by Kathryn Wallingford
Photos by Richie Wireman and Lee Thomas
University of Kentucky French professor, Rupert T. Pickens, believes a medieval text is more than a fixed set of words and a single author, but the intersection of history, literature, and language. It is an evolving set of ideas that comes to light through the French language.
“A text has a life of its own. It is propagated through hand-writing and the transmission has created and influenced mistakes as well as additions,” said Pickens. He continued, “Before the 14th century, we do not have anything signed by just one author. But writers found a way to express their native identities through the French language.”
Since Pickens first came to the University of Kentucky in 1969, he has dissected, reviewed, and translated literally hundreds of texts, all of which are influenced by the French or Francophone language and were compiled before 1500.
But in the Fall of 2009, he taught at UK for the last time. His final hours in the classroom were spent discussing, "Du Graal au Graal Saint au Saint Graal: Textes et Films," where he and students traced the history of the Grail legends into the 20th century.
A discussion on the Grail was a particularly suitable ending to a career that has primarily focused on medieval French literature. Although Pickens is interested in many aspects of the French Language, and has also carefully studied Romance philology and the primary language of France in the early- and mid-twelfth century, or the Occitan language, he is most passionate about his research in the medieval period of northern France and Francophone England. Chrétien de Troyes, Marie de France, and Breton and Arthurian romance are a few of the medieval works that have received his attention.
Last February Picken’s Colleagues gave him a farewell dinner at Lexington’s Le Deauville, but his official tenure runs through July 2010. Since 2005, Pickens has been on a “phased retirement,” meaning he teaches one semester a year. Five years ago, knowing that he needed more time to for traveling, grandchildren, and it was simply time to “move on,” he decided he would start a gradual departure from the University that has been his home for over 40 years.
“Rupert’s work in Medieval Studies and his dedication to students have made him a beloved colleague and teacher for many years. His contributions will not be forgotten,” said UK French professor Suzanne Pucci. In addition to his professional accomplishments, he is known his “booming” laugher, and his love of the phrase, "bon, très bien (it is good).” Says another UK French professor, Jeorg Sauer, “Clever and witty, his sense of humor always lightened the mood and I must say, that is always appreciated.”
Although he has made a large impact on the department, Pickens almost did not end up at the University of Kentucky. When he finished his dissertation research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he was in the process of being “trained” to replace his own advisor. But Pickens said he “felt trapped” with the proposition and realized “he would not be able to stay and do what he wanted to do.” At the time there was a large relocation of UNC-Chapel Hill Spanish Professors to UK, many whom were friends with Pickens. Pickens followed their lead and said, “I guess the rest is history.”
His study of the French language began long before he was considering a life in academics. Although he lost his father at a young age, he had very influential uncles in his life. One happened to be a Spanish professor at Louisiana State University and was dismayed when he learned Pickens had signed up for high school with no language classes on his schedule. Pickens remembered, “he told me to call the Principal and sign up for French 1. So, I did.” When he got to college he thought about a life as a doctor, but recalled, “Chemistry did not make much sense. But French did.”
Pickens graduated in three short years followed by a year as a Fulbright scholar at France’s University of Rennes. Although Pickens began his Fulbright with an interest in the Celtic language of Brittany, it was during this time he discovered his love for medieval French literature. And since this time, this is the discipline that has defined his career. After the University of Rennes he received a M.A. in French from UNC Chapel Hill, and two years later¸ a Ph.D. in Romance philology.
Rupert T. Pickens (far right) and family in the summer of 1969 right before he would begin his career at the University of Kentucky. Courtesy of Rupert T. Pickens
Over the past 40 years Pickens has tried to answer such questions as what does is mean to be French in 12th century England? Or what are the implications of the “grail’ in the title of Chrétien's last romance novel? Although the depth of his questions and his command of the French language is impressive alone, his engaging and thoughtful prose is also a distinguishing attribute to his successful career. For instance, in one of his earliest publications, “The Concept of the Feminine Ideal in Villon's Testament: Huitain LXXXIX,” Pickens described the use of a pun by saying, “it manifests the comforting nature of the feminine ideal” by “bending the minds backwards and around the corner.” When evaluating Chrétien’s last romances, Pickens wrote “No other work by Chrétien demonstrates to such a degree how narrative, imperative, ironic, sarcastic, expository and didactic discourse, its production and its reception, shapes and directs human life and human events.”
