William Cain

William E. Cain is Mary Jewett Gaiser Professor of English at Wellesley College, where he teaches courses in American literature, American Studies, Shakespeare, and composition. He also has been awarded the Anna and Samuel Pinanski Prize for Excellence in Teaching in 2001.

Professor Cain received the B.A. degree, summa cum laude, in 1974 from Tufts University and both the M.A. (1976) and the Ph.D. (1978) from the Johns Hopkins University. He became a member of the faculty at Wellesley in 1978, and has taught in the American Studies Program as well as in the English department.

The author of The Crisis in Criticism (1984) and F.O. Matthiessen and the Politics of Criticism (1988), Professor Cain has also edited many books, including William Lloyd Garrison and the Fight Against Slavery: Selections from The Liberator and The Blithedale Romance: A Cultural and Critical Edition.

Professor Cain is a member of the editorial board of the journal American Literary History and a member of the Advisory Board of the journal College English. He is also the general editor of two series of books for Garland Publishing and another series for Bedford Books.

His current projects deal with the history of literary theory and criticism and with the history and literature of nineteenth century America.

Profile last updated: 6/01