معرفی
Jonathan F S Post is a Distinguished Research Professor in the Department of English at UCLA's College of Letters and Science. He joined the UCLA English Department in 1980 after teaching at Yale in the late 1970s, and has held significant leadership roles including Chair of the English Department and Interim Dean of Humanities on two occasions. He is the founding Director of the UCLA Summer Shakespeare Program in Stratford and London, which has become a cornerstone of UCLA's literary studies offerings.
Post received his A.B. from Amherst College in 1970 and his Ph.D. from the University of Rochester in 1976. His academic journey reflects a deep commitment to literary scholarship and education, with a career spanning over four decades at one of America's premier research universities.
Professor Post's research spans from early modern to contemporary poetry, with particular expertise in Shakespeare, Milton, and the Metaphysical poets. His work bridges historical periods, examining how literary traditions evolve and influence subsequent generations of writers. He has made significant contributions to understanding 20th and 21st century poetics through the lens of historical literary traditions, demonstrating how contemporary poets engage with and transform earlier forms. His scholarship reveals intricate connections between literary periods that might otherwise appear disconnected, highlighting the continuity of poetic concerns across centuries.
Post's extensive publication record reveals a scholar deeply engaged with both historical literary analysis and contemporary poetic practice. His work consistently demonstrates how early modern poetic forms and concerns continue to resonate in modern and contemporary poetry. The trajectory of his scholarship moves from focused studies of individual poets (Vaughan, Browne) to broader analyses of poetic traditions (English Lyric Poetry), then to explorations of how contemporary poets engage with early modern forms (Green Thoughts, Green Shades), culminating in authoritative guides to Shakespeare's poetry and concise introductions to major poets like Bishop and Hecht.
- Folger Shakespeare Library Fellowship
- National Endowment of the Humanities Fellowship
- Bogliasco Foundation Fellowship
- John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship
As an academic leader, Post has significantly shaped the English Department at UCLA through his service as Department Chair and Interim Dean of Humanities. His founding of the UCLA Summer Shakespeare Program in Stratford and London has provided generations of students with immersive educational experiences connecting classroom learning with theatrical practice. His editorial work, particularly on Anthony Hecht's letters, has contributed substantially to American literary scholarship while his Oxford Handbook of Shakespeare's Poetry represents a major contribution to Renaissance studies.
Through the UCLA Summer Shakespeare Program, Post has created a vibrant intellectual community connecting students, faculty, and theater professionals across continents. This program exemplifies his commitment to experiential learning and his belief in the continuing relevance of Shakespeare's work for contemporary audiences.
