Columbia Encyclopedia

(Encyclopedia) Bryan, William Jennings brīˈən [key], 1860–1925, American political leader, b. Salem, Ill. Although the nation consistently rejected him for the presidency, it eventually adopted many of the refo...

(Encyclopedia) expressionism, term used to describe works of art and literature in which the representation of reality is distorted to communicate an inner vision. The expressionist transforms nature rather than imi...

(Encyclopedia) Minnesota Orchestra, founded 1903. Since 1974 its home has been Orchestra Hall in downtown Minneapolis. The orchestra was one of the first to be recorded (early 1920s) and featured in a radio broadcas...

(Encyclopedia) Blenheim blĕnˈəm [key], Ger. Blindheim, village, Bavaria, S Germany, on the Danube River. Between Blenheim and nearby Höchstädt, John Churchill, 1st duke of Marlborough, and Prince Eugene of Savo...

(Encyclopedia) Blenheim, battle of, major engagement of the War of the Spanish Succession (see Spanish Succession, War of the), fought on Aug. 13, 1704, at the village of Blenheim (Blindheim), near Höchstädt, Bava...

(Encyclopedia) Jones, Robert Edmond, 1887–1954, American scene designer, b. Milton, N.H. With his design in 1915 for The Man Who Married a Dumb Wife, a new era of scene design began in the United States. His use o...

(Encyclopedia) soliloquy, the speech by a character in a literary composition, usually a play, delivered while the speaker is either alone addressing the audience directly or the other actors are silent. It is most ...

(Encyclopedia) Villeroi, François de Neufville, duc de fräNswäˈ də növēlˈ dük də vēlrwäˈ [key], 1644–1730, marshal of France and favorite of King Louis XIV. In the War of the Grand Alliance, he succee...

(Encyclopedia) Upshaw, Gene (Eugene Upshaw, Jr.), 1945–2008, American football player and labor union leader, b. Robstown, Tex. He attended Texas College of Arts and Industries (now Texas A&M, Kingsville), whe...

(Encyclopedia) Spenser, Edmund, 1552?–1599, English poet, b. London. He was the friend of men eminent in literature and at court, including Gabriel Harvey, Sir Philip Sidney, Sir Walter Raleigh, and Robert Sidney,...