The Eighteenth Century Is a Mess. And That’s Why It Is Important: Teaching Eighteenth-Century Literature in 2034, by Dr Adam J Smith

In January 2024 I was invited to speak on a roundtable at the British Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies (BSECS) annual conference about the future of the eighteenth century. Each speaker was invited to share their aspirations for what they hoped a specific aspect of eighteenth-century studies might look like, before opening the workshop up for discussion about how we might work together to make these visions a reality. I was asked to speculate about the future of eighteenth-century studies from a pedagogical perspective. The following is based on my response to this question.  

—READ MORE— 

In terms of how eighteenth-century literature is taught ten years from now, I hope we will continue to see a move away from chronological survey modules that promise or promote, implicitly or explicitly, a completist account of the eighteenth-century as a literary period. In fact, the way “culture” is packaged, presented and consumed these days (though disconcerting in many ways) does perhaps equip students well for coping with the vast complexities of such a sprawling and self-referential age as the eighteenth century. 

How do Gen Z consume media? Through streaming, asynchronous cultural consumption and via sprawling multimedia franchises. They’ve grown up with the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe), the DCEU (DC extended universe), the SSU (Sony’s Spiderman Universe, which doesn’t actually contain Spiderman), the MonsterVerse, the Multiverse, the Metaverse, now also the Whoniverse. Yes, there are major problems with the way one one or two huge corporations have come to colonise the popular imagination, but one possible silver lining is that a student who can enjoy a film about an obscure superhero’s flying dog without worrying about how it might fit into the other prior 40+ films and goodness only knows how many TV shows, videogames, cartoons and escape rooms it’s connected to, can probably handle first encountering Alexander Pope by studying Anne Ingram’s ‘Epistle to Pope’, or gradually developing a sense of the significance of Samuel Richardson by reading Sarah Fielding, Jane Collier and Charlotte Lennox.  

The recently revised Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) Benchmark statement for English Literature doubles down on the continuity and persistence of disciplinary certainties (for instance, it states that literature is the “distinct analysis of discourse and meaning in communication, including aesthetics and rhetoric”) whilst also advocating a series of themes, which include Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. The statement models really well how it is possible to embrace urgent and emergent themes, approaches and considerations, whilst also maintaining our existing disciplinary procedures.   

 People often say studying literature promotes citizenship, empathy and kindness, and if that’s true, I can see how it would be the natural consequence of rigorous engagement with texts on a compositional level, because the text—especially the historical text—itself becomes an encounter with difference. It requires generative attentiveness: a consideration of the context, audience and meaning of each alien utterance. With the vast digital archives of primary materials at our disposal, increasingly diverse scholarship, and Broadview Press doing the genuinely heroic work of making lesser-known texts and the stories of their composition more and more available, there are so many new texts to teach and more and more ways to think about and teach them. And I think eighteenth-century literature is a particularly well-suited forum for exploring the kinds of questions relating to matters of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. 

First, because the eighteenth century is a mess. A huge, sprawling, self-referential, deeply intertextual, massively ephemeral mess. It is this mess of printed matter and the curious, contradictory, and often playful ways in which it promotes, applies, figures and resists concepts, paradigms and performances that makes the period endlessly fascinating. The messiness of it is a feature, not a bug, and something to be embraced. We can enter this maelstrom of ideas, opinions and representations from any angle – you’ll still feel the gravitational pull of Swift, the weight and ripples of Pope, the very long shadow of Dryden, the influence of Richardson, Fielding and Johnson, but you needn’t necessarily start there.  

 Second, the very same questions we are asking in our present moment—about who is and isn’t seen, who is heard, who is included and excluded and what we can and should do about this—are already there in eighteenth-century literature. The question of who is ‘hailed’ by the print within this public sphere draws attention to discussions that ring hauntingly prescient in our current moment. Whilst the dominant print culture might assume a white middle class reader similar to that of the authorial voice, there are texts which work hard to draw attention to this, to deconstruct it, and to find space for alternate voices and audiences.  

