F. O. Matthiessen
American academic (1902–1950)
Francis Otto Matthiessen (February 19, 1902 – April 1, 1950) was an American educator, scholar, and literary critic, influential in the fields of American literature and American studies. His best known work, American Renaissance: Art and Expression in the Age of Emerson and Whitman, celebrated the achievements of several 19th-century American authors and had a profound impact on a generation of scholars. It also established American Renaissance as the common term to refer to American literature of the mid-19th century. Matthiessen was known for his support of liberal causes and progressive politics. His contributions to the Harvard University community have been memorialized in several ways, including an endowed visiting professorship.
Early life and education
Francis Otto Matthiessen was born in Pasadena, California on February 19, 1902. He was the fourth of four children born to Frederick William Matthiessen (1868–1948) and Lucy Orne Pratt (1866). His grandfather, Frederick William Matthiessen, was an industrial leader in zinc production and a successful manufacturer of clocks and machine tools; and also served as mayor of LaSalle, Illinois for 10 years. Francis's three older siblings were Frederick William (born 1894), George Dwight (born 1897), and Lucy Orne (born 1898).
In Pasadena, Francis attended the Polytechnic School.
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