservative religious journal aimed at "advanc nga religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society". The magazine, which focuses on theology, liturgy, church history, religio ...
'' 72 (April 1997): 50-52
"Dante's New Guide" book review in ''
Touchstone Magazine
''Touchstone'' is a bimonthly conservative ecumenical Christian publication of the Fellowship of St. James. It is subtitled ''A Journal of Mere Christianity'', which replaced ''A Journal of Ecumenical Orthodoxy''.
''Touchstone'' was started in ...
''
"The Gay Invention" a feature article in ''
Touchstone Magazine
''Touchstone'' is a bimonthly conservative ecumenical Christian publication of the Fellowship of St. James. It is subtitled ''A Journal of Mere Christianity'', which replaced ''A Journal of Ecumenical Orthodoxy''.
''Touchstone'' was started in ...
'' (December 2005)
Book reviewof ''Henry Howard the Poet Earl of Surrey: A Life'' in the ''
South Atlantic Review''
"Herbert and the Real Presence"in ''Renascence'', Spring '93, Vol. 45, Issue 3
in ''Catholic Dossier'' (March/April 2002)
from ''Christianity and Western Civilization. Christopher Dawson’s Insight: Can a Culture Survive the Loss of Its Religious Roots?'', papers Presented at a Conference Sponsored by the Wethersfield Institute New York City, October 15, 1993 (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 1993): 37–56.
"The Old New Criticism and its Critics"in ''
First Things
''First Things'' (''FT'') is an ecumenical and conservative religious journal aimed at "advanc nga religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society". The magazine, which focuses on theology, liturgy, church history, religio ...
'' 35 (August/September 1993): 38-44
"The Universities and the Transmission of Culture" a speech given at the Cleveland Regional Meeting of The Philadelphia Society (Sept. 21, 2002)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Young, R. V.
American literary critics
American non-fiction writers
Literary critics of English
North Carolina State University faculty
Living people
Rollins College alumni
Yale University alumni
1947 births