Iris Murdoch: Philosophical Novelist - (Continuum Literary Studies) by Miles Leeson (Hardcover)

About the Book

A reassessment of Murdoch's fictional work regarding her links with her own philosophy and the philosophy of Plato, Sartre, Nietzsche, Heidegger and Freud.

Book Synopsis

This book provides a concise and highly readable reassessment of Iris Murdoch's engagement with philosophy throughout her life and proposes that she was, most importantly, a philosophical novelist. By investigating her use of philosophical argument in her fictional writing, it becomes clear that her narratives always depend upon a strong metaphysical underpinning. Leeson proceeds thematically through the philosophical phases of Murdoch's life and develops a clear argument that Murdoch reacts against the philosophies of Sartre, Plato, Nietzsche and Heidegger not only in her philosophical writings but also in her fiction. Indeed, it is in her fiction that her philosophical argument is most persuasive and accessible. This timely study provides new information regarding Murdoch's engagement with Martin Heidegger and also provides a detailed critique of critics who have overlooked Murdoch's engagement with philosophy within her fiction.

Review Quotes

It is a sign of health in a scholarly community when books arise that challenge its orthodoxies. Such challenge requires bravery of the scholar and meticulous care in arguing for new approaches. Leeson's book is brave and healthy in this way, aiming to open new lines of research and inquiry into Iris Murdoch's novels as, precisely, philosophical novels. Not novels in which philosophy is a motif (the orthodoxy), but in which philosophy is, in fact, done. Recent gestures by other scholars in Murdoch Studies indicate that such a line of counter-criticism has been opened, notably by the work of Bran Nicols and Guy Backus, though not settled. Leeson's book extends that line to firmly establish that Murdoch's novels do philosophy, and to open space for explorations of the depth to which her philosophy is woven into her aesthetic fabric . . . There is much inspiration to be found here, and Leeson has established himself as young scholar of both depth and promise. --Sanford Lakoff

It is a sign of health ina scholarly community when books arise that challenge its orthodoxies. Suchchallenge requires bravery of the scholar and meticulous care in arguing fornew approaches. Leeson's book is brave and healthy in this way, aiming to opennew lines of research and inquiry into Iris Murdoch's novels as, precisely, philosophical novels. Not novels in which philosophy is a motif (the orthodoxy), but in which philosophy is, in fact, done. Recent gestures by otherscholars in Murdoch Studies indicate that such a line of counter-criticism hasbeen opened, notably by the work of Bran Nicols and Guy Backus, though notsettled. Leeson's book extends that line to firmly establish that Murdoch'snovels do philosophy, and to open space for explorations of the depth to whichher philosophy is woven into her aesthetic fabric . . . There is muchinspiration to be found here, and Leeson has established himself as youngscholar of both depth and promise.--M. F. Simone Roberts, author of Irish M

About the Author

Miles Leeson is Lecturer in English Literature at the University of Portsmouth, UK.