English majors deliver papers at International Lawrence Durrell Society conference

Hellenic American University students Faidra Georgiadou and Georgios Virvilis, both in the final year of studies in the B.A. in English Language and Literature program, recently delivered presentations at the 22nd biennial conference of the International Lawrence Durrell Society (ILDS). The conference, this year entitled “Dark” Durrell, was hosted July 4 – 6, 2024 at the University’s campus in Athens.

Faidra’s paper was titled "The Figuration of Corfu and Other Philosophical Musings in H.D’s Tribute to Freud and Lawrence Durrell’s Prospero’s Cell". She notes that she wrote the paper specifically for the conference, rather than adapting one she had already written for a class. This meant extra work, especially in the case of H.D. (the American modernist poet Hilda Doolittle), where the bibliography was scantier.

Her paper explores how the spirit of a place, its landscape and its cultural and historical associations and memories, can transform the artist’s psyche. Both writers, Faidra argues, uncover and come to terms with what she calls “an uncontrollable, coincidental darkness” on the island, which in turn “becomes a starting point for an almost primitive uncovering of their self in Greece.”

Faidra admits that preparing for the conference was very stressful, as it was her first time presenting at such a venue and she didn’t know what to expect. Happily, as she notes, her professors were supportive and eager to answer the questions she kept asking. She is especially grateful to her instructor, Dr. Athanasios Dimakis, an adjunct faculty member in the B.A. in English Language and Literature program and ILDS board member, who was the first to encourage her to submit an abstract to the conference.

In the end, she is glad she did the presentation. “Everyone in the room—I was the youngest person there—was nice and encouraging. I’d like to present again—the next time with less stress!” Faidra believe that the fact that she had done in-class presentations for many of the courses in her degree program was helpful.

Faidra is planning on pursuing graduate studies in literature, but first things first, and that’s her senior capstone project, which she’ll be doing in the area of feminist literature.

For his presentation, Georgios Virvilis looked at the external and internal conflicts in Henry Miller’s the Colossus of Maroussi, focusing on the writer’s portrayal of Greece and juxtaposition of Eastern and Western perspectives. Georgios’s interest in this topic stemmed from his familiarity with Miller's travelogue and what he calls “a long-standing fascination with Miller’s depiction of Greece.” He notes: “The rarity of such portrayals, especially from that historical period, and the perspective of an outsider made this an intriguing subject for me. I have enjoyed Miller's work since my high school years.”

As a working student, Georgios found his main challenge in writing the paper was the limited time he had available time, which obliged him to adjust his schedule, which usually meant “sleeping less and dedicating more hours to preparation.”

Georgios, too, was grateful for the support and mentoring of his instructor, Prof. Dimakis. “This was my first time presenting at such a conference,” he notes, “and Professor Dimakis’s whose support and encouragement were pivotal in my decision to submit my paper.”

It was a demanding experience, he notes, but a worthwhile—and enlightening—one. “Delivering my presentation was particularly rewarding as it allowed me to share my insights and receive valuable feedback from esteemed peers and academics.” Georgios also sees it as a milestone in his academic journey, especially as he’s considering a career in academia—he plans to pursue graduate studies in linguistics and AI. Participating in the conference, he says, gave him confidence and a sense of belonging in the academic community. “A co-presenter even remarked, ‘Well, kid, you're not a rookie anymore,’ which was encouraging and validating.”

Dr. Dimakis mentioned that he will continue his efforts to strengthen the existing ties between the International Lawrence Durrell Society and the Hellenic American University (also in his new capacity as newly elected Vice-President of the Society). He will continue to seek new opportunities for the participation of undergraduate and postgraduate BAELL students at Durrell Society events, symposia, conferences, as well as new publication avenues (Deus Loci: The Lawrence Durrell Journal is a case in point). He will also consider student essay submissions for the forthcoming "Dark" Durrell volume he is now co-editing with Prof. Isabelle Keller-Privat (Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès) and Prof. James Gifford (Fairleigh Dickinson University, Vancouver). The "Dark" Durrell co-edited volume of selected essays from the conference will be published with Fairleigh Dickinson University Press.

Faidra and Georgios are not the first students at the University to deliver presentations at international conferences, nor will they be the last. (Four students from the Ph.D. program in Language and Communication, for example, will be giving talks at the 4th International Europe in Discourse conference, which the University will be hosting this September). Student participation at conferences, and the encouragement and support the students receive from the faculty, reflect the focus on career-relevant education and close mentoring relationships that are part of the learning experience the University strives to offer. As Dr. Vasiliki Kourbani, Director of the B.A. in English Language & Literature notes, "I am proud of our BAELL students, Faidra Georgiadou and Georgios Virvilis, whose presentations highlight the next generation of scholars dedicated to literary exploration. Their presentations at the ILDS conference reflect their hard work and the supportive academic environment at Hellenic American University."

Hero Image: BAELL student, Faidra Georgiadou, delivering her presentation.

Text Image: BAELL student, George Virvilis, delivering his presentation.