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Gerry Carruthers Seminar 2012
'Civilised & Primitive: the Paradox of English literature Beyond Britain'
Abstract: Beginning in Britain in the 18th century, this paper discusses the fault-line that the Romantic period creates in literary culture. It reflects upon the way in which 'English Literature' at home is unsure about whether 'culture' is something polished or, instead, natural and it goes on to reflect on resulting dilemmas written into poetry elsewhere in the English-speaking world, especially America, Australia & South Africa. The authors covered include Charles Churchill, Robert Burns, Thomas Pringle, the 'Harlem Renaissance' poets, Les Murray and Don Paterson.
Bio: Gerard Carruthers is Director of the Centre for Robert Burns Studies and Professor of Scottish Literature Since 1700 at the University of Glasgow. Prof. Carruthers is a graduate of the universities of Glasgow and Strathclyde and of St Andrew's College of Education, Glasgow. His PhD thesis was on 'The Invention of Scottish Literature During the Long Eighteenth Century'. Prof. Carruthers has recently edited a new edition of the Cambridge Companion to Scottish Literature (CUP,2012). He is an expert on Robert Burns, romanticism, and the long eighteenth century.
Audio:
Listen to Gerry's paper (right click and "save link as" to download).
