Robert McConkie Rehder (1935 – April 6, 2009) was an American poet, literary scholar, translator, and professor of English and American literature. He authored two collections of poetry, several scholarly monographs on modern poetry, and contributed translations of Persian literature. Rehder spent much of his academic career in Europe, most notably as a professor at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, and later taught American literature at the University of Oxford after his retirement.
Early life and education
- Born: 1935, Iowa City, Iowa, United States.
- Parents: Theodore Marten Rehder (1908–1991), director of dormitories and dining services at the University of Iowa, and Alyce Marguerite “Marge” McConkie Rehder (1907–1974).
- Education: Attended University High School on the University of Iowa campus. Enrolled at Princeton University in 1953, graduating in 1957 with a B.A. in Near Eastern Studies. Won the Morris W. Croll Poetry Prize (1954) and the Academy of American Poets Prize (1957).
After Princeton, Rehder studied at the École des langues orientales in Paris on a Rotary Grant, then at the University of Tehran, where he also taught English grammar. He returned to Princeton for doctoral work, completing a Ph.D. in Oriental languages and literature in 1970 with a dissertation on the Persian poet Hâfez.
Academic career
- Early positions: Taught English composition at Princeton; held faculty posts at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the University of Stirling (Scotland).
- University of Fribourg: Joined the faculty in 1985 as professor of English and American literature, remaining there until retirement. He was known for integrating his interests in poetry, translation, and Near Eastern studies into his teaching and scholarship.
- Visiting appointments: Served as a visiting professor of Near Eastern studies at Princeton. After retiring, he taught American literature at the University of Oxford, residing in Oxford until his death.
Literary and scholarly work
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Poetry collections:
- The Compromises Will Be Different (Carcanet/Sheep Meadow, 1995).
- First Things When (Carcanet, 2009), a Poetry Book Society Recommendation.
- Posthumous volume I’m Back and Still Returning (Poetry Salzburg, 2016).
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Scholarly monographs:
- King Lear, Wordsworth and the Beginnings of Modern Poetry (1981).
- The Poetry of Wallace Stevens (1987).
- Stevens, Williams, Crane and the Motive for Metaphor (2004).
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Translations: Published a free‑verse translation of the 14th‑century Persian poet Hâfez titled The Unity of the Ghazals of Hafiz (1974).
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Festschrift: From Wordsworth to Stevens: Essays in Honor of Robert Rehder (2005), edited by Anthony Mortimer, collected essays by scholars and poets in recognition of his contributions to literary criticism and teaching.
Personal life and death
Rehder lived for many years in Corminboeuf, a village in the French‑speaking part of Switzerland, where he drew inspiration for his poetry. He also spent time in Tehran, Afghanistan, and Turkey during his early academic travels. He died of a heart attack on April 6, 2009 in Oxford, England, where he had been teaching at the University of Oxford after retirement.
Legacy
Robert Rehder is remembered for his interdisciplinary scholarship bridging English literature, modern poetry, and Near Eastern studies, as well as for his poetic work that combined rigorous intellectual insight with lyrical precision. His contributions continue to be cited in studies of Wallace Stevens, William Carlos Williams, and the reception of modern poetry.
