Latest news with #Anglo-Saxon
The Age
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Age
Trump is trying to eradicate Harvard's inconvenient truths
I began my PhD in English at Harvard back in 1996, after a BA at the University of Sydney. Harvard's president then was Neil Rudenstine, an English professor whose research had been on Shakespeare and Keats. It was Keats who coined the term 'negative capability' in a letter to his brother, which he described as the state 'of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason'. This condition of open-minded, curious, creative doubt underpins all great universities and is a crucial pathway to knowledge. Harvard University has not always been a beleaguered underdog. With the world's news cameras trained on the colonial brick facades and leafy greens of Harvard Yard, it's an ideal moment to reassess what makes Harvard exceptional, and what social purpose is met by having outstanding universities, worldwide. One of my first memories of being at Harvard is of attending a small poetry reading given by Seamus Heaney in a swimming pool under an undergraduate hall of residence. The pool had in fact been drained a few years earlier, after one Suetonian free-for-all too many, attended by smoking, fornicating, pontificating future New Yorker writers. By the time I got there it had been converted to a decorous small theatre. Heaney had won the Nobel Prize the year before and was a member of the Harvard English department. He read that evening from something new he was working on, a verse translation of the Old English masterpiece Beowulf. Heaney's Beowulf is now a classic of a classic. Its brilliance was to couple the sounds of mainstream English lyric (e.g. Keats and Shakespeare) with rhythms and dialects that are distinctively Irish, Welsh and Anglo-Saxon, reminding readers that Britain's history is shaped by invasion, resettlement and language displacements, over many centuries. Beowulf is a contentious poem. Its aggressive tone and intensifying mood of sadness let us glimpse imaginative residues of Anglo-Saxon migrations, which displaced native Britons and old Roman settlements. Heaney's translation is a reminder not to oversimplify this story into a simple invasion and erasure narrative. It's asking us to think about national identity as changeable, volatile and complex. Loading Later in my degree, I was a teaching fellow for Stephen Greenblatt's classes on Shakespeare. His lectures were about how the power and beauty of Shakespeare depends on the plays' continuous experiments with wildly different, colliding systems of imagination and belief. Shakespeare was purposefully provocative, reminding audiences of the most debated topics of his time: still-unsettled conflicts between Protestantism and Catholicism, rifts between monarchy and parliament, conflicts between nation states and threats to political authority. His writing was always at the very edge of what was permissible. Anyone who's been an international student in a great university will have their own versions of these memorable encounters. I couldn't have put my finger on it that night down in the Adams House pool, but it was when I first sensed what is truly remarkable about Harvard and other great universities. The brilliance of its faculty and students comes from being unafraid of new and different ways of thinking. There's a crucial institutional pressure to keep broadening perspective and learning from other deeply creative, thoughtful people in other disciplines. It doesn't work perfectly all the time. As with any complex institution, Ivy League universities struggle with internal problems and conflicts that need fixing. They need to keep draining the pool. But at their best, universities such as Harvard are international communities of extraordinary teachers, students and scholars working to make knowledge from a collective dedication to not knowing and not being right all the time. The questioning of beliefs and assumptions is undergirded by deep expertise.
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Trump is trying to eradicate Harvard's inconvenient truths
I began my PhD in English at Harvard back in 1996, after a BA at the University of Sydney. Harvard's president then was Neil Rudenstine, an English professor whose research had been on Shakespeare and Keats. It was Keats who coined the term 'negative capability' in a letter to his brother, which he described as the state 'of being in uncertainties, mysteries, doubts, without any irritable reaching after fact and reason'. This condition of open-minded, curious, creative doubt underpins all great universities and is a crucial pathway to knowledge. Harvard University has not always been a beleaguered underdog. With the world's news cameras trained on the colonial brick facades and leafy greens of Harvard Yard, it's an ideal moment to reassess what makes Harvard exceptional, and what social purpose is met by having outstanding universities, worldwide. One of my first memories of being at Harvard is of attending a small poetry reading given by Seamus Heaney in a swimming pool under an undergraduate hall of residence. The pool had in fact been drained a few years earlier, after one Suetonian free-for-all too many, attended by smoking, fornicating, pontificating future New Yorker writers. By the time I got there it had been converted to a decorous small theatre. Heaney had won the Nobel Prize the year before and was a member of the Harvard English department. He read that evening from something new he was working on, a verse translation of the Old English masterpiece Beowulf. Heaney's Beowulf is now a classic of a classic. Its brilliance was to couple the sounds of mainstream English lyric (e.g. Keats and Shakespeare) with rhythms and dialects that are distinctively Irish, Welsh and Anglo-Saxon, reminding readers that Britain's history is shaped by invasion, resettlement and language displacements, over