In over forty years of publications, his writing has proven to be prolific. With a handful of books completed and several on the way, as well as dozens of publications in journals and encyclopedias, Pickens is a common name in the field of medieval French literature. His work as an editor is also eminent. Although Pickens finds all publications are all equally painful and rewarding, Pickens said, “One of the most interesting writing experiences I've had involved The Book of Merlin. Sometime in the late 1980s I was invited to become part of a team of scholars who would work together to translate The Lancelot-Grail, a vast cyclic novel in Old French finished around 1225. In nearly 3,000 pages it recounts the history of the Holy Grail, from the time of Christ through its involvement in the legendary kingdom of Arthur with particular emphasis on the knight Lancelot, whose son Galahad eventually succeeds in the quest for the Grail, and the love between Lancelot and Guinevere and its consequences.”
Pickens initially declined to participate in the translation because he felt, "I did not think that I was a very good literary translator because of translations I had published before, as in my edition of the poems by Jaufre Rudel. They were meant to draw attention to the original texts in Old Provençal (or Old Occitan) and to bring out multiple meanings rather than to be good, readable texts in English.” But, explained Pickens, “The editor of the project, Norris J. Lacy, convinced me to join the project. I am glad he did because it was one of the most delightful experiences of my career.”
Although research has been the driving force behind his career, he says the most important aspect of his job is teaching. In fact, although in Spring 2010 was his semester “off” from the university, he still found time to serve on several graduate committees, supervise an independent study, and direct a senior thesis.
His commitment and attention to students has not gone unnoticed. One of his earliest graduate students at UK, Julia Field Costich ’73, now a professor and chair of UK’s Department of Health Service Management in the College of Public Health, remembered Pickens as a teacher, “Rupert instilled in me a lifelong appreciation of medieval literature, art and music that have continued to this day. His teaching style was dynamic and engaging regardless of the subject matter's challenges.”
Another former student, Logan E. Whalen '92, also had Pickens as a teacher during the course of his graduate program and now, as an Associate Professor of French at the University of Oklahoma, describes Pickens as “a colleague and a dear friend.” Whalen has so much respect for Pickens that in honor of Pickens’ 65th birthday, Whalen co-edited a collection of essays from “49 of the most respected scholars from North America and Europe in medieval French studies,” "De sens rassis": Essays in Honor of Rupert T. Pickens. Whalen believed the “magnitude of the collection bears witness to the distinguished career of Pickens and to the respect that his colleagues have for him.”
Student appreciation for Pickens goes beyond instilling a love for French literature to preparing for life’s challenges. Benji Hutchinson received an M.A. in French and then went on to UK’s Patterson School for International Diplomacy. Currently working as a Senior Biometric Technology Analyst, he said “Dr. Pickens' classes built my confidence to read, write, and speak in a foreign language. All these skills have translated well into my career. Technology is a sort of foreign language to me that needs to be translated and explained.” He continued, “I once compared the experience of learning in Dr. Pickens' classes to drinking from a fire hose. You never quite knew what to expect because Dr. Pickens is a great story teller and an amazing French speaker. His jovial, warm teaching style brought a level of incredible enthusiasm to his classes that many college professors could not replicate.”
As his time at UK draws to a close, Pickens will continue writing about the medieval period, just outside of the university. When asked how he would like be remembered within the university and the field itself, Pickens said, “I would hope to be known as someone who loved the Middle Ages, and that I wrote and talked a lot about this period, but also as a good colleague, and that I was meaningful to students.” He added, “I hope my replacement would have the same opportunities that I have had at the university. UK is a good place to support research and scholarly work. I have always gotten financial and emotional support.”
The University of Kentucky will have a hard time replacing the legacy of Rupert T.Pickens, an accomplished scholar, respected colleague, and a devoted teacher, but he can rest assured his name and contributions to the field will fare well.