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At the Turn of the 20th Century

English Literature

XII

Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. London, 2001

All Members of the House of Lords and the House of Commons are guided by the traditions and rules which have developed over the last 700 years. The Government bills start their passage through Parliament in the House of Lords. The strength of the House of Commons is that it has the right to debate, to argue and to speak out.

"The new dawn" was promised on the banks of the Thames in 1997, when Tony Blair was elected the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. But recent years were marked by some embarrassing let-downs of the Labour Government.

The British Isles experience difficulties. Northen Ire­land's tortuous peace process is in stalemate. Moreover, it is about to take another backward step. The Ulster Unionists want "action not words" from the terrorists. Only when the guns are handed over can the peace process move forward. Meanwhile, progress towards more self-government is traced in Wales and Scotland; the revival of patriotic defiance and faith in national identify are bolstered up. Furthermore, the refugee cri­sis is running out of control too. The south towns and ports of London are overwhelmed. The arrival of tens of thousands of asylum seekers into the UK over the past few years, and the tension it has caused is exposing the Government's policy. The Government has ignored warnings that its dispersal policy of sending arrivals to parts of the country where empty housing is available is causing outbreaks of violence. The asylum issue is a crisis for the UK.

Besides, British economy survives hard times. The awful consequences of the spread of foot and mouth disease are being felt by almost every sector of business, from tourism to transport. Most of all the agricultural sector is affected by this crisis. In the countryside the shock waves are felt hardest. Guto Hard, a BBC poli­tical correspondent, comments on the inevitable influ­ence of the economic boom and bust on the political situation in the country. "No one would envy Tony Blair those troubled ten days sitting in Downing Street, as

large parts of the countryside were effectively closed down and thousands of cattle, sheep and pigs were burned in dark pyres or buried in mass graves... ("Cam­bria". Spring 2001) Foot and mouth disease has provid­ed a backdrop for the second contest the Labour party was so eager for," because nobody was certain "if Tony Blair should call an election or not." ("Cambria". Spring 2001)

"The economic crisis dampened the enthusiasm and excitement which Labour wanted to rekindle for its second term, which should be more radical in the im­provement in public services..." ("Cambria". Spring 2001) More must be invested in health service and in aftercare so that lives are not lost simply through ne­glect.

Also genetic discrimination could become even more of a problem as consumers are increasingly expected to rely on the private sector, though many companies have shown they are incapable of protecting consumers' in­terests. Therefore, the private companies must be con­trolled by legislation. Finally, "The Government has to do more to stem the entry of illegal immigrants.

It should distinguish political refugees from purely economic migrants, and act more decisively to send home those who have come simply for a better life" ("Daily Express". August 2001).

The crisis concerns all the population of the UK. The writers express their national initiative, desire to protect their culture. Talented writers' promotion is supported. Highly-profile authors are appreciated.

use the opportunity to attend these events and ask different questions on the subject.

Derek Wilson

Numerous literary events, such as Summer Reading Festivals, meetings with modern prolific novelists, poets and playwrights are held in England (in the Brit­ish Museum, London), in Scotland (in the Writers' Museum, Edinburgh; National Library, Edinburgh). In Wales Summer Reading Festivals are also popularized. Today the British Library holds a wide range of books relating to modern literature. There are free "Meet the Author" events specially organized in the British Museum in London. No tickets are required for Шр'ЁЩл WL attendance. Derek Wilson has re­cently presented his new book about the story of six men, all called Tho­mas, whose ambitions brought them face to face with the violent death in the court of Henry VIII. Among them there was Thomas More. The book "In Lion's Court" (2001) shows how dangerous life and career can be.

Stephen Van Dulken in his book "Inventing the 19th Century" creates a colourful and vivid picture of the Victorian times and tells the reader about the most important and memorable inventions, such as aspirin, dynamite and the telephone.

Not only does the past interest modern English writers, but they also take care of the future, highlight­ing the fact that the destiny of mankind is linked to the stars (Peter Whitfield, "Astrology: a History"). Thus the "Meet the Author" events have become a tradition in Modern English Literature. Everyone can

Andrew Motion

And what about modern English poetry? The name of Andrew Mo­tion is well known in the literary circles of the UK, because he be­came Poet Laureate in 1999. Since then he has published several vol­umes of poetry, among them "Se­lected Poems 1976-1997".

Meanwhile, new publications are advertized in mass media. "Daily Express" published an interesting article about the most mysterious event of the 20th century: the legend of the "Titanic".

A newspaper correspondent William Hartston ana­lyzes a new book by Robin Gardiner "Titanic. The Ship That Never Sank" (2001). The author believes that the ship that sank on 15th of April, 1912 was not the "Titanic", but the "Olympic". Moreover, the "Ol­ympic" was scuppered by its owners as part of an insurance scam.

