Paull F. (Paull Franklin) Baum

Born in 1886 and later known as Paull F. Baum, he built his reputation as a scholar of English literature with a special interest in medieval and Victorian writing. Duke University’s archives describe him as a James B. Duke Professor of English who taught there from 1922 until his retirement in 1955, and as a widely respected authority on English versification as well as writers including Chaucer, Rossetti, Tennyson, and Matthew Arnold.

His books reflect those interests clearly. Among the works confirmed in library and publisher records are The Mediaeval Legend of Judas Iscariot (1916), Tennyson Sixty Years After (1948), The Other Harmony of Prose (1952), Chaucer: A Critical Appreciation (1958), and The Principles of English Versification, which is also available through Project Gutenberg.

Baum died in 1964. His writing is remembered for combining close literary attention with a clear, steady style, making him a rewarding guide for listeners and readers who enjoy classic poetry, criticism, and the history of English literature.