Year: Final
Part of the year: Full Year
Module Leader: James Walker
Assessments:
Keywords:
Memory theatre, travel, Rananim (utopian communities), literary criticism, digital engagement, design thinking.
Description:
D.H. Lawrence (11 September 1885 – 2 March 1930) was a novelist, essayist, playwright, poet literary critic and painter. He was a controversial figure who experienced persecution and censorship throughout his life. Lawrence alienated himself from his birth town of Eastwood when he wrote about the dehumanising effects of modernity and industrialisation. In wider literary circles he was dismissed as a pornographer, for daring to champion the body over the mind.
In the 1920s he embarked on a journey of self-discovery known as his ‘Savage Pilgrimage’ which took him to Australia, Italy, Ceylon (Sri Lanka), the United States, Mexico and the South of France. Here he hoped to find Rananim, a small utopian community of like-minded people.
In this module we will explore Lawrence’s significance as a writer and explore ways of celebrating his legacy that are more relevant to 21st century audiences. We will do this through digital literary criticism. Rather than write ‘another’ biography of Lawrence, we will curate his life through artefacts, all of which will be hosted in a ‘memory theatre’.
This is a unique opportunity for students to be involved in a digital project from conception to production. You will learn about: funding, audiences, stakeholder theory, digital literary criticism, and project management. Module leader James Walker is building a ‘real’ memory theatre, so you have the opportunity to gain ‘real’ experience of producing a digital literary heritage project. His previous literary heritage project, Dawn of the Unread, won a Guardian award.
Prerequisites:
You do not need to be an expert in D.H Lawrence. You do not need to understand what a memory theatre is. You do not need to be an artist. This module is entirely focussed around giving you experience of how to create and curate a digital literary project.
What you do need is enthusiasm, the confidence to learn new skills, an interest in literature and basic digital literacy.
This module will provide additional content through YouTube, Wordpress blog, Instagram and Twitter. You will be expected to be familiar with these social media platforms.
Set Texts:
Harrison, Andrew. The Life of D.H. Lawrence. Wiley. 2016.
Worthing, John. D. H. Lawrence: The Life of an Outsider. Penguin 2006.
Mauriès, Patrick. Cabinets of Curiosities. Thames and Hudson Ltd, 2011.
Weekly blogs: https://thedigitalpilgrimage.wordpress.com/
Core material:
Abbs, Annabel. Frieda: A Novel of the Real Lady Chatterley. Two Roads, 2018.
Brett, Dorothy. Lawrence and Brett. Philadelphia, J.B. Lippincott, 1933.
Carswell, Catherine. The Savage Pilgrimage. New York, Harecourt, Brace and Co., 1932.
Dunmore, Helen. Zennor in Darkness. Penguin, 1993.
Dyer, Geoff. Out of Sheer Rage. Canongate, 2006.
Lawrence, D. H. Mornings in Mexico and Etruscan Places. Penguin Books, 1960.
Lawrence, D. H. Sea and Sardinia. Penguin Classics, 1999.
Lawrence, D. H. Twilight in Italy and Other Essays. Cambridge University Press. 2002.
Lawrence, D. H; Boulton, James T. The Selected Letters of D.H. Lawrence. Cambridge University Press, 2000.
Lawrence, D.H; Fenton, James. Selected Poems. Penguin Classics, 2008.
Luhan, Mabel Dodge. Lorenzo in Taos. New York. Alfred A. Knopf, Inc., 1932.
Merrild, Knud. A Poet and Two Painters. New York, The Viking Press, 1939.
Teaching methods/structure:
The module is split into three stages:
We will have guest speakers from UNESCO Nottingham City of Literature, museum and heritage professionals, literary walks (psychogeography), and virtual lessons.
This module is unique in that additional teaching resources are made available across media platforms so that you can ask the module leader questions as any point. These are:
Blogging site https://thedigitalpilgrimage.wordpress.com/
YouTube (D.H. Lawrence: A Digital Pilgrimage) https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfHWgS7QOWLepwT_1OSmzjw
Instagram (DHL A Digital Pilgrimage) https://www.instagram.com/dhldigitalpilgrimage/
Twitter (MemoryTheatre) https://twitter.com/memorytheatre
Should you require to look at the full module specification please contact the School Admin Team at AAHSchool.admin@ntu.ac.uk
Contact details for further queries (module leader):
james.walker@ntu.ac.uk OR say hello on Instagram