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The author gives a lot of unpublished materials to prove his point of view. Gar­diner even produces evidence to suggest that the story about its crashing into an ice­berg was a myth. In fact, the "Titanic" (the "Olympic") bumped into one of the. ves­sels. The "Olympic" was sent for repairs to the Harland and

Wolff Shipyard where the "Titanic" was being pre­pared for its maiden voyage. Instead of expensive re­pairing, the owners decided to patch up the old ship, disguise it as the "Titanic", sink it on its voyage, and collect insurance money. Only the story went "a bit wrong", the author proceeds: the ship sank before it was meant to with such tragic loss of 1,500 lives.

But the author says nothing about the moment how the ships could change places without everybody notic­ing. Everyone within a mile of Harland and Wolff must have known which was the new ship and which was the old one, come in for repairs. Maybe the certain key people were threatened if the truth ever came out? Meanwhile, the legend of the "Titanic" attracts not only the writers' attention, but also experts' one.

Dr Ruffman, who is writing a book about the Titanic disaster, is close to solving the mystery over the iden­tity of a baby who was pulled from the sea days later after the sinking of the ill-fated vessel on 16th of April, 1912. The child was unidentified and buried in a neglect­ed grave marked only Unknown Child.

Now the baby has been exhumed for DNA tests. Dr Ruffman believes that the Unknown Child is two-year-old Eugene Rice who died with his mother Mar­garet Rice, 39, on their way to Canada. She was buried in a Catholic grave, while the child was buried in Nova Scotia (Canada) in a graveyard. The final tests are being conducted and if the final result is positive (proves that body is that of Eugene), he will be reburied with Margaret Rice, his mother.

Thus one of the mysteries connected with the "Ti­tanic" would be solved.

Myths and mysteries of the Celtic countries attract the writers' attention. The Welsh writer Rhiannon Ifans produced his "Tales From the Celtic Coun­tries", Wales, Brittany, Scotland, Ireland, Man and Cornwall. The tales revolve around the fair folk, mer­maids, ghosts and giants.

North Wales

Not only does the mystery draw the writers' inter­est; but also the real life of people. George Brinley Evans, another Welsh author has recently published his short stories under the title "Boys of Gold",

beautifully written and easy to read. His perfect stories are "wonderfully human"; they are "speaking volumes of experience".

Nowadays the political and cultural revival is traced in the circles of the Welsh literature.

Patrick Thomas, the Vicar of St David's parish, an honorary member of the Gorsedd of Bards and a former member of the Welsh Language Board, has written in both English and Welsh on a variety of literary, histor­ical and religious subjects.

Writing about the history of St David's Cathedral, Thomas Patrick worships lorwerth, a 13th century Welsh Archbishop of the Cathedral, "a builder of bridges

between opposed communities, a healer of wounds and a man who made peace in a situation where conflict seemed inevitable/ In twenty-first century Wales, where cultural conflict is never far below the surface, he provides a model for those who wish to bring togeth­er our different traditions to build up a diverse, inclu­sive and tolerant nation" ("Cambria". Spring 2001. "Iorwerth of Talley" by P. Thomas).

Jan Morris is an outstanding con­temporary writer, an honorary Doctor of Literature of the University of Wales.

She is the author of the "Pax Brit-tanica" trilogy which documents the rise and fall of the British Empire. Jan Morris More than that, she published a book of observations on Europe — "Fifty years of Europe: An Album" — travel essays, a novel and several biographies.

Jan Morris lives in Wales, Gwynedd and is consid­ered to be a chronicler and observer of Welsh history. In her open letter to the First Minister Rhodri Morgan, Jan Morris writes: "We wanted to go on feeling that we were a self-reliant nation of our own, hostile to nobody, with our own manners and purposes, our own two languages... We none of us yearn for a Greater Wales, but we yearn for a happy Wales... Why not in the meantime do something to bolster our flagging faith in national identy?... Why not make a few patriotic ges­tures?... Proclaim St David's Day a national holiday. Establish Wales's own honours list... In Wales we still have profound sources of public pride, only waiting to

be tapped, which can make us happier and more suc­cessful... Revive our national enthusiasm. For God's sake cheer up again..." ("Cambria". Gwanwyn. 2001. Living Wales Today).

Summer Reading Festivals are held in Wales, Eng­land and Scotland. Dumfries and Galloway in South­west Scotland is a geographically and culturally diverse region with a fascinating and extraordinary literary story to tell. The inspiration of past writers such as Robert Burns and Thomas Cariyle and their influence on the contemporary literary life, with a great number of novelists, poets, playwrights and critics, makes Dumfries and Galloway one of the literary centres of Scotland. Modern Scottish writers are influenced by great writers, such as Sir Walter Scott and Robert Louis Stevenson. The literary life of Scotland is pro­foundly reflected in one of the intelligent and outspoken Quality Literary Magazine "Chapman", founded in 1970.

All aspects of cultural life of Scotland are revealed in this magazine. Anyone who is interested in contem­porary Scotland is welcome. Furthermore, "Chapman" publishes the new works by well-known Scottish writ­ers for critical discussion. Besides, the magazine pro­motes interesting ideas and writers, bringing their work to public attention.

