Talk:Benjamin Jowett

Biased
This article is heavily biased against Orthodox (Evangelical) criticism of Jowett. I will do what I can to fix it, be it by substituting weasel words or by including critics quotations.

-- Leandro GFC Dutra 17:41, 8 February 2007 (UTC)

Timeline
Article says he was given a Fellowship in 1838 and graduated in 1839. Is this correct -- it would be very unusual to get a Fellowship before graduation. --ukexpat 17:31, 10 August 2007 (UTC)

This is correct according to the Dictionary of National Biography, which states: "Reforms instituted at the beginning of the century, in which John Parsons, the master of Balliol, had been a protagonist, shaped the Oxford of Jowett's undergraduate years. The honour school of literae humaniores (Greats) had been set up, together with a network of prizes and scholarships, to raise the university's standards. Jowett won the Hertford scholarship for Latin after six months at Balliol, was elected a fellow of the college in November 1838 before he had even taken his degree, and gained a first class in Greats in the summer of the following year." While unusual, this is not out of character for Jowett, who was regarded as an exceptional scholar of classical language even before matriculating at Oxford. Again the Dictionary of National Biography states: "Jowett was admitted to St Paul's School, London, in June 1829. He was later to attribute his own ability in the Greek and Latin languages to two disciplines he acquired at the school: he learned by heart large quantities of poetry in those languages; and when he had translated a passage into English he regularly practised translating it back into the original. By the time he gained a scholarship to Balliol College in November 1835 he had come to be regarded by Dr John Sleath as the best Latin scholar the school had produced in his time as high-master. Jowett went up to Balliol in October 1836." Note that these quotations are only for the purpose of answering the question above. The excerpts may not be used in the main Wikipedia article as they are copyrighted material. Please abide by relevant copyright laws. 92.21.178.0 (talk) 16:06, 26 October 2011 (UTC)

The poem!
Here come I, my name is Jowett There is no knowledge but I know it. I am Master of this College All I know not isn't knowledge. This is probably the only occasion on which the general reader these days will encounter Jowett. For a reference - Jan Morris, Oxford (1968), page 184. However, it isn't obvious where in the current article it should be included... Tevildo (talk) 21:42, 11 September 2009 (UTC)

NPOV?
The whole article reads like one long obituary ... I'd at least like to see the reference to that. Language seems very POV and old-fashioned. Don't know enough about the subject to do any major editing but maybe somebody can at least tone it down a bit. --Aquinate (talk) 11:32, 10 October 2011 (UTC)
 * Agreed! It needs a massive rewrite for a 21st century readership, concentrating on Jowett rather than Florence Nightingale, who has her own article, and separating out the different strands of his life and work. Clifford Mill (talk) 16:42, 18 November 2016 (UTC)
 * This has to be one of the strangest Wikipedia articles out there. I doubt anyone cares enough about Jowett to rewrite it, but wow. 162.1.179.159 (talk) 06:38, 29 May 2022 (UTC)
 * 11 years later I came to this talk page just because of the same reason ... needs complete overhaul. Emad.Aziz 04:24, 28 April 2022 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by Emad.aziz (talk • contribs)

Elsewhere in WP he is accused of dishonestly signing the 39 Articles to keep his job. Esedowns (talk) 18:47, 25 November 2022 (UTC)

Imperialism
Wasn't he famous for his efforts to get Balliol men into imperial and colonial positions, especially the ICS? In all, Balliol contributed some 250 men to the ICS. (His scholarship, on the other hand, was not highly thought of.) Esedowns (talk) 14:21, 25 November 2022 (UTC)
 * "His scholarship was not highly thought of?" The little ditty suggests otherwise! NRPanikker (talk) 01:53, 5 December 2022 (UTC)