In the periodical The Parrot, for instance, Eliza Haywood writes as an involuntarily displaced green parrot who explicitly rejects the implied kinship of his readership, as is often assumed in periodical literature, insisting instead on unfamiliarity rather than familiarity as a means of deconstructing the homogeneity of the white masculine public sphere in which it exists.  These dynamics are often at work in the allegories and metaphors of the period. Arabella, the hero of Charlotte Lennox’s Female Quixote, for instance, invents a silent means of communicating in gestures as a way of resisting language prescribed by the dominant patriarchy. And of course, they’re there in the letters of Charles Ignatius Sancho: the complex subjectivities he inhabits, avoids, subverts or, just plays with. depending on who he addresses and why.  

‘The Parrot’, artwork by Lauren Fenton.

On my second year early eighteenth-century module on the English Literature programme at York St John University, which is called ‘Dawn of Print’, I frame the module as being about print culture and intertextuality. The whole thing is about the dialogic relationships between these texts (and actually quite a lot about the influence of Don Quixote). So, for these students, their tour of the eighteenth century went: John Dryden, Bernard Mandeville, Mary Leapor and Anne Ingram responding to Pope, Sarah Fielding, Jane Collier, Eliza Haywood, Charlotte Lennox, Ignatius Sancho, James Cook and Lady Mary Montagu, Jonathan Swift (Gulliver’s Travels) and Laurence Sterne. And I’m telling you this because over Christmas, an interesting thing happened.  

A meme began circulating on X and TikTok called “Classic Bookshelf”, which depicts a “classic map” of 57 titles, and readers are encouraged to colour them in as they read them. A lot of the viral tweets were students sharing the image – which presents a fascinating and deeply traditional vision of canonicity as understood by the public (I suspect it’s American)—complaining that they didn’t know what they were paying their tuition fees for because so few of these featured on the English degree reading lists.  

Figure 3. "Classic Bookshelf" viral meme circulated on X in Dec 2023. 
Figure 3. “Classic Bookshelf” viral meme circulated on X in Dec 2023. 

 

But then, one of the students from Dawn of Print, Maddison Warley, produced her own response—the “slayteenth century”—making the point that there are other ways of reading and, at the risk of sounding like a big humble bragger, I was so pleased and surprised by the texts she chose to include.  

Figure 4. Response posted on X by Level 5 York St John University English Literature student, Maddison Warley, shortly after completing the module Dawn of Print 

  

I wanted to end with this because it’s fun, but also because I hope this is the future. The eighteenth century has always been a conversable century and if we continue having difficult conversations, keep pushing the boundaries of how we approach this literature and whose voices we centre, I really do believe that in 2034, we can have it all. 

 

Student Hosts Author Event: Mental Health Awareness Week

Content Warning: Discussions of Suicide and Bereavement
 
For this year’s Mental Health Awareness week, second-year English Literature student Cameron Stewart recounts his experience of hosting an author event with a focus on mental health. 
 

“On Tuesday the 9th of April, at the Penrith Town Library I was very fortunate to host an author event in my hometown, where I met with Andy Airey, one of the ‘three dads’ from the organisation: ‘3 Dads Walking’. 3 Dads Walking does fantastic work in raising awareness and preventing young suicide, having undertaken three national walks and amassed over a million pounds in support for the mental health charity Papyrus. Their debut book, ‘300 Miles of Hope,’ released in April, provided the focal point for our conversation. Andy has been a friend of mine for a few years and we have done charity work together. Not only was it an opportunity to dedicate time to raising awareness, but the author’s event was also a good opportunity from a literature student’s point of view to discuss the book with him. 

The event was really popular with 60 attendees who collectively contributed £200 towards the vital work of ‘3 Dads Walking.’ I am hoping to host a similar event this Autumn at the Minster where we hope to host all 3 Dads. This is still in the planning stages.”

