This week we’ll be thinking about heroes and epic, reading two texts as a starting-point: a short section from Dean Miller’s The Epic Hero and passages from Derek Walcott’s poem Omeros.
Reading:
Dean Miller, “An Overview of the Hero” in The Epic Hero, pp.1-12 (PDF). NB you will need to log in to Canvas to access this PDF; please email d.butchard@bham.ac.uk if the link doesn’t work for you. Derek Walcott, sections from Omeros (LINK)
Time & Place:
- 14:00-15:30, Wed 15 May 2019
- Arts 247 (Dorothy’s office)
““Powerful ghosts” brings out two key constituents of the image: the heroic connection with death, and the fact that the hero’s intermediary power may in fact be something not to seek out or welcome.” – Dean Miller, The Epic Hero
About the Doctoral Seminar:
This is an informal weekly reading group run for postgraduates within the Department of English Literature. We select a short text to read in advance, often a work of theory, then meet to discuss it. The seminar provides an opportunity to consider aspects of the reading that were thought-provoking or challenging for you, think about how it relates to texts you may have studied or plan to read, and share aspects of your own research and academic practice. It’s also a chance to get together, try out ideas, and meet fellow postgraduate researchers. There will be tea, coffee and biscuits and you are very welcome!