The Writers' Museum in Edinburgh also holds a series of literary events with the authors. All sessions are held at the Writers' Museum, Lady Stair's Close Lawnmarket. James Robertson presented his best-selling historical novel "The Fanatic¹ there.

Nowadays all the Scottish writers keep in touch with all aspects of social life. The authors participated in

"The Writer Stuff Events Series" held at the National Library of Scotland during the Edinburgh International Book Festival in June-October, 2001.

The programme of "Writer Events" consisted of talks, interviews and discussions, book presentation, poetry and song. The successive generation of modern writers was represented by the novelist Carl Mac-Dougall ("Painting the Forth Bridge") who took a look at Scottish identity in his latest non-fiction book; Margaret Thomson Davis spoke about her novel about immigrant families. Anoth­er "big name" of Scottish litera­ture is Stewart Conn, a poet and playwright who has been actively and significantly involved in Scot­land's cultural life for several dec­ades. Recently, Bloodaxe issued a handsome selection of his poems Stewart Conn {"Stolen Light"), a volume of essays, poems and prose pieces. His book "Distances: A Personal Evocation of Peo­ple and Places" refers to those of time and geogra­phy — from the Ayrshire of his childhood to his adult experiences in South Africa, Europe and the United States. "Distances" opens with a wonderfully vigorous essay on "An Ayrshire Boyhood", which can be read as a companion piece to many of Conn's early poems. In it we meet his father's Uncle Todd, one of the most commanding presences in modern Scottish Literature: "Tall, white and bony, he seemed an almost mythic figure". The three poems are central to the book — both physically and metaphorically — those dedicated to his wife and to his two sons, as indeed is the collec-

tion as a whole. The sub-heading "A Personal Evoca­tion of People and Places" concerning such writers as Iain Smith, Alasdair MacLean, George Brown

and other recent Scottish novelists, is the strongest point in the book.

A number of Conn's essays are character studies of writers and their work. The main themes of his "Dis­tances" are devoted to communication of different people, cultures and continents. "The themes are borne by a writer of intelligence, perception and great gene­rosity of spirit." Srewart Conn writes of his "sense of belonging partly from place and partly through an awareness of blood-links of residual family ties" ("The Scotsman". August, 2001).

A series of small temporary exhibitions allows the Writers' Museum to celebrate the anniversaries and work of the writers who have contributed to the deve­lopment and diversity of Scottish literature, as well as to promote literary organizations and literary themes.

Outside the museum is Makars' Court, a series of inscribed stones celebrating the achievements of Scot­tish writers. The Scottish word Makar stresses the role of the poet as a skilled and versatile worker in the writing craft.

The first twelve writers range in date from the 14th century poet John Barbour to Sorley MacLean who

died in 1996, representing Scotland's main literary lan­guages — Scots, Latin, Gaelic and English. Each of the writers is commemorated by quotation inscribed in stone and set in the paving which leads from both the Mound and the Lawnmarket approaches to the door of the Writers' Museum.

The project is ongoing and Makars' Court will grow and develop as future stones are added.

One of the inscribed stones set in

paving which leads to the door of

the Writers' Museum.

■

1. Arkieson Evan. A Mad Dream. The Story of Literary
Edinburgh, Edinburgh — City Art Centre, 1997. — 10 p.

2. Dickens Charles. Our Mutual Friend / Адаптация
E. Жук. — M.: Издательство литературы на иностранных
языках, 1954. — 140 с.

3. Evans Nicholas. The Horse Whisperer. — England.
Edinburgh Gate Penguin Books Ltd, 1999. — 87 p.

4. Gower R. Past and Present. An Anthology of British and
American Literature — England, Edinburgh Gate, Longman
Ltd, 1999. — 470 p.

5. Jacob W. L. Stevenson R. L. Poet and Storyteller. The
Lightkeeper of Skerryvorse — Bournemouth, Edinburgh, 2001. —
24 p.

5. Kenneth G. The Wind in the Willows — London. Penguin Books, 1994. — 224 p.

7. Longman Dictionary of English Language and Cul­
ture — Addison Wesley. Longman, England, 1999. — 1568 p.

8. McDowall D. An Illustrated History of Britain. — Lon­
don, Longman Ltd, 1995. — 188 p.

9. Parker Michael St. John. The World of Dickens. —
A Pitkin Guide, 1999. — 28 p.

10. Thackeray W. M. Vanity Fair. — London. Penguin
Books, 1994. — 678 p.

11. The Works of Robert Burns. — Wordsworth Edit. Ltd,
1995. — 636 p.

12. Thornley G. С Roberts G. An Outline of English Li!
erature. — London, Longman Ltd, 1984. — 216 p.

13. Tolkien J. R. R. The Fellowship of the Ring. "Wave
Nine" Publishers,-St Petersburg, 1994. — 432 p.

14. Wells H. G. The Invisible Man, New Edit. Second
Impression, Penguin Books, 2001. — 74 p.

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