Record Number: 31849
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
'Meeting held at 219 King’s Rd 20. IV. 1939.
Dorothea Taylor in the Chair.
1. Opening the subject of Euripides, F. E. Pollard gave some account of Athens in
the fifth century B.C. — the history from the victory over the Persians, through the
tyranny of the Athenian Empire, the degradation of standards, to the fall of the
city; & in the realm of thought, the coming of the questioning spirit typified by the
sophists, Socrates & Euripides.
2. A reading from ‘The Trojan Women’ was given by Elizabeth Alexander & Mary E.
Robson, in the characters of Cassandra & Hecuba.
3. Leslie Scott, in general comments on the poet’s quality and philosophy, noted
his contradictory reputations — serious or the reverse, nationalist or idealist? With
Dr. Verrall & Gilbert Murray, his popularity had grown immensely. He is accused
of lack of restraint, but he is human. His pathos is moving, even if occasionally
overdrawn. He breaks through stage conventions, his characters are mixed, &
reveal inner conflict. He is at his best with women, though regarded at times as a
woman-hater, at others as a pioneer of her emancipation. It is almost certain that
he deliberately ridicules the Gods. [...]
4. Muriel Stevens took Iphigenia, C. E. Stansfield Orestes, & F. E. Pollard Pylades,
from the Iphigenia in Tauris — the recognition scene.
5. Mary S. W. Pollard as Andromache, & S. A. Reynolds as Talthybius, read the
tragic scene from the Trojan Women, when it is told to his mother that the little
boy Astyanax is to be killed: &
6. Hecuba’s lament for her grandchild was read by Mary E. Robson.
7. The reading of the minutes of the last meeting was deferred.
[...]
[signed] Reginald H. Robson
19. 5. 1939'
1900-1945
Date:20 Apr 1939
Country:England
Timeevening
Place:city: Reading
county: Berkshire
specific address: 219 King's Road
(Reader):
silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
(Listener):
solitary reactive unknown
single serial unknown
Reader / Listener / Reading Group:
Reader: Age:Adult (18-100+)
Gender:Female
Date of Birth:1884
Socio-Economic Group:Professional / academic / merchant / farmer
Occupation:n/a
Religion:Quaker or associated with the Friends
Country of Origin:n/a
Country of Experience:England
Listeners present if any:e.g family, servants, friends
Members of the XII Book Club
Additional Comments:
n/a
Text Being Read:
Author: Title:The Trojan Women
Genre:Classics, Drama
Form of Text:Print: Book
Publication Detailsn/a
Provenanceunknown
Source Information:
Record ID:31849
Source:Manuscript
Author:n/a
Title:XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 4 (1938-1943)
Location:private collection
Call No:n/a
Page/Folio:42–4
Additional Information:
Although Victor Alexander was secretary to the XII Book Club at this time, it is clear from the handwriting that he was not the author of these minutes.
Citation:
XII Book Club Minute Book, Vol. 4 (1938-1943), private collection, 42–4, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=31849, accessed: 18 April 2025
Additional Comments:
Material by kind permission of the XII Book Club. For further information and permission to quote this source, contact the Reading Experience Database (http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/contacts.php).