Image of Andy Ariey from '3 Dads Walking', the Sheriff of Cumbria, and student Cameron Stewart in front of a display of books
Photograph Provided by Cameron Stewart
 
Learn more about 3 Dads Walking here
 
Mental Health & Resources
 
 

Crisis Situation

York International Shakespeare Festival in an original collaboration with the Ivano-Frankivsk Theatre Company by Victoria Walpole

Victoria Walpole is one of our artist liaisons on the Literature at Work module. This week she has been working with our visiting performers from  the Ivano-Frankivsk Theatre Company in Ukraine. Victoria tells us more.

a young Ukrainian man lifts up his right hand. A group of people sit behind him.Saturday 20th April sees the world premiere of Working Title: a collaboration between York International Shakespeare Festival and the National Theatre of Ivano-Frankivsk (UKRAINE) in York St John University’s Creative Centre, at 2pm and 7.30pm This performance promises to be incredibly imaginative and powerful, so you will not want to miss it. The show will feature a blend of Ukrainian and English culture, creating a captivating and unique experience for all.

I hear that, despite the challenges of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Ivano-Frankivsk Theatre Company has continued to showcase plays and even created a humanitarian logistics centre called “Movement of Resistance – Movement of Help” to support those displaced by the war and soldiers of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The Ivano-Frankivsk Theatre Company has a reputation for producing creative and innovative shows that have established its place in the Ukrainian cultural world, having always been acclaimed for its unprecedented creative “explosions”, highlighting its active artistic position in culture. 

This highly respected theatre company has an exceptional cast of star actors, including Ivan Blindar and Mariia Stopnyk, who have joined us this week on our campus. Ivan and Mariia  have been working closely with the York International Shakespeare Festival to create an original piece of work in collaboration with volunteer actors from and around York. These include Ukrainian performers who are currently living here.

For the past week, the actors have been hard at work in rehearsals, creating and practisingactors discuss their craft pieces to perform on the first weekend of the festival. The pieces they have created combine Shakespeare’s incredible plays with the contemporary. They blend Ukrainian and English culture to create compelling pieces that will astound audiences. Working alongside Ivan and Mariia has been a privilege and a fun experience for all involved. Their love and passion for their work is reflected in their performances, and it has been a pleasure to be alongside them during the creative process. Through the use of imaginative warm-up exercises and sonnet performances, Phillip Parr has been able to direct the creative process to mould a stunning performance that beautifully symbolises the collaboration between the Ivano-Frankivsk theatre and the festival. Part of this process is making sure everyone who volunteered has a voice in what they want to give and take from the final performance.

During the rehearsals, local artist Lynne O’Dowd has been diligently capturing the dedication and momentous efforts of everyone involved through her paintings. These paintings will be part of the final performance, highlighting the creativity and hard work that has gone into bringing this production to life.

This performance promises to be incredibly imaginative and powerful, so you will not want to miss this! Everyone involved has put their heart and soul into creating a beautiful piece to perform, making these performances even more special. Creating a performance in such a short amount of time is a real feat of skill and everyone involved worked incredibly hard to make this possible.

When and where?

The event will be performed on Saturday the 20th of April at 2 pm and 7.30pm in the York St John Creative Centre Auditorium as part of the York International Shakespeare Festival. Tickets are only £15 at full price, with students and concessions only paying £5.

When buying tickets also look out for and consider buying a Pass It On Ticket which we can offer to community members who may not otherwise be able to attend as we want to make it possible for as many members of the community to come to festival performances!

To buy tickets and or more information about the York International Shakespeare Festival you can go to its website.

