Mark Van Doren

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Mark Van Doren – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Mark Van Doren (1894–1972) was a Pulitzer Prize–winning American poet, critic, educator, and “great teacher” at Columbia University. Explore his literary work, his impact as a teacher, philosophy on education, and his most memorable quotes.

Introduction

Mark Van Doren was a towering figure in 20th-century American letters. A poet, critic, scholar, and beloved teacher, he shaped generations of writers and thinkers through both his writing and his classroom presence. He won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1940 and is often remembered not just for his verse, but for his advocacy of liberal education, his capacity to make literature alive for students, and his belief in the moral responsibility of the writer and teacher. Today, his ideas on teaching, reading, and the life of the mind continue to resonate.

Early Life and Background

Mark Albert Van Doren was born on June 13, 1894 in Hope, Illinois (Vermilion County), in a rural farm setting.

Mark’s older brother was Carl Van Doren, who would become a prominent critic and biographer.

Mark Van Doren’s early schooling was local in Illinois; his formal higher education began at the University of Illinois, Urbana (where he completed a B.A. in 1914) Columbia University, where he obtained his Ph.D. in 1920.

Academic and Literary Career

Teaching at Columbia & Influence on Students

In 1920, Van Doren joined the faculty of Columbia University, embarking on what would become nearly 40 years of service there.

Van Doren was famed as a “legendary classroom presence” whose students included poets, critics, and writers such as Thomas Merton, Allen Ginsberg, John Berryman, Whittaker Chambers, Jack Kerouac, Robert Lax, and many others.

Under his influence, Columbia College instituted the annual Mark Van Doren Award (from 1962 onward) to honor outstanding teaching.

Literary Work & Criticism

Van Doren was not only a teacher but a prolific writer: poet, critic, anthologist, dramatist, and literary scholar.

Some of his major works include:

• The Poetry of John Dryden (1920), later revised as John Dryden: A Study of His Poetry — this work derived from his dissertation and established his reputation as a critic of classical and neoclassical literature.

• American and British Literature Since 1890 (1939), co-written with his brother Carl Van Doren.

• Shakespeare (1939) — a critical study of Shakespeare’s work.

• The Liberal Education (1943), one of his best known works advocating the value of a broad, humanistic curriculum.

• Collected Poems, 1922–1938 (1939) — this collection won him the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1940.

• The Last Days of Lincoln (1959) — a verse play in six scenes.

• He also wrote essays, fiction (novels such as The Transients, Windless Cabins, Tilda), criticism (The Noble Voice, Nathaniel Hawthorne), and more.

Van Doren edited anthologies and also served as literary editor of The Nation magazine (1924–1928) and later as film critic (1935–1938).

He remained committed to poetic traditions — even amid modernist experimentation — favoring clarity, moral purpose, and musical form.

Philosophy, Teaching Ethos & Ideas

Mark Van Doren believed strongly in the mission of liberal education — that the study of literature, history, philosophy, and the arts is foundational to human flourishing.

He saw the role of teacher not as a dictator of knowledge but as a guide to discovery — helping students learn how to read, think, and respond. One of his well-known lines is:

“The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.”

He believed that ideas should be welcomed and entertained — for “one of them may be the king.”

He also held that reading must be attuned to pace — that “the art of reading is the art of adopting the pace the author has set.”

Van Doren often spoke of memory, continuity, and moral responsibility in writing and human life.

In his classroom and life, he was known for humor, moral seriousness, respect for students, and generosity of spirit.

Legacy and Influence

Mark Van Doren’s legacy is multifaceted:

• As a teacher, he left a deep imprint on American letters by nurturing major poets, critics, and writers. His pedagogical reputation is a key part of his remembrance.

• His Pulitzer Prize–winning poetry continues to be read and anthologized.

• His writings on liberal education contributed to mid-20th century conversations about the purpose of the humanities in American higher education.

• At Columbia, the Mark Van Doren Award continues to celebrate teaching excellence, carrying forward his name in academic life.

• His brother Carl Van Doren likewise gained renown (winning a Pulitzer for biography) — the Van Doren family has a distinguished place in American literary history.

• In cultural memory, he is often cited as an exemplar of the “great teacher” — the kind of person who inspires love of literature, not just technical mastery.

Famous Quotes by Mark Van Doren

Here are some of his most quoted and resonant lines (various sources):

• “The art of teaching is the art of assisting discovery.”

• “Bring ideas in and entertain them royally, for one of them may be the king.”

• “The art of reading is the art of adopting the pace the author has set.”

• “Wit is the only wall between us and the dark.”

• “Nothing in man is more serious than his sense of humor; it is the sign that he wants all the truth.”

• “To fail to love is not to exist at all.”

• “I have always had the greatest respect for students. There is nothing I hate more than condescension — the attitude that they are inferior to you. I always assume they have good minds.”

These quotes reflect his convictions about education, humility, moral awareness, and the responsibilities of language.

Lessons from Mark Van Doren

1. Teach with respect and humility
   The best teachers see students as partners in inquiry, not passive receptacles.

2. Value liberal education and the humanities
   For Van Doren, literature, poetry, philosophy are more than ornament—they cultivate moral intelligence and imaginative freedom.

3. Balance clarity and depth in writing
   He believed in beauty, form, and truth, without sacrificing intelligibility.

4. Honor memory and continuity
   He saw memory as the thread that binds past, present, and future, giving life dignity and coherence.

5. Live your art with moral seriousness
   Van Doren held that writers and intellectuals carry moral responsibility: to see the world, report it, and act within it.