Monday 22 June 2020

The Lecture Series...

PG & Research Department of English
Queen Mary’s College (Autonomous)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, INDIA

Invites you for

The Lecture Series on

Literature in Times Like These

03 July – 06 July 2020

9. 30 am to 11 am

The Lecture Series titled, ‘Literature in Times Like These’ is an endeavour to reach out to the student community during this pandemic COVID 19, to find strength in the human response to similar situations in the past, be it the Great Plague or the Spanish Influenza.

The feelings of insecurity that gnaw at us when one amongst us falls through disease may be seen even in War Literature, for even this pandemic is ravaging along the lines of armed conflict.

Displacement is also one of the fallouts of this war with Corona Virus. Heart-wrenching images and stories of migrant labourers have left indelible imprints on our minds. The employment scenario is bleak with wage cuts: many have lost their jobs due to the lockdown.

Isn't this reminiscent of the Great Depression? The existential crisis looms large before us not only because of the economy but also due to disease and death.

And yet, Literature has always served as a place of refuge for the human spirit, an ocean where we may sink our griefs, a springboard from which we can liberate our spirits.

In times like these we cannot help remembering “the fever and the fret” that Keats lamented and his ability to transcend it as well, the “negative capability” which unleashed from him a tribute to a tiny, but significant form of life, the nightingale of whom he said, “Thou wast not born for death, Immortal Bird. No hungry generations tread thee down.”

He literally took flight on the wings of the little bird when he said, “Away for I will fly with thee. Not charioted by Bacchus and his pards. But on the viewless wings of poesy.” That is transcendence!

The Lecture Series on Literature in Times Like These, will have experienced and eminent professors, address students on Literature in the context of -

Existentialism
Transcendence
Disease
Displacement of human communities

This crisis has witnessed a commendable response in terms of human beings bonding together online.

May we keep this spirit going by bringing together our students from different colleges to listen together and think together about life as it has been dealt to us today.

As the saying goes, “We don't deal the cards. But we can learn to play them!”

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Speakers

03 July 2020
Topic: Existentialism
Dr. Samuel Rufus
Madras Christian College (Autonomous)
Chennai, TN

04 July 2020
Topic: Canker, Plague and Phage
Dr. Abdul Jinnah
Jamal Mohamed College (Autonomous)
Trichy, TN

05 July 2020
Topic: Transcendence
Dr. K. Ganesh
University of Madras
Chennai, TN

06 July 2020
Topic: Exodus
Dr. D. E. Benet
National College (Autonomous)
Trichy, TN

Guidelines for the Webinar

1.  The Webinar shall be conducted on the Zoom platform on all four days between 9. 30 am and 11 am. The link for joining in the Webinar will be sent to you personally on your registered email.

2. You may start joining the meeting from 9. 15 am onwards.

3. Kindly keep your audio and video options off during the Webinar, and please do not click on the ‘Present Now’ or ‘Share Button’ under any circumstances.

4.  Since there is a restriction of 100 participants in the Zoom platform, entry is based purely on first-come-first-served basis. If possible, the webinar will be made available ‘live’ in the YouTube link which will be e-mailed to the participants before the beginning of the Webinar.

5. Clarifications/Questions/Doubts can be raised after the talk of the Resource Person. The participants are requested to type their questions in the Chatbox provided.

6.  All participants are requested to enter your Name with Designation, Institution, Mail ID and Mobile Number in the Chatbox.

7. Feedback link will be shared at the end of each session and e-Certificate will be provided to those who submit the feedback form.

To register, kindly click on this link below.


With warm regards,

Dr. Maria Preethi Srinivasan
Head, Department of English
Queen Mary’s College (Autonomous)
Chennai, Tamil Nadu, INDIA
Contact Email: qmcwebinar2020@gmail.com
Contact Mobile: 9444067051