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(In)famous Subjects : Representing Women's Criminality and Violence in Historical Biofictions single work   criticism  
Issue Details: First known date: 2019... 2019 (In)famous Subjects : Representing Women's Criminality and Violence in Historical Biofictions
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'Historical fiction writers can be drawn to the true stories of women who have committed violent or criminal acts, as are readers. Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace and Hannah Kent's Burial Rites are popular, acclaimed examples of this trend. In my own creative work, Treading Air, I fictionalise the life of Lizzie O’Dea, petty thief and sex worker. The women in these stories are vulnerable subjects unable to give their consent, and the often elliptical and unreliable historical records that are the textual traces of their lives, coupled with the discomfort of the voyeuristic gaze, make representations of criminal women in historical biofiction a fraught act.' (Publication abstract)

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  • Appears in:
    y separately published work icon New Writing vol. 16 no. 1 2019 15511173 2019 periodical issue

    'Recently, a professor working in the College where I am Dean proposed a new course. The title and topic of the course was ‘Procrastination’. This proposal came before the College Course Selection Committee, which consists of the Dean, some Faculty, Professional Advising Coordinator and some appointed students. Naturally, we did all the requisite jokes: ‘I think we should accept it. Or maybe not accept it. Or accept it. Or … ’ and ‘Is she sure she wants to offer it?’ and ‘Will students know whether they should sign up for it or not?’ Once we had gotten over our proclivity for quipping, we pondered the proposal more critically.' (Graeme Harper, Procrastination : Editorial introduction)

         2019     pg. 67-76
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Last amended 5 Feb 2019 13:45:02
67-76 (In)famous Subjects : Representing Women's Criminality and Violence in Historical Biofictionssmall AustLit logo New Writing
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