author
Donald Lemen Clark
1888–1966
A literary scholar and teacher with a deep interest in rhetoric, he wrote influential studies on classical education and Renaissance criticism. His work helped connect ancient rhetorical traditions with the way English literature was read and taught.
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About the author
Born in South Bend, Indiana, on June 30, 1888, Donald Lemen Clark studied at DePauw University, then went on to earn both his master's degree and Ph.D. at Columbia University. He later became a professor of English literature, and his papers are preserved at Columbia, reflecting a long academic career centered on teaching and scholarship.
Clark is best known for books such as Rhetoric and Poetry in the Renaissance and Rhetoric in Greco-Roman Education. His writing focused on how classical rhetoric shaped literary thought, especially in the Renaissance, and his studies remained useful to readers interested in the history of criticism, education, and the classical tradition in English studies.
He died in 1966. Although not a household name today, Clark's work still speaks to readers who enjoy the history behind literature and the ideas that shaped the way poems, speeches, and criticism were understood.