Author: a.beaumont

This summer, the York St John Literature programme invited students and staff to read and respond to Colm Tóibín’s 2012 novella The Testament of Mary, a study of the mother of Jesus of Nazareth as she comes to terms with her son’s crucifixion at hands of the Roman Empire. In this post, Chris Maunder critiques Tóibín’s conservatism and points to more radical challenges to the Cult of Mary.

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By Chris Maunder

I started this book with some relish. For many years, I have been a researcher of the cult of the Virgin Mary; I have written one book, edited another, written several articles on the topic, and there are more publications to come. I particularly like provocative work about Mary that is prepared to undermine some of the old myths: controversial feminist academics like Jane Schaberg and Mary Daly, for example, or authors of novels on Mary such as Michèle Roberts. I once introduced Dutch feminist Els Maeckelberghe’s Desperately Seeking Mary to a group of Catholic deacons in training; it so upset them that they refused to engage with it. I wasn’t invited back to speak the next year! I am by no means averse to upsetting the status quo. So why was I so disappointed with The Testament of Mary? Continue reading “big summer read: a really radical mary?”

This summer, the York St John Literature programme invited students and staff to read and respond to Colm Tóibín’s 2012 novella The Testament of Mary, a study of the mother of Jesus of Nazareth as she comes to terms with her son’s crucifixion at hands of the Roman Empire. Building upon Adam’s post yesterday, here Nicoletta Peddis explores the power of testament to subvert and undermine our perception of  a major biblical character.

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By Nicoletta Peddis

Testament (n.) late 13c.: “last will disposing of property,” from Latin testamentum “a last will, publication of a will,” from testari “make a will, be witness to,” from testis “witness.” Used in reference to the two divisions of the Bible (early 14c) (…) subsequently was interpreted as Christ’s “last will.” (from Online Etymology Dictionary).

In the Gospels, the Virgin Mary is the personification of grace and suffering, the mater dolorosa who is largely voiceless. We know little about her, except for her virginity and her grief. Colm Tóibín’s short novel The Testament of Mary gives voice to Mary, subverting the traditional representation of Jesus’s mother and at the same time expanding the definition of the term testament. The Testament of Mary is her giving witness to, her attestation; “I was there,” she says. The fictional portrait that Tóibín creates of Mary breaks with tradition to deepen her humanity and to bring her down to earth, trying to understand her as a suffering woman and as a mother afflicted with a difficult son. Continue reading “big summer read: mary rewrites jesus of nazareth”

An invitation for YSJU students to volunteer for Light Night Leeds, 5th – 6th October.
Continue reading “student opportunity: light night leeds”

The Literature and Creative Writing teams wish their graduating students of 2017 all the very best for the future!

On 26th May, the Literature and Creative Writing programmes hosted a celebration evening for their graduating students.

The evening featured speeches by Subject Directors Abi Curtis (Creative Writing) and Anne-Marie Evans (Literature), YSJU alumna and editor of Aesthetica magazine Cherie Frederico, and award-winning students from the class of 2017.

For a full gallery of images follow the ‘continue reading’ link below:

 

Continue reading “photo gallery: literature and creative writing celebration evening”

By Charlotte Stevenson

This summer, the York St John Literature programme is inviting students and staff to read Colm Tóibín’s 2012 novella The Testament of Mary, a study of the mother of Jesus of Nazareth as she comes to terms with her son’s crucifixion at hands of the Roman Empire.

Continue reading “The YSJU Big Summer Read: The Testament of Mary, by Colm Tóibín”

By Bethany Davies

Kimberly Campanello is Lecturer in Creative Writing at York St John University, where she is currently developing a play called Constance and Eva. The play tells the stories of Constance Markiewicz and Eva Gore-Booth, two Anglo-Irish sisters who were active in the campaign for women’s suffrage. Constance and Eva, directed by Luke Davies, will be staged between 17^th and 27^th September at the Bread and Roses Theatre, London (tickets here). Bethany Davies, whose review of the recent York Theatre Royal production Everything is Possible is available here, caught up with Kimberly to discuss the project and examine the contemporary importance of the suffragettes.

Continue reading “Everything is Possible / Constance and Eva: An Interview with Kimberly Campanello”

By Nicoletta Peddis

Lydia Crosland was part of the cast of Everything is Possible, the story of York Suffragettes (review here). She also happens to be a student at York St. John University, where she studies English Literature and History. She has been a part of West Yorkshire Playhouse’s Youth Theatre since its inauguration and she is currently working as an assistant for York Thetare Royal’s Youth Theatre. Lydia’s next project is Amphibious for the Takeover Festival 2017, which will take place at the Theatre Royal between 23^rd and 28^th October. I met her to ask her some questions about her experience in the community project but also about her opinions on some of the issues portrayed in the show.

Continue reading “Everything is Possible: An Interview with Lydia Crosland”

By Bethany Davies and Nicoletta Peddis

Everything is Possible, the story of York Suffragettes, took place at Theatre Royal from the 20th of June until the 1st of July. Directed by Julie Foster and Katie Posner and written by Bridget Foreman, it celebrates the successes and commemorates the suffering of the suffragettes in York between 1912 and 1918. The play rotates around the central character of Annie Seymour Pearson (Barbara Marten), York’s only suffragette ever to be arrested. Apart from Marten, the only professional actor in the cast, Pilot Theatre realized a large-scaled community project involving 150 people.

Continue reading “Review: Everything is Possible at York Theatre Royal”

Review by Tilly Martin

Setting her story in the decaying environment of a post-apocalyptic earth, Emily St John Mandel details the journey of several characters, all somehow intertwined, who are trying to make it in this new world. One of the most interesting aspects of the novel is that, unlike the custom in books of this genre, most aspects of the story are very realistic. There are no zombies and no individuals with semi-magical powers to save the day; every character is a hero in their own way, surviving on their own.

