Origins & Early Life

Hilda Doolittle (September 10, 1886 – September 27, 1961) was an American modernist poet, novelist, and memoirist who wrote under the name H.D. throughout her life. Her career began in 1911 after she moved to London and co-founded the avant-garde Imagist group of poets with American expatriate poet and critic Ezra Pound. During this early period, her minimalist free verse poems depicting Classical motifs drew international attention.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Eventually distancing herself from the Imagist movement, she experimented with a wider variety of forms, including fiction, memoir, and verse drama. Reflecting the trauma she experienced in London during the Blitz, H.D.'s poetic style from World War II until her death pivoted towards complex long poems on esoteric and pacifist themes. H.D. was born in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to wealthy and educated parents. Discovering her bisexuality, she had her first same-sex relationship while attending Bryn Mawr College between 1904 and 1906.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

After years of friendship, H.D. became engaged to Pound and followed him to London in 1911, where he championed her work. Their relationship soon fell apart, however, and H.D. instead married the Imagist poet Richard Aldington...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Alfonso XIII — Contemporary (Born in 1886) (1886): King of Spain (1886-1931), whose reign spanned constitutional crises and republican upheaval.
• Apsley Cherry-Garrard — Contemporary (Born in 1886) (1886): English polar explorer renowned for his Antarctic accounts and survival narratives.
• Béla Kun — Contemporary (Born in 1886) (1886): Hungarian communist revolutionary who governed the Hungarian Soviet Republic in 1919.
• Aaron Sorkin — Contemporary (Born in 1961) (1961): Master of fast-paced dialogue, known for 'walk and talk' storytelling.
• Abhijit Banerjee — Contemporary (Born in 1961) (1961): Pioneering economist known for using scientific evidence to combat global poverty.
• Andrew Forrest — Contemporary (Born in 1961) (1961): Pioneering Australian mining magnate and philanthropist, founder of Fortescue.
• Agostinho Neto — Shared historical date (09-10 · Died) (1979): Angolan communist revolutionary, poet, and first President of Angola.
• Alonso de Guzmán y Sotomayor, 7th Duke of Medina Sidonia — Shared historical date (09-10 · Born) (1550): Spanish aristocrat and patron, famed for his role in the 1588 Spanish Armada.
• Aimee Semple McPherson — Shared historical date (09-27 · Died) (1944): Pioneering Pentecostal evangelist, famous for founding the Foursquare Church.
• Albert Ellis — Shared historical date (09-27 · Born) (1913): Pioneering figure in psychotherapy, founder of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
• 1886 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1886
• September 10 (09-10) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on September 10
• 1961 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1961
• September 27 (09-27) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on September 27