Iris Murdoch Centenary Conference

Dr. (Miss) Dibba Bhargavi, Asst. Professor and Ms. Prasanti Prabha, Doctoral Research Scholar from the Department of English Language and Literature, SSSIHL, presented a paper each at the niche and prestigious Iris Murdoch Centenary Conference at St Anne’s College, University of Oxford, UK, 13-15 July 2019.

The conference was organised by The Iris Murdoch Research Centre in association with the University of Oxford.

The Iris Murdoch Society, based at the University of Chichester, is run by the Research Centre of the University to promote the philosophical and artistic vision of Iris Murdoch, a post-modern British novelist and philosopher. Professors, researchers, critics and general readers of Murdoch attend the conferences that the Society conducts (once every two years) in order to enhance, promote and archive the research on Murdoch.

Scholars from across 19 countries enthusiastically participated in the panel discussions, round-table conferences and symposiums dealing with a wide range of topics like ethics, intertextuality, politics, mind, perception, sociability, poetics, philosophy, aesthetics, realism, løgstrup, film, music, art, form, and moral life reflected in Murdoch’s writing.

Since Murdoch was influenced by Indian philosophy, the papers presented focussed on tracing the subtle references to Indian philosophical concepts in her novels. Titled, “Who is the Master?: An Understanding of The Message to the Planet in the Indian Context” and “Meandering Through the Web of Illusion: Bruno’s Dream from an Indian Perspective”, both papers analysed Iris Murdoch’s work using narratology. They also highlighted the latent Vedantic undertones in some of her novels.

The presentations were appreciated for the novelty of the idea and interpretation.

As participants, the team visited and explored the exhibition (on Murdoch’s Oxford life) at Somerville College & Kingston Museum. Other interesting and educating activities that were a part of the Centenary Conference included:

• A first-ever summer school organised by the Iris Murdoch Society that included lectures, seminars, optional supervision, literary tours and excursions with professional guides.
• A book launch programme by well-known critics and authors like Anne Rowe, Lucy Boulton and Peter J Conradi.
• A launch of new editions to Murdoch’s most popular novels.
• A series of round table lectures by eminent professors and critics such as Peter Garrard, Gary Browning, Lucy Bolton, Justin Broackes, Niklas Forsberg, Miles Leeson, and Anne Rowe.
• An on-screen and stage performance on Murdoch by the University of Chichester.

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