Continue reading “Review: Station Eleven, by Emily St John Mandel”

Review by Joseph Wright

Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell is a modern English masterpiece. Published in 2004 and set in nineteenth-century England, the novel tells an inverted version of history where magic exists and magicians are very real.

Continue reading “Review: Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke”

An invitation for YSJU students to volunteer for the Bradford Literature Festival, 30th June – 9th July.

The Festival writes:

Bradford Literature Festival offers a programme of events like no other, creating exceptional discussions and debates and inviting audiences to engage directly with world renowned authors and speakers to share thoughts and opinions. Our Festival wouldn’t be possible without a group of dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers. From the 30th June – 9th July, over 100 volunteers will help us run and deliver our festival. Whether you have a passion for literature and the arts, are looking to gain real working experience, or you’re simply an outgoing person looking for a fun way to spend your spare time, we want to hear from you!

The roles we have available include:

Venue Assistants

You would be an essential part of the Bradford Literature Festival. The role will involve assisting the Venue Manager in all aspects of event co-ordination including greeting the audience, taking tickets, assisting with seating and audience requirements as well as a whole host of other tasks.

Festival Runners

Reporting directly to the core team, Festival Runners are the problem solvers and key support network of the Bradford Literature Festival, so therefore vital for the Festival! This role is varied and can involve anything and everything from standing in for other volunteers and setting up events to transporting equipment and even escorting festival guests.

Guest Assistants

Stationed at one of our partner hotels, Guest Assistants will manage a dedicated guest liaison desk, assisting guest authors, speakers and artists. You would help guests check in and provide any information about the festival or Bradford itself. You would need to know Bradford excellently and a passion for literature is a must, you never know which esteemed guest you might meet!

If you are over the age of 16 and can make our training meeting on the 16th June at Bradford University, we would love to hear from you!

If you are interested in volunteering, please visit our website www.bradfordlitfest.co.uk/volunteers

Life after university can be a daunting prospect, as the challenge of securing employment and developing a career looms large. Thankfully, plenty of support is available from the Careers Team at York St John.

The team provides students with careers guidance and connects them with employers in Yorkshire and beyond. In this post, two third-year students explain what motivated them to attend the Yorkshire Graduate Fair in Leeds on Wednesday 3rd May 2017. Below are details of two more sessions being run by the Careers team, as well as details of how you can sign up.

Niamh Meehan

I decided to attend the Yorkshire Graduate Fair as I can say, with the collective unease of all students about to embark the minefield of adulthood post university, I don’t really know what I want to do. What I do know is that I want to keep all of my options open in the next few months, and henceforth apply for everything and anything that strikes me as a possibility. So the next step was to get informed about the opportunities out there, part of which included a trip to the University of Leeds, where the Yorkshire Graduate Fair was being held.

As over 90 companies were due to attend, the fair was spread across 2 large sports halls on the campus. At first it was overwhelming, but I had come to the fair with a few companies in mind, so I planned my route around the rooms and took advantage of the freebies available. Often the thought of networking is worse than it actually is and I found this to be the case throughout the fair; many of the employers were open, friendly and welcomed my questions. I came away from the event with a greater insight into the opportunities around graduate schemes, internships, full-time and part-time roles and postgraduate courses. I managed to make a few contacts in the companies I was interested in and got a better understanding of what those companies are looking for in their potential employees.

I would encourage anyone who is in doubt about attending careers fairs to go for it and stay informed – the Careers team will tell you when the next events will take place. I had a really positive experience and hope others will too.

Holly Pawlitta

In the midst of writing my final assignments, and the aftermath of my dissertation, I found it difficult to gather the courage to search for a job. However, when I found out that the Careers team at university were offering a trip to Leeds for a graduate jobs fair, I felt that I finally had a starting point in my search for employment.

Prior to attending the fair, I felt nervous about meeting so many professionals, but my fears disappeared when I arrived at the fair. There were many employers at the fair, each offering exciting job opportunities for graduates. All of the employers were friendly and more than happy to answer my questions regarding the jobs they had available for English Literature graduates. The atmosphere was casual, yet informative. Many employers explained what job roles they typically offer to those with degrees in English Literature, for instance publishing, editing, marketing and consultancy. Some employers offered to look at my CV, whereas others asked for my contact details.

Attending the fair really put into perspective how valuable my degree is in the eyes of employers. Having the opportunity to meet so many employers in person was a much more informative and enriching experience than searching for jobs online. I now feel that I have the confidence to speak about the skills and knowledge which attending university has given to me. I highly recommend that other graduates make the most of such opportunities.

Upcoming Events 

It’s the Final Countdown! (15-18th May)

We are filling the last week of term with a series of workshops designed to help students develop their core job-seeking skills, including Kickstart Your CV, LinkedIn Lab, Interviews and Assessment Centres and Personal Branding.  We’ll also be running transferable skills workshops on Commercial Awareness, Project Management, Negotiating and Influencing and Personal Effectiveness, to make sure our graduates are absolutely ready to hit the ground running.

Leadership Bootcamp Open Badge (15-18th May)

Students who attend all the transferable skills workshops and at least one careers skills workshops will be able to complete the Leadership Bootcamp Open Badge.  This includes a full-day’s project management training run by Sarah Wilson of 54 Degrees.

The Leadership Bootcamp and Final Countdown sessions are aimed at final years, but open to all years.  Please point them out to any students who you think will benefit!

More information