Rupert Atkinson (2 February 1881 – 6 February 1961) was an Australian poet and playwright.

Biography

Evelyn John "Rupert" Atkinson was born in Bendigo (formerly known as Sandhurst),

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

, and died in

East Melbourne East Melbourne is an inner-city suburb in Melbourne, Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, east of Melbourne's Melbourne central business district, Central Business District, located within the City of Melbourne Local government areas of ...

, just after his eightieth birthday. Atkinson began his education at St Andrew's College, Bendigo, and travelled to Britain to complete it at

Rugby School Rugby School is a public school (English independent boarding school for pupils aged 13–18) in Rugby, Warwickshire, England. Founded in 1567 as a free grammar school for local boys, it is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain. ...

and

Dover College , motto_translation = I cannot refuse the task , established = , closed = , type = Public SchoolIndependent day and boarding , religion = Church of England , headmaster = Simon Fisher , r_head_label = , r_head ...

. He matriculated and studied medicine at the

University of Melbourne The University of Melbourne is a public research university located in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1853, it is Australia's second oldest university and the oldest in Victoria. Its main campus is located in Parkville, an inner suburb no ...

but did not complete the course. He helped to manage pastoral stations owned by his father, Harry Leigh Atkinson, a medical practitioner. After his father's death Atkinson inherited substantial property in the Bendigo area and soon devoted himself to a life of literature. He resided in England from 1922 to 1931. He also visited the Continent and the United States before returning to Australia, where he lived in

Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...

.E. Morris Miller & Frederick T. Macartney, ''Australian Literature'', Angus and Robertson, Sydney, 1956, p.43.

Bibliography

Verse

*''The Shrine of Desire: Poems'' (1906) *''By a Midnight Sea: Poems'' (1908) *''A Modern Magdelene'' (1913) (aka ''The Renegades: A Tale in Verse'') *''Wayside Poems'' (1913) *''A Flagon of Song'' (1919) *''We Gods in Masquerade'' (1964)

Drama

*''A Nocturne'' (1919) *''Each Man a Multitude: a fantastic tragedy in three acts'' (1923) *''Ten Years' Remorse: a play in one act'' (1923) *''A Prologue to a Tragedy'' (1924) *''Boronia for the Soul'' (1925) *''Prologue to a Tragedy'' (1928) (aka ''A Prologue and Three Plays'')

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Atkinson, Rupert 1881 births 1961 deaths People educated at Rugby School 20th-century Australian poets Australian male poets 20th-century Australian male writers