Instagram @yorkshakes

Twitter @yorkshakes

Facebook /yorkshakes email info@yorkshakes.co.uk

YISF 2024 Through the Eyes of our Literature at Work Placement Students 

Here at York St John University, we are extremely proud to announce our official sponsorship of the York International Shakespeare Festival for its 2024 edition. After the resounding success of last year’s festival, we continue to bring innovative, exciting Shakespeare/Shakespeare inspired productions to the main stage in our YSJ Creative Centre. Several of our students are taking part in work placements with the festival via the Literature at Work module. Here is their overview of the events they have been working on. The YISF 2024 edition runs from 18th-28th April. Student concessions are only £5! Some events are free to attend. Programme information can be found here (click through individual events to book). Pick up a copy of our beautiful brochure! And if you want to get involved, either now or in the future, please get in touch. If you want to review any events for our blogs, please email s.vickerswalkling@yorksj.ac.uk and info@yorkshakes.co.uk 

BECOMING OTHELLO by Debra-Ann Byrd introduced by Dulcie Welsh (Artist Liaison)  

African American actress plays OthelloCome see the UK premiere of Debra Ann Byrd’s critically acclaimed one woman show Becoming Othello: A Black Girl’s Journey, in which she combines Shakespeare’s verse with song and memoir to tell her story. Debra-Ann also founded the Harlem Shakespeare Festival in New York, which supports emerging and professional artists of colour in classical theatre. She will also be providing a performance for visiting schools.   

Purchase your tickets here for £15 or £5 for students and concessions. Join us on the 24th of April (7:30 p.m.) and the 25th of April (11:30 a.m.) at York St John Creative Centre Auditorium for an unforgettable experience.  

In addition, there is to be a talk by Debra Ann-Byrd in conversation in which she will discuss My Black Girl’s Journey. This event will give people the opportunity to reflect on Debra-Ann’s work and to ask any questions during the discussion afterwards, which is to be hosted by Dr Anne-Marie, Head of Humanities. This will be held in the YSJ Creative Centre Auditorium on Wednesday the 25th of April, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Book your free ticket here.  

TWELTH NIGHT by Footsbarn Theatre, introduced by Victoria Walpole (Artist Liaison)  

Footsbarn is coming to the York International Shakespeare Festival for their worldWoman dressed as a man stands near the sea premiere performance of Shakespeare Twelfth Night! Footsbarn is one of the world’s leading travelling theatre companies and specialises in performing in untraditional performance spaces – they usually travel with a circus big top!  Directed by Sadie Jemmett, this production promises to be a unique and vibrant interpretation of the play, exploring gender identity in a thought-provoking way. With spectacles of live music, original songs, and classic comedy clowning, this highly anticipated performance is not to be missed!    

Don’t wait, buy your tickets here for £15 or £5 for students and concessions. Join us on the 27th of April (7:30 p.m.) and 28th April (2:00 p.m.) at York St John Creative Centre Auditorium for an unforgettable experience. 

Conferences and Symposiums introduced by Esme Bainbridge (Events Organiser)   

Young female academicI’ve been liaising with visiting academics, speakers and panel participants as organiser of the Shakespeare and Identity Symposium which I am convening with Dr Saffron Vickers Walkling. This symposium will be held in The Creative Centre at York St John University on Saturday the 27th of April, 2:00 pm – 6 pm. There will be a wide range of guest speakers, including Dr Varsha Panjwani, discussing the theme of identity in the context of the Indian changling boy in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and panels of artists from Ukraine to the UK discussing Shakespeare’s work. Book your free tickets here. There are opportunities for students and staff to speak on one of the panels. If you are interested do get in touch with Esme (esme.bainbridge@yorksj.ac.uk).  

 In addition to this event, we are also hosting a range of workshops, readings, talks, and displays. With content ranging from a Turkish Production of Macbeth to a celebration of Shakespeare in European Communities – a day of clebration and discovery with those who are making the work – this festival aligns closely with York St John University’s commitment to social justice, inclusion and diversity.  

