Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

137 results found

anti-hero

(Encyclopedia)anti-hero, principal character of a modern literary or dramatic work who lacks the attributes of the traditional protagonist or hero. The anti-hero's lack of courage, honesty, or grace, his weaknesses...

Laënnec, René Théophile Hyacinthe

(Encyclopedia)Laënnec, René Théophile Hyacinthe rənāˈ tāôfēlˈ yäsaNtˈ läānĕkˈ [key], 1781–1826, French physician. While connected with the Necker Hospital in Paris he invented the stethoscope, whi...

Heifetz, Jascha

(Encyclopedia)Heifetz, Jascha yäˈshə hīˈfĭts [key], 1901–87, Russian-American violinist, b. Vilna. He studied first with his father and in 1910 became a pupil of Leopold Auer at the St. Petersburg Conservat...

Waller, Fats

(Encyclopedia)Waller, Fats, 1904–43, American jazz musician, singer, and composer, whose original name was Thomas Wright Waller, b. New York City. Waller began playing the piano as a child, and later studied with...

Blondel de Nesle

(Encyclopedia)Blondel de Nesle blŭnˈdəl də nĕl, Fr. blôNdĕlˈ də nĕl [key], fl. late 12th cent., French troubadour, a favorite of Richard I of England. Legend relates that after Richard was captured and im...

Breuer, Lee

(Encyclopedia)Breuer, Lee,1937-2021, American theater director, b. Philadelphia, PA, as Esser Leopold Breuer. Theatrical director and cofounder of experimental theater troupe, the Mabou Mines, along with composer ...

Ernest I

(Encyclopedia)Ernest I, 1784–1844, duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (see under Saxe-Coburg); brother of Leopold I of Belgium, uncle of Queen Victoria of England, and father of Victoria's consort, Prince Albert. He succe...

Samaroff, Olga

(Encyclopedia)Samaroff, Olga səmäˈrôf [key], 1882–1948, American pianist and educator, whose real name was Hickenlooper, b. San Antonio, Tex.; studied at the Paris Conservatory. Her American debut (1905) was ...

Wissmann, Hermann von

(Encyclopedia)Wissmann, Hermann von hĕrˈmän fən vĭsˈmän [key], 1853–1905, German explorer in Africa. He crossed (1880–82) Africa from Luanda to Zanzibar and, on behalf of Leopold II of Belgium, explored ...

Francis I, Holy Roman emperor

(Encyclopedia)Francis I, 1708–65, Holy Roman emperor (1745–65), duke of Lorraine (1729–37) as Francis Stephen, grand duke of Tuscany (1737–65), husband of Archduchess Maria Theresa. He succeeded his father ...