English professors and literature enthusiasts honored the legacy of poet laureate and former University professor Robert Penn Warren in Hill Memorial Library Friday afternoon, finishing a week that celebrated what would be Warren’s 100th birthday.
Warren was an English professor from 1934 to 1942. During that time, he founded The Southern Review and wrote “All the King’s Men,” a novel that won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 1946 and is based on the life of Louisiana governor Huey P. Long.
Warren is the only American to win the Pulitzer Prize three times. His second and third wins were for poetry.
English professor Moira Crone said Warren’s relationship with the University began to sour as his fame began to grow nationally. His innovative styles of literary study and criticism also put him at odds with the University, despite the fact that the styles were gaining ground elsewhere. When the University of Minnesota offered him a job, and LSU would not match their salary offer, he packed his bags for the twin cities.
“It was a matter of a raise of a few hundred dollars,” Crone said. “His pride was part of it. He felt he wasn’t wanted at LSU.”
After a few years at the University of Minnesota, he went to teach at Yale University, where he remained for the rest of his academic career.
At the presentation Friday afternoon, Crone interviewed English professor James Wilcox, who studied under Warren while attending Yale. Wilcox is also the director of the University’s creative writing program.
Wilcox spoke about Warren’s sometimes bizarre teaching style.
“He would say, ‘Remember everything I’ve taught you, then forget it all, sit down and write,’” Wilcox said.
He also said the University should be proud that “All the King’s Men” was sparked by its environment.
“‘All the King’s Men’ is probably one of the greatest novels of the 20th century, if not the greatest,” Wilcox said. “And it wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the LSU English Department.”
English professors David Madden and Laura Mullen then read some of Warren’s works.
Madden gave an intense, dramatic reading of a passage from “All the King’s Men,” while Mullen read the poems, “Waiting” and “After the Dinner Party,” as well as a passage from “Segregation,” which she said was timely after the Salt ‘N’ Pepper controversy.
Madden said the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is what inspired him to come teach at the Univesity.
“I wanted to experience the place where [Warren] created [‘All the King’s Men’], Madden said. “I wanted to be part of the ambiance.”
Mullen, who said she has read “All the King’s Men” at least once every year for the past 10 years, said she is inspired in many ways by Warren.
“We have a great need of people who look at the world in new ways,” Mullen said.
University honors legacy of Robert Penn Warren
May 2, 2005
David Madden, an English professor, reads from Robert Penn Warren’s”All the King’s Men,”Friday afternoon at the Hill Memorial Library on campus. Warren attended the University as a graduate student, then went on to be one of the most influential wr
University honors legacy of Robert Penn Warren