Shakespeare Exhibitions introduced by Grace Tanner (Exhibition Curator with Emily Shaw)  

This year’s exhibitions focus on the different representations of Shakespeare.  At York StManga Hamlet John, there will be a Shakespeare and Manga exhibition running from Wednesday the 24th of April to Sunday the 28th of April. This will be in the Creative Centre Atrium. There will be a short informal opening of the exhibition at 6:30 pm on the 24th, with a chance to meet and talk with the artists. There will also be a talk on Manga: Shakespeare Illustrated featuring five distinguished artists and academics: Inko Ai Takita, Ryuta Minami, Yukari Yoshihara, Chie Kutsuwada, and Ronan Paterson. This event will take place on Thursday the 25th at 7:30 p.m. in Creative Centres Auditorium. Book here for the talk. There is also a chance to take part in a public workshop with the featured artists on Friday the 26th of April, from 2:30 pm to 6:00 pm at St Olave’s Church Hall, York. Book here for workshop . The illustrated talk is £15 a ticket, or £5 for concessions. The workshop is £15 a ticket (contact Saffron about concessions/comps for this off campus event). 

At the York Explore library, there will be an Images of Othello exhibition running from the 13th of April to the 23rd of May.  Both of these exhibitions feature representations of Shakespeare from all over the world, and they’re free!   

Grace Ebberley (Volunteer Coordinator) has written about her work placement experience for the YSJ Life Blog. “My role in this year’s festival is volunteer liaison and recruitment – or, to put it simply, encouraging other YSJ students to get involved with the festival and make sure everything runs smoothly for them.   student volunteers

The festival so far has been a joy to volunteer for, and I’m super excited to get stuck in with all the upcoming events. Hopefully, by the end of this blog post, you’ll consider coming along to some of these events.” Read more from Grace here: https://blog.yorksj.ac.uk/ysjlife/2024/04/09/my-experience-volunteering-for-the-york-international-shakespeare-festival/   

Other Events and Opportunities   

Ukrainian actors arrive in YorkContinuing our support of Ukrainian artists, YISF have collaborated with the National Theatre of Ivano-Frankivsk from Ukraine and performers from the Ukrainian community in York to bring you an important and prompt new production Working Title: A Collaboration. Practitioners and academics from the YISF will be working with our students across Humanities and Arts. Please consider buying a Pass It on Ticket for a refugee or asylum seeker in York. You can book this for any paid event and it can be reallocated to a show of the recipient’s choice. 

Support us here See you there! 

The Annual English Literature Research Showcase – 15th April 2024

English Literature Research Showcase – 15th April 5pm-7pm

The annual English Literature Research Showcase is an evening in which we learn about colleagues’ specialist projects. This is a chance to celebrate the rich and varied range of research that defines the department and shapes our teaching.

This year we will hear about Patti Smith’s punk queering of masculine spaces, Mark Lanegan’s destabilising of grunge myth, Medieval ghost stories, ‘good hating’ from Alexander Pope to Samuel Johnson, and critically controversial diagnoses of Charlotte Brontë’s pregnancy and death. 

Please join us in learning about the important work that Literature staff and research students are engaged with. There will some refreshments provided following the event and a chance for some informal conversation.

Please book your FREE ticket here

Dive into the York Shakespeare Festival as a Festival Volunteer!

 

Hey there, Shakespeare enthusiasts and creative minds of York! Are you ready to turn your passion for the Bard into a thrilling volunteering experience? The York International Shakespeare Festival is just around the corner, running from the 18th to the 27th of April, and we’ve got some exciting opportunities waiting for you! Whether you’re a die-hard Shakespeare fan or just looking to spice up your C.V., we’ve got a role for everyone.

 

Embrace the Excitement: Become a Festival Volunteer!

Whether you’re interested in ushering, marketing, event organisation, or social media and content creation, there’s a place for you in this exciting journey!

 

Why Volunteer, You Ask?

 

Free Access to Events

Picture this: not only do you get to be part of the magic behind the scenes, but you also get a ticket to some of the festival’s events – for free! As a Festival Volunteer, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of your labour by attending select shows and immersing yourself in the enchanting world of Shakespeare without spending a penny.

 

Festival Program Now Available: http://yorkshakes.co.uk/programme-2024/

 

Boost Your CV and Develop Your Graduate Attributes

 

Being a Festival Volunteer isn’t just about the joy of contributing to a cultural extravaganza; it’s also a fantastic addition to your CV. Employers love to see candidates who have actively participated in community events and taken on responsibilities beyond the classroom. Your volunteering stint will showcase your dedication, teamwork, and ability to take initiative – qualities that stand out in the professional world.