many centuries. Beowulf is a contentious poem. Its aggressive tone and intensifying mood of sadness let us glimpse imaginative residues of Anglo-Saxon migrations, which displaced native Britons and old Roman settlements. Heaney's translation is a reminder not to oversimplify this story into a simple invasion and erasure narrative. It's asking us to think about national identity as changeable, volatile and complex. Loading Later in my degree, I was a teaching fellow for Stephen Greenblatt's classes on Shakespeare. His lectures were about how the power and beauty of Shakespeare depends on the plays' continuous experiments with wildly different, colliding systems of imagination and belief. Shakespeare was purposefully provocative, reminding audiences of the most debated topics of his time: still-unsettled conflicts between Protestantism and Catholicism, rifts between monarchy and parliament, conflicts between nation states and threats to political authority. His writing was always at the very edge of what was permissible. Anyone who's been an international student in a great university will have their own versions of these memorable encounters. I couldn't have put my finger on it that night down in the Adams House pool, but it was when I first sensed what is truly remarkable about Harvard and other great universities. The brilliance of its faculty and students comes from being unafraid of new and different ways of thinking. There's a crucial institutional pressure to keep broadening perspective and learning from other deeply creative, thoughtful people in other disciplines. It doesn't work perfectly all the time. As with any complex institution, Ivy League universities struggle with internal problems and conflicts that need fixing. They need to keep draining the pool. But at their best, universities such as Harvard are international communities of extraordinary teachers, students and scholars working to make knowledge from a collective dedication to not knowing and not being right all the time. The questioning of beliefs and assumptions is undergirded by deep expertise.
Daily Record
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
Netflix fans say 'exquisite' and 'impeccable' period drama is 'enchanting'
The Dig tells the story of the 1939 excavation of Sutton Hoo in Suffolk - and fans are already in awe of the 'beautiful and moving' film Period drama enthusiasts are in for a treat as the 'impeccable' film The Dig is currently available to stream on Netflix. The 2021 cinematic depiction of John Preston's acclaimed novel brings to life the tales of the 1939 excavation at Sutton Hoo in Suffolk. Inhabitants were required to clear out as archaeologists uncovered an undisturbed ship brimming with enigmatic Anglo-Saxon artefacts. The motion picture showcases a stellar cast, featuring Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes portraying Edith Pretty and Basil Brown, respectively. The narrative follows landowner Edith's resolve to explore the burial mounds on her estate with the assistance of self-taught archaeologist Brown, who she employs in the hope of unearthing their secrets. Boasting a lofty score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has garnered recognition for its 'excellent' performances from viewers. A critic says: "This isn't my type of film usually, but I found it to be enchanting and captivating. Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes are excellent, as is the young lad. A window on a dangerous time but also captures the charm of England back then , when everyone had manners and everything was done with TLC." Another viewer added: "I just watched The Dig, and I have to say, it's such a beautiful and moving film. I knew a little bit about the Sutton Hoo discovery, but this film really brings the whole story to life in such a heartfelt way. It's not just about the archaeology; it's about the people behind it and everything they went through.", reports Surrey Live. In the nascent stage of their working relationship, Edith presents an offer matching what Brown had been getting from the Ipswich Museum, yet upon his declaration of its insufficiency, they settle on a more substantial sum for his expertise. Initially, Brown would cycle long distances daily until Edith extends the hospitality of on-site accommodation, shared with her driver and chef, plus two assistants to aid in his endeavours. Despite attempts by his previous colleagues to draw him back into their explorations, Brown remains steadfast in his solitary excavation. His persistence soon pays off when he stumbles upon enigmatic iron rivets from a ship, hinting that the site might be the final resting place of a figure of supreme stature—perhaps an ancient king prompting an unforeseen voyage of discovery. A fan wrote: "Beautifully shot and carefully written. It's a well-crafted story about discovery, death, love and hope, set in a turbulent time where Great Britain is about to go to war with Germany. Though this historical film suffers from pacing issues, particularly in the first half of the movie, it delivers an emotionally compelling and resonating story that we rarely see these days." For those keen to delve into the true tale of the Sutton Hoo excavation and immerse themselves in a period drama, The Dig is currently available for streaming on Netflix.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
Talk the talk
