Raymond Brebach, PhD, associate professor of English
Raymond Brebach, associate professor in the Department of English and Philosophy, is leading a reading group on Joseph Conrad's "The Secret Agent" at the Rosenbach Museum and Library (10/3-11/21). The Rosenbach holds one of the finest collections of Conrad's manuscripts in the world.
Joseph Conrad’s 1907 novel "The Secret Agent" depicts the world of late 19th and early 20th century anarchist politics, but its double agents, agents provocateurs, terrorist bombings, IEDs, symbolic targets, inter- and intra-governmental intrigues make it as relevant today as it was over a century ago. The novel’s picture of the murky underside of London foreshadows the worlds of Graham Greene, John le Carré and their ilk. In "The Secret Agent" Conrad creates a murky, chaotic world in which motives are personal—and hidden—appearances are deceiving, and communication is spotty at best.
In this five session reading group we will explore the novel’s setting, major themes, its moral universe, and narrative innovations. We will have the opportunity to examine the original manuscript and related books from the Rosenbach’s extensive Conrad collection.
More information
here.