 

How to Get Involved

Fill out this form: https://form.jotform.com/240395509337057 and let the Shakespearean adventure begin! Any questions, contact Skylar at skylar@parrabbola.co.uk

 

Don’t miss this chance to immerse yourself in the world of Shakespeare, make lasting memories, and build a CV that shines as brightly as the stage lights. Become a Festival Volunteer and let the magic unfold!

Are you ready for Folk Horror February?

Staff, students and members of the public are invited to join the #FolkHorrorFeb reading challenge.


Join Professor Robert Edgar (Creative Writing) and Dr Adam J Smith (English Literature) for the virtual February Folk Horror Reading Circle.

Following the recent publication of the Routledge Companion to Folk Horror (edited by Robert Edgar and Wayne Johnson and featuring an essay written by Adam J Smith) and leading into a day of Folk Horror events at this year’s York Literature Festival, Adam and Rob will be reading one short story a week for the next for weeks, and you can read along too!

Each story is taken from Circles of Stone: Weird Tales of Pagan Sites and Ancient Rites, a recently published anthology of stories spanning from the 19th to the 21st centuries.

Circles of Stone was edited by Dr Katy Soar, who you can and come see live in conversation with Adam at the York Literature Festival on 2 March (reserve your free space here).

To get involved, all you need is to follow our reading schedule and post your thoughts, reflections, favourite quotes or book photos using #FolkHorrorFeb on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), BlueSky or TikTok (or just read along in the privacy of your own mind/email Adam and Rob with your thoughts).

 #FolkHorrorFeb Reading Schedule

 

3-9th Feb The Spirit of Stonehenge by Rosalie Helen Muspratt (writing as Jasper John)
10-16th Feb The Tarn of Sacrifice by Algernon Blackwood
17-23rd Feb The Dark Land by Mary Williams
24th Feb-1st March Minuke by Nigel Kneale

LGBT History Month Events at YSJ

Non binary person in floral top looks at camera
Dom&Ink

Let’s celebrate LGBTQ+ History Month!

February is LGBTQ+ History Month!

We are very excited to celebrate and there’s a lot to get hyped about at YSJ:

 

Free Speech and Hate Speech: Analysing ‘anti-gender’ Discourse

7th February 2024, 4:30-5:30pm, Creative Centre Auditorium

This LGBTQ+ History Month talk focuses on what is commonly referred to as homophobic and transphobic ‘soft hate speech’ which (unlike ‘hard’ hate) operates within the limits of the law and may be perceived as ‘sayable’ in the public sphere. This makes it more difficult to recognize and challenge. This talk is being given by our very own Helen Sauntson (Professor of English Language and Linguistics) and is going to be a must-be-at event. Book your ticket here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lgbtqhm-free-speech-and-hate-speech-analysing-anti-gender-discourse-tickets-756706679047?aff=oddtdtcreator

In Conversation with Dom&Ink

Tuesday 13th February, 6-8pm, Creative Centre Auditorium

Come along and listen to illustrator and author Dom&Ink talk about their work, from illustrating RuPaul’s Drag Race for the BBC to writing their new graphic novel. Dom will be interviewed by Lali from York’s own The Portal Bookshop, and the event will be followed by a book signing and drinks reception. Book your ticket here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lgbtqhm-2024-in-conversation-with-domink-tickets-780078825767?aff=oddtdtcreator 

Can you Adam and Eve It? Queering Heterosexuality in Genesis

Wednesday 21st February, 4-6pm, Creative Centre

Join us at York St John University for this hybrid event to mark LGBT History Month 2024. Hosted by the Centre for Religion in Society, hear Dr Chris Greenough’s talk, ‘Can you Adam and Eve it? Queering Heterosexuality in the Genesis Narrative’, followed by Q+A and a drinks reception. Book your tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/lgbtqhm-can-you-adam-and-eve-it-queering-heterosexuality-in-genesis-tickets-732646233607?aff=oddtdtcreator

 

“Thinking Big Thoughts: A Showcase of Trans and Non-binary Scholarship”- Call-out for participants!

