The Literature of Violence/The Violence of Literature

Violence, the philosopher Hannah Arendt wrote, has always played 'an enormous role in human affairs' - but what role does it play in literature? Is there too much violence in what we read (and what is too much, anyway?), or can violent acts offer valuable insights into characters and situations? Can the page itself be a violent space? Considering authors like Toni Morrison, Kei Miller, Sylvia Plath, and Cormac McCarthy, this talk will reflect on how we encounter violence and what we should do as readers and critics when we see it.

Please email schools.liaison@brookes.ac.uk to book a space.