A former associate editor with the Times of India, Jug Suraiya writes two regular columns for the print edition, Jugular Vein, which appears every Friday, and Second Opinion, which appears on Wednesdays. His blog takes a contrarian view of topical and timeless issues, political, social, economic and speculative. LESS ... MORE The globalisation of English has taken a lot of the foreignness out of foreign travel Bunny and I are in Torino, Italy. And Bunny is eager to try out the conversational Italian she has picked up through assiduous practice on the Duolingo app on her cell phone. We go for a morning coffee to Caffe Mulassano, the 118-year-old establishment that looks like what the inside of an antique jewel box should look like, all burnished gleam and gilded glow. Buongiorno, vorremmo due cappuccini, deka per me, normale per lui, Bunny says in her best Duolingo Italian. Okay, two cappuccinos, one decaf, and one regular coming right up, says the barista, sounding like she's been displaced from Queens, NYC. It's like that wherever we go. Bunny asks for directions to a restaurant or wherever else we want to go, in punctilious Italian. The reply is almost invariably in English. It was very different when we first visited Italy in 1973. We didn't have a word of Italian, and no locals spoke anything else. We got by with an extempore hit-and-miss mixture of sign language, guesswork, and strokes of sudden inspiration. It made simple things, like ordering a meal, or asking the way to the train station, into a dramatic adventure, an exciting exploration of an exotic linguistic landscape. It made foreign feel foreign. Now, everyone, everywhere, in Europe, even in France which once shunned les anglais like a socially transmitted disease, will break into Anglo-Saxon at the drop of a chat. A linguistic pandemic, English spans the globe, hurdling geographic borders and cultural boundaries like a vocal virus. And the more you try to speak to the local citizenry in their language, the more you'll prompt a response in English, the speaker seizing this opportunity to demonstrate a grasp of what has become the most cosmopolitan of all languages, thanks to global commerce, Hollywood, and the lyrics of pop music. While this makes for ease of communication, it takes much of the foreignness out of foreign. So we look forward to our next port of call, where no one speaks English at all. It'll make for a nice change when we get to London. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
New York Post
5 days ago
- General
- New York Post
Archaeologists solve grim mystery of 1,500-year-old bucket found at historic tourist site
Archaeologists recently discovered the purpose of a mysterious 1,500-year-old bucket at one of England's most historic sites – and it wasn't pleasant. The National Trust released a statement about the Byzantine Bromeswell bucket, found at Sutton Hoo, in May. The site of two ancient Anglo-Saxon cemeteries, Sutton Hoo has offered a wealth of knowledge about pre-Norman British history since its first excavation in 1938. During an excavation last summer, archaeologists unearthed the base of the Bromeswell bucket, which dates back to the 6th century. Different fragments of the bucket were uncovered in past excavations, but this latest discovery gave researchers more to study. With the base in hand, researchers quickly went to work to analyze the artifact with a variety of techniques, including computerized tomography, CT scans and X-rays – and they found an answer. In a morbid turn of events, experts learned the bucket was used to hold the cremated remains of an important person, and their grave goods. 'The cremated human and animal bones uncovered confirm the find was used as a cremation vessel,' the National Trust noted. A statement was released by The National Trust that the Byzantine Bromeswell bucket was found earlier this month. National Trust/David Brunett The organization added, 'Cremated human bones included parts of a talus (ankle bone) and fragments of a skull vault (the upper part of the skull that protects the brain).' The bucket dates back to the 500s. It's decorated with a hunting scene depicting men armed with swords and shields, as well as dogs and lions – painting a vivid picture of life in the past. 'The latest fragments include feet, paws, the base of shields and even the missing face of one of the men,' the statement described. It is believed the bucket came from Antioch in the Byzantine Empire, now located in modern Turkey. The National Trust noted, 'Letterforms used within the bucket's design suggest it was made in the 6th century, meaning it was already 100 years old when it arrived here at Sutton Hoo.' Researchers also found 'a mystery object' that turned out to be a double-sided comb made from an antler. Interestingly, the object had not been burned. The National Trust said the presence of the comb suggests the Anglo-Saxons took grooming seriously, as combs have been found in male and female burials before. Archaeologists recently found a 1,500-year-old bucket at an ancient Anglo-Saxon cemetery in Sutton Hoo, one of England's most historical sites. National Trust Images/James Dobson 'Slightly less romantically, combs also would have been useful in the control of lice,' the statement said. 'Although the human bone in the cremation couldn't be sexed, it's hoped that ancient DNA from the owner might survive on the comb, and analysis could reveal more about them.' National Trust archaeologist Angus Wainwright said that he was 'hopeful' future research will uncover new insight into 'this very special burial.' 'We knew that this bucket would have been a rare and prized possession back in Anglo-Saxon times, but it's always been a mystery why it was buried,' Wainwright said. 'Now we know it was used to contain the remains of an important person in the Sutton Hoo community.' Anglo-Saxon expert Helen Geake told the National Trust the puzzle of the Bromeswell bucket has 'finally' been solved. 'Now we know that it is the first of these rare objects ever to have been used in a cremation burial,' she said. 'It's a remarkable mixture – a vessel from the southern, classical world containing the remains of a very northern, very Germanic cremation.' She also said the find 'epitomizes the strangeness' of Sutton Hoo, which has captivated British history enthusiasts for decades. 'It has ship burials, horse burials, mound burials and now bath-bucket burials,' Geake observed. 'Who knows what else?'
