Date of Birth: July 11, 1930
Zodiac Sign: Cancer
Date of Death: October 14, 2019
Biography
Harold Bloom was an American literary critic and Sterling Professor of Humanities at Yale University. He was born on July 11, 1930, in New York City, to William and Paula (Lev) Bloom. Bloom was a prolific writer and professor, known for his passionate and often controversial opinions on literature. He authored more than 40 books, including “The Anxiety of Influence,” “The Western Canon,” and “Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human.” Bloom’s work often focused on the canon of Western literature, and he was known for his insistence on the aesthetic value of literature over political or social considerations. Bloom earned his B.A. from Cornell University in 1951 and his Ph.D. from Yale University in 1955. He began teaching at Yale in 1955 and remained there for the rest of his career, becoming a prominent figure in the literary world. Bloom was also a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
5 Interesting Facts about Harold Bloom
1. Harold Bloom was a child prodigy who taught himself to read Yiddish before English.
2. He studied under notable scholars such as M.H. Abrams at Cornell University.
3. Bloom coined the term “The Anxiety of Influence” to describe the struggle writers face in finding their unique voice while being influenced by predecessors.
4. He was highly critical of what he termed the “School of Resentment,” which includes feminist, Marxist, and post-colonial literary critics.
5. Despite his controversial views, Bloom received numerous accolades, including the MacArthur Fellowship (“Genius Grant”) in 1985.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Harold Bloom
1. “We read to find ourselves, more fully and more strangely than otherwise we could hope to find.”
2. “The true critic is an amateur, learning from the works of genius.”
3. “Shakespeare is the true multicultural author. He belongs to the world.”
4. “Literary criticism, as I attempt to practice it, is in the first place literary, that is to say, personal and passionate.”
5. “The greatest imaginative literature renews the reader by the power of the mind’s freedom.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
At the peak of his career, Harold Bloom’s net worth was estimated to be around $2 million.
Children
Harold Bloom and his wife, Jeanne Gould, had two children: a son named Daniel Bloom and a daughter named Naomi Bloom.
Relevant Links
1. [Harold Bloom’s Biography on Britannica](https://www.britannica.com/biography/Harold-Bloom
3. [Harold Bloom’s Books on Goodreads](https://www.goodreads.com/author/list/15123.Harold_Bloom
4. [Yale University Faculty Page](https://english.yale.edu/people/emeritus-faculty/harold-bloom
5. [The Anxiety of Influence on Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Anxiety_of_Influence
