Page "Irving Fiske" Paragraph 1

Fiske, a 1928 graduate of Cornell University, had worked for the Federal Writer's Project of the Works Progress Administration ( WPA ) during the 1930s, had written for H. L. Mencken ’ s American Mercury, had corresponded with George Bernard Shaw, had written an article now considered a classic, " Bernard Shaw ’ s Debt to William Blake ", and had translated Shakespeare's Hamlet into Modern English.

This was considered a controversial literary action at the time.

John Ciardi, who did not approve, reprinted excerpts in the Saturday Review.

Most readers wrote in favor of the translation.