Recently discovered writings from Dame Iris Murdoch, the acclaimed novelist and former University of Oxford fellow, will be featured at a free humanities festival that emphasizes academic-community partnerships and the preservation of Britain's intellectual heritage. The Think Human festival at Oxford Brookes University will showcase previously unpublished poems found in the attic of Murdoch's former residence at 30 Charlbury Road, according to Gary Browning, a committee member for the festival and an Emeritus Professor.
Rediscovering a Literary Legacy
The Iris Murdoch Society's discovery represents a significant addition to the body of work left by Dame Iris, who was not only a novelist but also a philosopher, playwright and academic whose books explored morality, love and human relationships. The poems have been published in a collection called Poems from an Attic, which includes a love poem and a poem about her husband, historian Michael Foot. Some of the poems will be read out at the Oxford Brookes University event, which aims to create connections between academics and the local community from 15-18 April.
Browning said he had a "positive" response to the unearthed poems and that the one about love was "really quite powerful." Actress Annette Badland will read "a very moving" love poem about Elizabeth Anscombe by Dame Iris during the festival.
Oxford's Philosophical Tradition
Browning will lead a discussion titled Oxford Quartet: Women Philosophers Against the Tide on 17 April. The discussion will centre on the life and works of Elizabeth Anscombe, Philippa Foot, Mary Midgley and Booker Prize winner Dame Iris, who all came to Oxford as undergraduates in the 1930s. Browning said, "These women were much more inclined to be more objective in ethics and thought that we needed a strong support for ethics in philosophy."
He also said, "Anscombe, after the war, [felt very strongly that Oxford University should not give an honorary degree to Harry Truman, who dropped atomic bombs on Japan, and she was virtually alone in opposing this action." The author won widespread acclaim with novels such as Under The Net, The Black Prince and The Sea, the Sea, as well as philosophical essays exploring morality.
Browning will also talk about two novels, one of which, Jerusalem, may never be published after Dame Iris left a note on the manuscript stating "Not for Publication, Ever."
Community Engagement and Educational Value
Event director Prof Katharine Craik said the festival was for everybody. She said, "For me and for many of my colleagues who are running events this year, being human is about openness and having an interest in other people's lives, other people's communities, other people's realities, and bringing people into conversations."
Craik said she was looking forward to the event commemorating local history dedicated to Harriet Jacobs, who she described as "one of the most remarkable African-American figures of the 19th Century." Events on motherhood, the legacy of new Labour and grassroots football are also part of the programme.
Craik added there would also be a day event for schools on Friday "to enrich the kids' preparation for A-levels, but also to broaden their knowledge and understanding more generally of humanities subjects." Browning called it an "absolutely fantastic occasion" where there "are always spirited conversations between the audience and people on the stage."
Why This Matters:
The discovery and public presentation of Dame Iris Murdoch's previously unknown poems demonstrates the enduring value of preserving Britain's intellectual and cultural heritage through private scholarship and voluntary societies rather than government-directed cultural programs. The festival's free admission model and emphasis on direct academic-community engagement represents an efficient approach to public education that relies on institutional initiative and individual participation. The focus on four women philosophers who championed objective ethics and moral philosophy in the 1930s highlights a tradition of rigorous intellectual inquiry grounded in universal principles rather than subjective relativism. For students preparing for A-levels, the festival offers supplemental educational enrichment that complements formal schooling without requiring additional public expenditure, illustrating how cultural institutions can serve educational purposes through voluntary collaboration.