About
Richard Aldington, born Edward Godfree Aldington, was an English writer and poet. A founding figure of the Imagist movement alongside Ezra Pound and his wife H.D., he published his first poems in 1912. Serving on the Western Front during World War I, he drew on his experiences for his semi-autobiographical novel Death of a Hero (1929), praised by George Orwell. Winner of the James Tait Black Memorial Prize for his biography Wellington (1946), he is also known for his controversial biography of T.E. Lawrence (1955). A prolific author, he produced over 140 works, including poetry, novels, biographies, and translations.
* 1892-07-08 — † 1962-07-27
Major works
- Des Imagistes (1914)poetry anthology
- Death of a Hero (1929)novel
- Wellington (1946)biography
- Lawrence of Arabia: A Biographical Inquiry (1955)biography
Key milestones
- 1912First publication in Poetry magazine and co-founding of the Imagist movement.
- 1916Enlisted in the Royal Sussex Regiment, served on the Western Front until 1918.
- 1985Commemorated among the First World War poets at Poets' Corner, Westminster Abbey.
Themes
Post-war disillusionmentImagismWar and memorySocial critiqueHistorical biography
Sources: poetryfoundation.org · britannica.com · archives.lib.siu.edu