Posted on Oct 11, 2007

The Union College Alpha of New York Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, established in 1817, joins the Departments of History and English and Golub House in hosting a talk from Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholar Michael J. B. Allen Monday, Oct. 15 at 7 p.m. in Visual Arts 215.

Allen, the Distinguished Professor of English at UCLA since 1970 and president of the Renaissance Society of America, will present “The Flash and Outbreak of a Fiery Mind: Protagoras and Hamlet.”

In addition, Allen will discuss the “Taming of the Shrew” in Associate Professor of English Hugh Jenkins’ “Shakespeare to 1600” class Monday at 10:30 a.m. in Humanities 112. On Tuesday, he will discuss “Aspects of Renaissance Humanism” in History Lecturer David Baum’s classes, “Renaissance Europe,” 9 a.m. in Social Sciences 104, and “Sophomore Research Seminar 1453,” 10:55 a.m. in Humanities 116.

Golub House will host an informal lunch for Allen Tuesday, 12:50 p.m.

“Allen is an important writer on philosophical and literary Renaissance thought and a luminary over the past 20 years,” said Baum.

Allen holds a doctor of letters in history from Wadham College, Oxford University and a doctorate fom the University of Michigan.