Transgender flag in blue white pink and words Transgender Day of VisibilityOn Wednesday 13th March 2-4pm, in the run-up to Transgender Day of Visibility, the LGBTQ+ Staff Network and the Athena Swan Initiative are holding a hybrid event to celebrate trans and non-binary scholarship at York St John University. This will be an informal, supportive space where all members of staff and students who are trans, non-binary, gender-diverse or are creating work related to these communities are encouraged to take part and share their work. Whether you are a first-year undergrad with an essay you’d like to share or a seasoned academic, we want to hear from you!

We welcome our London staff and student scholars to join the event, as hybrid presentations are possible.

This is a supportive space for trans, non-binary or gender-diverse scholars and students to share their work. If you know of anyone (staff or students) at YSJ who would be interested in presenting their work, we want to celebrate your contribution to the YSJ community. For more information, please contact Naomi Orrell at LGBTQPlusStaff@yorksj.ac.uk.

Words Matter Prize 2023

This year, the Words Matter prize is being awarded to two recipients. For the first time, the English Literature team are recognizing outstanding academic achievement by students completing the first year of their degree in both single honours and joint honours cohorts.

This year’s winners are English Literature student Maddison ‘Madz’ Warley and English Literature and Creative Writing student Amy Platt.

Level Four co-ordinator Dr Fraser Mann says:

“Madz and Amy are both superb students. Their dedication to the subject and their participation in university life are admirable. They have made rapid and remarkable progress and deserve real recognition for this success. They are both an asset to English Literature at York St John.”

On receiving news of the award, a delighted Madz said:

“I put off university for years over fears it wouldn’t be the right environment for me, so winning this genuinely means the world to me. It’s total Rory Gilmore vibes. The first year of university has truly been one of the best experiences of my life. The English Literature team have been so supportive and I’ve enjoyed every lecture and seminar. Thank you to every friend and lecturer that has supported me so far.”

Amy was equally happy and said:

“Receiving the Words Matter Prize is such an honour and something that I will treasure forever. I feel as though it is only fair that I express my gratitude to everyone who has made this journey possible. To every lecturer, tutor, peer, and friend, thank you for making my first year at university the most wonderful and rewarding experience.”

Madz and Amy will receive their awards during this year’s Words Matter Lecture. We would like to congratulate them on their success and wish them all the best for the rest of their degrees.

Upcoming Event: Annual YSJ Words Matter Lecture, ‘Speculations on Embodiment’

Liesl King is a white woman with long red hair and a smileThis year’s YSJ Literature’s annual Words Matter Lecture  will be delivered by Dr Liesl King, speaking about ‘Speculations on Embodiment’ . This will take place on Thursday 7th December, starting at 6pm, with a drinks reception at 7pm. 

This year’s lecture will explore ways in which the word ‘embodiment’ has inspired Dr Liesl King’s teaching practice, university projects, and publications. She will consider the representation of embodied living in the fiction of Ursula K. Le Guin, the ‘tertium quid’ in Dr Angela Voss’ approach to classroom teaching, and the concept of ‘sensuous knowledge’ advanced by Minna Salami in her critical work of the same name published in 2020. The presentation will look at three ways in which Liesl, sometimes through hindsight, has drawn on the word ‘embodiment’ to inform her approach to academic practice: her online science fiction magazine, Terra Two: An Ark for Off World Survival, her upcoming co-written guidebook on Speculative Fiction (New Critical Idiom series, Routledge), and her nascent project on the ‘Embodied University’.

