Robert D. Denham attended Davidson College (B.A.) and the University of Chicago (M.A., Ph.D.). He taught at Emory & Henry College (23 years) and Roanoke College (15 years), where he was the John P. Fishwick Professor of English. From 1986 to 1988 he was Director of English Programs and Director of the Association of Departments of English for the Modern Language Association in NYC. He has devoted much of his professional life to the criticism of Northrop Frye. He retired from teaching in 2004 and presently lives in Emory, VA, with his wife Rachel, an artist and retired professor of art. Their two children are both academics.