We were saddened to learn of the death of Prof. Charles Forker this
past week. The following tribute has been provided by Susan Cerasano
for circulation to his friends and admirers on REED-L:
15 February 2014
RIP: Charles R. Forker (1927-2014)
I am writing, with sadness, to report that Prof. Charles R. Forker,
86, died in Bloomington, Indiana, on February 15th after a recurrence
of cancer. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Charles was
educated at Bowdoin College (BA), Merton College, Oxford (BA and MA),
and Harvard University (PhD). He also served in the US Army Medical
Corps for almost two years at the end of WWII. (More specifically,
after completing his basic training he was sent immediately to Germany
and, in addition to other responsibilities, he stood guard, for a
time, at the Nuremberg trials, an experience that led to the telling
of some fascinating stories.) Upon completing his doctorate Charles
began teaching at Indiana University (Bloomington) where he remained
for the entirety of his career, except for the years during which he
held guest teaching positions at the University of Michigan, Dartmouth
College, Colgate University, and Concordia University in Montreal,
Quebec.
Charles was perhaps best known as an editor of scholarly editions
and for his interests in the English history play and Jacobean revenge
tragedy. His Arden edition of Shakespeare?s Richard II and his Revels
edition of Marlowe?s Edward II are monumental; and his critical study
of the plays of John Webster (Skull Beneath the Skin, 1986) is a
substantial contribution to the field. The list of his early
publications includes an edition of James Shirley?s The Cardinal
(1964) and an annotated bibliography of Shakespeare?s Henry V (1983,
with Joseph Candido). Charles?s most recent work, the Revels edition
of The Troublesome Reign of John, King of England, was published three
years ago in 2011. Not least of all, he published many essays and
reviews, which appeared in an array of learned journals, including
Shakespeare Quarterly, Shakespeare Studies, Hamlet Studies, and
Medieval and Renaissance Drama in England. He contributed, as well, to
many essay collections and he authored several pieces for the recent
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Charles?s lifetime interests
in Reformation history and Anglican theology?which lay at the center
of his being?are reflected in many of his writings, and, most
obviously, in his final published essay, a monumental piece on
Shakespeare?s religion, which has appeared recently in an essay
collection entitled Shakespeare the Man: New Decipherings (ed. Rupin
W. Desai, 2014).
To his closest friends Charles was known affectionately as
?Charlemagne? and, amongst other things, he seems to have possessed
one of the largest bow tie collections in the West. Throughout his
life he travelled extensively (venturing, as recently as last summer,
to Poland with Michael Jamieson where Charles wanted not only to study
the historic architecture, but where he felt a moral obligation to
tour the death camps). Always, Charles seemed to live life to the
fullest, making friends easily and mentoring numerous students and
junior colleagues over the course of his career. And when he was not
working on academic research Charles was fascinated by any kind of
artistic endeavor. He was often the first to have seen the latest
film or opera production and was himself a very good pianist. In
fact, he possessed a substantial knowledge of music. During his early
years Charles studied to become an orchestra conductor, interning
during one summer as a junior conductor at the prestigious Tanglewood
Summer Festival in western Massachusetts when the New York
Philharmonic was in residence.
Not only was Charles naturally inclined to kindness and genuine
warmth, but he appreciated life?s ironies and its humor, and he loved
to unleash his wonderful infectious laugh. I remember one day, when
we were both working in the old British Library, I had consulted with
Charles on the gloss of the word ?darts? that appeared in an early
modern Anthony-and-Cleopatra play that I was editing. At first,
?missiles? seemed as if it might do, but then we both realized that
modern students might mistake this word for the homonym ?missals?,
thereby being led to think (erroneously) that the ancient Egyptians
were throwing prayer books (and perhaps lecterns) at the Romans.
Ultimately, I settled on ?spears?; however, the potential for this
misreading conjured up such side-splitting laughter that the two of us
could barely contain ourselves and finally we had to vacate the
library, rushing out of the south door with tears running down our
faces while the museum guards, looking on, found themselves drawn into
the revelry, even though they didn?t quite understand what had set us
off.
I?m sure that many of Charles?s friends and colleagues can well
remember similar moments. Of all the people I have known, Charles was
the one who was most often hell-bent on fun. But Charles was also
hell-bent on astute and erudite conversation, on excellent teaching,
on improving our collective understanding of early modern dramatic
literature, and, not least of all, on the maintenance of decency and
fair treatment for all those with whom he came into contact. This
latter characteristic was witnessed first-hand by the many students
and faculty at Indiana University in the late 1970s for whom a
newly-founded chapter of Integrity (a national LGBTQ organization)
provided a significant social and intellectual role during a time when
any allusion to issues of sexual identity was certain to unleash
flaming antagonism. However, realizing the importance of Integrity,
Charles publicly supported its creation and maintenance, a conviction
that placed him in the way of incredible opposition, both personally
and professionally. So finally, the Charles I knew was hell-bent on
many things, but decency was always in the forefront, one of his many
virtues that will doubtless be remembered with admiration by devoted
friends and colleagues.
A requiem Mass will be celebrated by Trinity Episcopal Church in
Bloomington with interment to follow. A full obituary will be printed
in the Bloomington Herald Times and elsewhere. Those wishing to
express condolences can send emails to Charles?s long-time friend
Janet C. Stavropoulos, Esq. ([log in to unmask]), or written
correspondence can be sent to her home address (218 Kenler Drive,
Bloomington, IN, 47408, USA). All correspondence will be forwarded to
Charles?s family and friends.
S. P. Cerasano
Colgate Unive
