W. P. (William Paton) Ker

W. P. (William Paton) Ker
William Paton Ker (1855–1923) was a Scottish literary scholar and essayist, known for his work in medieval and Renaissance literature. He was a professor at University College London and later at the University of Oxford, where he significantly influenced the study of English literature. Some of his notable works include "The Dark Ages" and "Epic and Romance," which explore the development of literature in early Europe. Ker was admired for his scholarly depth and his ability to make complex literary history accessible to a broader audience.

Author's Books:


Sir Walter Scott When I was asked to choose a subject for a lecture at the Sorbonne, there came into my mind somehow or other the incident of Scott's visit to Paris when he went to see Ivanhoe at the Odéon, and was amused to think how the story had travelled and made its fortune:— 'It was an opera, and, of course, the story sadly mangled and the dialogue in great part nonsense. Yet it was... more...

POSTSCRIPT This book is now reprinted without addition or change, except in a few small details. If it had to be written over again, many things, no doubt, would be expressed in a different way. For example, after some time happily spent in reading the Danish and other ballads, I am inclined to make rather less of the interval between the ballads and the earlier heroic poems, and I have learned... more...