Colin Robert Chase facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Colin Chase
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Chase in 1980
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Colin Robert Chase
February 5, 1935 Denver, Colorado, U.S.
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| Died | October 13, 1984 (aged 49) |
| Occupation | English professor |
| Years active | 1971–1984 |
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Colin Robert Chase (born February 5, 1935 – died October 13, 1984) was an American teacher and expert in English literature. He was a professor at the University of Toronto in Canada. Colin Chase was well-known for his studies of very old English writings. He also studied Latin writings from England.
His most famous book was The Dating of Beowulf. This book questioned when the famous poem Beowulf was actually written. Before his book, many people thought Beowulf was from the late 700s. His work made other experts think more carefully about the poem's age.
Colin Chase's Early Life
Colin Robert Chase was born in Denver, Colorado, on February 5, 1935. His father, Robert Lamont Chase, worked for a newspaper. His mother, Mary Coyle Chase, was a famous writer of plays. She won a special award called the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1945 for her play, Harvey.
Colin had two brothers, Michael and Jerry. All three brothers were interested in acting. Colin even thought about becoming an actor himself. He performed in plays while he was in college.
Colin grew up in Denver and went to Teller Elementary School. He earned his first college degree from Harvard University in 1956. He also studied old languages and ideas for five years. He received two master's degrees from Saint Louis University and Johns Hopkins University. In 1971, he earned his Ph.D. from the University of Toronto.
What Colin Chase Did
Colin Chase became a professor at the University of Toronto in 1971. He taught many different classes there. He also helped many students who were working on their Ph.D. degrees. He was part of two important groups at the university: St. Michael's College and the Centre for Medieval Studies.
Much of Colin Chase's work focused on old English writings. He studied literature from England before the Norman Conquest in 1066. His most famous work was the book The Dating of Beowulf, published in 1981. This book brought together different ideas about when the epic poem Beowulf was written.
Beowulf is a very old English poem. It tells a story about a hero fighting monsters. Experts have long debated when it was created. Colin Chase's book looked at different ways to guess the poem's age. These ways included looking at history, writing style, and even the paper it was written on.
Chase suggested that Beowulf might have been written in the 800s. He believed the poem showed a balanced view of heroes, which fit that time. Other experts in the book suggested different dates, from the 700s to the 1000s. His book made people realize that the exact date of Beowulf was still a mystery. One reviewer said his book was "one of the most important inconclusions" in the study of old English.
Colin Chase also published another important book in 1975. It was called Two Alcuin Letter-Books. This book was a collection of 24 letters written by a smart person named Alcuin from the 700s. Many of these letters were meant to teach students how to write in Latin.
He also wrote several articles and chapters for other books. He helped create videos about historical topics, like The Sutton Hoo ship-burial. This video was about an old Anglo-Saxon ship that was found buried in England.
Colin Chase passed away in 1984. He was about to be promoted to a higher professor position. A scholarship is given each year in his memory at the University of Toronto. It helps graduate students who are studying medieval times.
Family and Later Life
Colin Chase was married to Joyce Breitbach. They had five children: Deirdre, Robert, Tim, Mary, and Patrick. He was also a deacon in the Roman Catholic Church. Colin Chase died in 1984 from cancer. His wife, Joyce, passed away in 2003, also from cancer.
