Voices from the Past: Creating and Recreating Historical Worlds

Abstract

This round table explored the evolving landscape of historical narratives in twenty-first century British and Irish literature. Addressing themes of ethical biographical fiction, feminist historical revisionism, and myth retellings, the discussion highlighted the diverse approaches authors employ to reconstruct and reinterpret history. Fernando Galván examined the ethical and aesthetic challenges of biofiction, showcasing works by David Lodge, Colm Tóibín, and Maggie O’Farrell. Silvia García-Hernández explored how British women authors, such as Michèle Roberts and Elizabeth Macneal, interrogate male-centric historical accounts, transforming them into “herstory.” Marta Martín Amor analyzed modern retellings of classical mythology, focusing on Pat Barker and Elodie Harper, which reclaim female perspectives. Collectively, the round table underscored the hybridized forms of historical narratives and their role in challenging traditional historiography, amplifying marginalized voices, and reshaping cultural memory through ethical and feminist lenses.