Larry Benson

Larry Dean Benson (1929–2015) was a Korean War veteran and professor of medieval literature at Harvard University.

[1][2] Born in 1929, Benson enlisted in the United States Marine Corps after high school, serving a five-year tour that included action in Korea during the invasion of 1950.

[2] Benson joined Harvard University in 1959, beginning a 45-year tenure that included positions as Senior Tutor of Quincy House and two terms as chair of the Department of English.

According to former students, Benson's teaching style was characterized by nervous energy, pacing, jingling coins in his pockets; through his own penetrating intelligence he was able to convey the brilliance, humor, and humanity of Chaucer.

These weekly gatherings combined lunch discussions and academic presentations, creating a supportive and collaborative environment that continues to this day.

His distinctive gifts included a capacious memory, meticulous judgment, and an ability to blend philological precision with literary insight.