William Henry Denham Rouse, known as W.H.D. Rouse, was a pioneering British teacher, renowned for advocating the Direct Method of teaching Latin and Greek. His career was distinguished by his commitment to enhancing the approach to classical language education.

Born in Calcutta, India, on May 30, 1863, Rouse achieved academic excellence with a double first in the Classical Tripos at the University of Cambridge, where he also delved into the study of Sanskrit. He became a Fellow of Christ's College, Cambridge in 1888. His professional journey included positions at Bedford School and Cheltenham College, before he became a schoolmaster at Rugby School.

Rouse is also celebrated for his contributions to literature through his plain English prose translations of Homer's ancient Greek epic poems, the Odyssey (1937) and the Iliad (1938), as well as his translations of Plato's Dialogues, which include The Republic, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo.