William Morris

WILLIAM MORRIS (1834-1896), designer, craftsman, poet, prose writer, translator, businessman, socialist, conservationist and publisher, was one of the most influential thinkers and artists of his time. At Oxford, with the painter Burne-Jones, he fell under the influence of Ruskin and Rossetti. Pre-occupied with the poverty of modem design, he taught himself at least thirteen crafts and founded his own design firm, Morris & Co. In [858 The Defence of Guenevere and Other Poems was published: his other books of verse include The Earthly Paradise (1868-7o) and Sigurd the Volsung (1876). In the late 1870's he became active in political and environmentalist matters, announcing his conversion to Socialism in 1883. In 1884 he helped to found the Socialist League. His prase works include lectures on art and politics, as well as several romances, among them the Utopian dream News from Nowhere (1890). Ile translated verse and prose from several languages, notably a series of Icelandic sagas. In 1891 he started the Kelmscott Press. Morris married Jane Burden in 1859 and was deeply devoted to their two daughters.

from Penguin Classics