A Discovery of Insights: Best-Selling Author Deborah Harkness Speaks at Oberlin Zach Terrillion Staff Writer
Hallock Auditorium was abuzz as a renowned historian, a blockbusting TV producer, and a NY Times bestselling author came to speak. These were not three separate individuals but instead Deborah Harkness, a Renaissance woman ready to give a scholarly lecture on the Renaissance period. The event was organized by Professor Danielle Skeehan, chair of the English department, and English student representatives. It was part of the department’s ongoing Bongiorno Lecture series, and part of its push to invite more speakers that cater to the community at large. A graduate of Mount Holyoke, Harkness is a scholar specializing in scientific and medical history, writing multiple volumes on the fascinating works of the Renaissance, including alchemy and bits of the occult. In 2011, after working in academia, Harkness decid-
get in historical fiction.” Harkness first came up to the podium beaming with energy as the lecture hall erupted with applause. The excitement partially came from that while many knew the guest, it was unclear what topic she’d discuss. She first praised the power of a liberal arts education, thanking it for her ability to transition from a historian to a novelist. “It told me that I could do anything. I could cross interdisciplinary boundaries and defy expectations,” She declared. What are you going to do with a liberal arts degree? According to Harkness, “Whatever you want.” She next dived into her lecture, talking about the Renaissance concept of “memory palaces,” where one could store information. It is an internal, human equivalent of an iPhone; something made to store knowledge and understanding of the world. Renaissance thinkers envisioned two different types of images that could be stored in these mind palaces. The ideas of realism vs. the imagination. Harkness connected these two ideas to her own work, specifically how it is adapted. “Should a historical novel follow realistic or fantastic ideals?” “Should there be poetic license or Illustration by Molly Chapin verisimilitude in works? Production Assistant Apparently, this centuries-old debate of imagination vs. realism is ed to write her first novel, “A Discov- pretty relevant to modern consumers. ery of Witches.” The historical fantasy Harkness transitioned from images is all about Harkness’ line of work, of long-dead philosophers to Google following a historian who is secretly search results for her favorite shows. a powerful witch that denies her pow- Many fans of historical IPs, whether ers. She eventually finds a magical “Bridgerton” or “The Crown,” apparmanuscript in her libraries and sets ently care a lot about historical accuoff on escapades featuring vampires, racy. One audience member shouted demons, and more, traveling back into out when she mentioned “The Crown.” Renaissance England. This first book “I love it too,” she responded. It was was a hit, becoming the first entry in fascinating that classical philosophiher “All Souls” trilogy. In 2018, it was cal concepts of the real vs. imaginary produced as a big-budget TV series by still have relevance outside of academia and in the void of pop culture. Sky One in the UK. Harkness later talked about some According to English department representative Josie Rosman, Hark- of her scholarly interests after graduness was chosen to visit because her ating college. She was drawn to folks books feature a historian’s point of who were both realistic and fantastiview. “It is an interesting way of look- cal. Individuals who did not conform ing and talking about history in a way to the boxes of their era. She wanted you usually don’t get in a fantasy nov- to center “the margins of the Reel. It is an interesting way of looking naissance.” The neglected. The easat fantasy in a way you usually don’t ily dismissed. She discussed Queen
Elizabeth I, not one’s first idea of an outcast. However, she specifically researched the 16th-century monarch’s nerdiness. How she would lie in her nightgown translating classical texts as advisors tried to drag her out to meetings. She also brought up mathematician John Dee. She did not focus on his main theories, but rather on the little marks and annotations he left on the edges of his manuscripts. These margins revealed he was an even bigger eccentric than Elizabeth. Dee also produced plays and claimed to talk to angels through a crystal ball. Harkness generally loves to follow these margins and breadcrumbs and write scholarly books on them. Ideas for her third book came at a strange cultural moment. She was researching Charles Darwin, arguing that his theories show that diversity is valuable, even essential, to human civilization. However, this argument for human diversity came alongside the passage of California’s Proposition 8, which prohibited same-sex marriage in the state. This was upsetting to her as a Queer woman. She was arguing for diversity while politicians were trying to take it away. Harkness was also inspired at that point by the phenomenon of “Twilight” and pop culture’s new obsession over the magical, occult topics she had been studying for so long. Darwin. Samesex marriage bans. Sexy vampires. This unlikely trio formed a paradox for Harkness, but, in her own words, “It’s paradoxes where we get our best ideas.” From said paradox, “A Discovery of Witches” was born. She wanted to take her academic interests and make them apply on a wide, cultural scale. Harkness wanted to see how much historical knowledge she could put into a text while it still entertains a reader. “I was being a historian when I wrote this book.” Her historical background continued to kick in as an executive producer for the TV adaptation. She concluded her presentation with a deep dive into the show’s production process, showcasing images of massive sets bringing Renaissance London to life. Harkness discussed the effort made to cast actors that reflect the backgrounds of the char-
April 14, 2023
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