# Robert Burton

> English scholar (1577–1640)

**Wikidata**: [Q259132](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q259132)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Burton)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/robert-burton

## Summary
Robert Burton (1577–1640) was an English scholar, essayist, writer, and university teacher at the University of Oxford. He is best known as the author of *The Anatomy of Melancholy*, a sprawling 17th-century encyclopedia of physical and psychological data, anecdote, and quotation, written under the pseudonym Democritus Junior.

## Biography
- Born: February 8, 1577
- Died: January 25, 1640
- Nationality: English (United Kingdom)
- Education: Brasenose College, University of Oxford
- Known for: Authoring *The Anatomy of Melancholy*
- Employer(s): University of Oxford (university teacher)
- Field(s): Renaissance humanism; English-language literature
- Aliases: Democritus Junior

## Contributions
Robert Burton's singular major contribution was *The Anatomy of Melancholy*, a 17th-century encyclopedia that compiled physical and psychological data, anecdotes, and quotations on the subject of melancholy. Published under the pseudonym Democritus Junior, the work synthesized classical and contemporary sources across medicine, philosophy, literature, and psychology. It stands as a landmark of English-language literature and embodies the intellectual tradition of renaissance humanism, which focused on the revival of classical antiquity.

## FAQs
**Who was Robert Burton?**
Robert Burton was an English scholar, essayist, writer, and university teacher at the University of Oxford, most famous for writing *The Anatomy of Melancholy* under the pseudonym Democritus Junior.

**What is Robert Burton's most important work?**
His most important work is *The Anatomy of Melancholy*, a 17th-century encyclopedia that gathers physical and psychological data, anecdotes, and quotations exploring the causes, symptoms, and cures of melancholy.

**Where was Robert Burton educated and employed?**
Burton was educated at Brasenose College at the University of Oxford and spent his career as a university teacher at Oxford.

**What pseudonym did Robert Burton write under?**
He wrote under the pseudonym "Democritus Junior," a reference to the ancient Greek pre-Socratic philosopher Democritus, known as the "laughing philosopher."

## Why They Matter
Robert Burton's *The Anatomy of Melancholy* is one of the most ambitious and wide-ranging works of 17th-century English prose. By examining melancholy through the lenses of medicine, psychology, philosophy, literature, and social criticism, Burton created a text that has influenced generations of writers and thinkers. The book's digressive, encyclopedic style and its depth of classical citation made it a touchstone in English-language literature, admired by later literary figures. Burton's work exemplifies the breadth of renaissance humanism, bridging classical learning and early modern inquiry. Without *The Anatomy of Melancholy*, a major vein of English literary and psychological writing would be absent; the book remains a foundational document in the history of ideas about mental health, temperament, and the human condition.

## Notable For
- Author of *The Anatomy of Melancholy*, a landmark 17th-century encyclopedia
- Wrote under the pseudonym Democritus Junior
- Served as a university teacher at the University of Oxford
- Educated at Brasenose College, Oxford (founded 1509)
- Contributed to the tradition of renaissance humanism
- Significant and lasting influence on English-language literature
- Portrait by Gilbert Jackson survives (Robert Burton by Gilbert Jackson.jpg)
- Catalogued under dozens of international library and authority record identifiers (VIAF, ISNI, LCCN, BNF, BNE, SUDOC, CiNii, and many others)
- Presence across 51 Wikipedia site links in multiple languages

## Body

### Early Life and Education
Robert Burton was born on February 8, 1577, in England. He was educated at Brasenose College, a constituent college of the University of Oxford founded on January 1, 1509. Oxford itself is a collegiate research university with origins tracing back to 1096, making it one of the oldest universities in the English-speaking world. Burton's formation at this institution placed him at the center of English scholarly life during the late Renaissance period.

### Academic Career
Burton pursued a career as a university teacher at the University of Oxford, headquartered in Oxford, England. His professional identity encompassed multiple overlapping roles: scholar, essayist, and writer. He spent his working life within the Oxford academic community, contributing to the university's long tradition of humanistic scholarship.

### Major Work: The Anatomy of Melancholy
Burton's enduring legacy rests on a single monumental work: *The Anatomy of Melancholy*. This 17th-century encyclopedia compiled physical and psychological data, anecdotes, and quotations into an expansive exploration of melancholy in its many forms. Burton published the work under the alias Democritus Junior, invoking the ancient Greek philosopher Democritus of Abdera. The book ranges across medicine, philosophy, literature, religion, and social commentary, drawing on an extraordinary breadth of classical and contemporary sources. It remains a defining text of English-language literature and a key product of renaissance humanism's revival of classical antiquity.

### Intellectual Context
Burton operated within two principal fields: renaissance humanism and English-language literature. Renaissance humanism, the revival in the study of classical antiquity, deeply shaped his scholarly approach. His writing synthesized ancient Greek and Roman authorities with early modern thought, embodying the humanist ideal of wide learning. His contributions to English-language literature are anchored by *The Anatomy of Melancholy*, which has been recognized as a major literary achievement for its prose style, organizational ambition, and intellectual range.

### Personal Details and Demographics
Burton was a citizen of the United Kingdom (England). He lived from February 8, 1577 until January 25, 1640. A portrait of Burton by the artist Gilbert Jackson has survived and is catalogued as "Robert Burton by Gilbert Jackson.jpg."

### Legacy and Documentation
Robert Burton's significance is reflected in the extensive bibliographic and authority records that document his life and work. He is catalogued under numerous persistent identifiers across global library and information systems, including VIAF (24641986), ISNI (0000000120370090), Library of Congress Control Number (n50033773), BNF (12169243v), BNE (XX869627), SUDOC (030232856), CiNii (DA01625671), and many others spanning national libraries and academic databases worldwide. His Wikipedia entry spans 51 site links across multiple languages, and his Wikidata description identifies him simply as "English scholar (1577–1640)." He is also recorded under his pseudonym Democritus Junior in various authority files.

## References

1. Integrated Authority File
2. BnF authorities
3. Czech National Authority Database
4. The Fine Art Archive
5. Library of the World's Best Literature
6. International Standard Name Identifier
7. Virtual International Authority File
8. CiNii Research
9. MusicBrainz
10. Encyclopædia Britannica Online
11. SNAC
12. Find a Grave
13. Babelio
14. Brockhaus Enzyklopädie
15. Gran Enciclopèdia Catalana
16. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
17. [Source](https://www.bartleby.com/library/bios/index3.html)
18. CONOR.SI
19. BBC Things
20. Quora
21. LIBRIS. 2012