Dorothy Sherman Severin (born 24 March 1942) is an American‑born Hispanist and emeritus professor of literature at the University of Liverpool. She is noted for her scholarship on late medieval Spanish literature, particularly the cancionero tradition and the early modern work La Celestina.
Early life and education
Severin was born Dorothy Sherman in Los Angeles, California, the daughter of Wilbur B. Sherman, a petroleum executive, and Virginia L. Tucker Sherman. She earned a Bachelor of Arts summa cum laude from Harvard University in 1963, a Master of Arts from Harvard in 1964, and a Ph.D. from Harvard in 1967, completing a dissertation on memory in La Celestina.
Academic career
After completing her doctorate, Severin held teaching and research positions in the United Kingdom, ultimately joining the University of Liverpool. She became a professor of literature and, upon retirement, was appointed emeritus professor. Her research interests include:
- Cancioneros (Spanish lyrical poetry collections)
- The novela sentimental of the 15th century
- Manuscript and early print culture of the Iberian Peninsula
- The reception and transmission of La Celestina
Severin has published numerous articles, edited volumes, and contributed to scholarly editions of medieval Spanish texts. Notable works include studies on the Libro de Buen Amor, the politics of poetry at the court of Isabel la Católica, and electronic corpora of 15th‑century Castilian manuscripts.
Honours and professional service
In June 2009, Severin was elected a corresponding Fellow of the Real Academia Española, an honor bestowed on a limited number of foreign scholars. She is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London (FSA) and an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). Her professional memberships have included:
- Arts and Humanities Research Council (advisor to the Research Board)
- Asociación Hispánica de Literatura Medieval (executive committee member)
- Asociación Internacional de Hispanistas (board member)
- Modern Humanities Research Association (board member)
- Society of Antiquaries of London (fellow)
- Founder member of Women in Spanish, Portuguese, and Latin‑American Studies (WISPS)
Personal life
Originally Dorothy Sherman, she married explorer and writer Tim Severin in 1966; the marriage ended in 1979.
Selected bibliography
- “The relationship between the Libro de Buen Amor and La Celestina” in A Companion to the Libro de Buen Amor (2004)
- Del manuscrito a la imprenta en la época de Isabel la Católica (2004)
- “Celestina’s Audience, from Manuscript to Print” in Selected Papers from the International Congress in Commemoration of the Quincentennial Anniversary of La Celestina (2005)
- Religious Parody and the Spanish Sentimental Romance (2005)
- “An electronic corpus of 15th‑century Castilian cancionero manuscripts” (2007)
Dorothy Severin’s contributions have significantly shaped modern understanding of medieval and early modern Spanish literature, particularly through her interdisciplinary approach combining literary analysis, manuscript studies, and digital humanities.