For more details and to sign up, please refer to the Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wordsmatter-dr-liesl-king-tickets-732688941347?aff=oddtdtcreator

One writer leads you to another – discovering Lemn Sissay’s ‘Let the Light Pour In’ by Anna Brizzolara

Anna Brizzolara is a student on the YSJ Creative Writing MA who has recently been focussing on Critical Approaches to Creative Writing. This is Anna’s review of Lemn Sissay’s recent poetry reading at Manchester Literature Festival. Sissay’s adaptation of Kafka’s Metamorphosis is coming to York Theatre Royal 10th-14th October 2023.

a man in a yellow suit performs on a large stage
Lemn Sissay performing at Home, Manchester (c) Anna Brizzolara

I wanted tickets to see Zadie Smith.

That’s how I found Lemn Sissay.

He shared the programme for the Manchester Literature Festival alongside Zadie’s sold-out event.

Lemn hosted an evening at ‘Home’. Home, a theatre, gallery, independent film screen and all-round centre of creativity and culture that had a cosy, community feel. It opened in 2015 in the heart of Manchester; relaxed, no fancy wine list, plenty of craft beer and pots of pic ‘n’ mix. Volunteers in printed T-shirts smiled, ushered you along brushed concrete corridors and showed you to your multi-coloured upholstered seats.

I wasn’t sure what to expect. Continue reading “One writer leads you to another – discovering Lemn Sissay’s ‘Let the Light Pour In’ by Anna Brizzolara”

ESEA Heritage Month 2023: Books to Read and Films to Watch

Dr Saffron Vickers Walkling introduces titles to look out for this ESEA Heritage Month and beyond.  Saffron lived and worked in China for five years, and their research area includes late twentieth century Chinese Shakespeare in performance.

September is East and South East Asian Heritage Month. Founded in 2021 by Britain’s East and South East Asian Network (besea.n), it commemorates “those who have contributed positively to British society” and celebrates “the richness of ESEA culture”, says Michelle Chan. 

In alphabetical order, East Asian and South East Asian countries include: Brunei, Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Mongolia, North Korea, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, the Philippines, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam. 

Besea.n say that their “vision is one where our communities are seen and supported in all spaces”. This includes the sold out ESEA Lit Fest at Foyles Bookshop in London, which started on 23rd September 2023.    

Here are some highlights from their Reading List: 

A Lover's DiscourseA Lover’s Discourse by Xiaolu Guo tells of a Chinese woman’s life in London, reflecting on the nature of cross-cultural love and language. The title references Roland Barthes’ book of the same name, and its Cantonese film adaptation. Novelist and filmmaker Guo came to YSJ in 2008 as part of our China Week to speak about her debut English-language novel A Concise Chinese-English Dictionary for Lovers, which our first years were studying on their Gender and Writing module. Although not a sequel, A Lover’s Discourse revisits and reframes many of the tropes of the earlier book. Her film She, A Chinese is also currently showing on Channel 4. 

Night Sky with Exit WoundsNight Sky with Exit Wounds is a collection of poetry by the Vietnamese-American writer and academic Ocean Vuong, reflecting on his refugee experience – both its horrors and its wonders.

Vuong’s novel On Earth We Are Briefly Gorgeous sustained us through the long holiday of 2021 as our Big Summer Read. See more here.

 

YellowfaceIf you want something that will shock and amuse you in equal measures, check out Yellowface by R. F. Kuang, a hilarious satire on the ultimate in literary cultural appropriation…

This bestseller combines big ideas with humour and is simultaneously thought-provoking and immensely readable! 

 

 

Never Let Me GoIf you’ve never read Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, then now is the time to remedy this.

A firm A-level favourite for many years, Ishiguro’s novel about a group of young people at an English boarding school quickly reveals the dystopian side of its apparent idyllic setting. 

 

 

Ping Pong (1986 film) - WikipediaIf it’s film you are interested in, Channel 4 has a selection for ESEA, including the first ever British Chinese feature film, Ping Pong, which I’ve reviewed here. “Elaine Choi (Sheen), a trainee lawyer tasked with executing the will of local businessman Sam Wong, whose body has been found in a telephone box, receiver still in hand. The trouble is, she can’t read Chinese characters.”

 

 

You can find Film 4’s complete ESEA listings here: