The Enduring Relevance of Iris Murdoch: A 2024 Reappraisal

Dame Iris Murdoch, an Oxford academic, was a novelist, philosopher, and playwright. Her literary works delved into themes of morality, love, and human relationships, earning her extensive recognition, including the Whitbread Prize for *The Sacred and Profane Love Machine* and the Booker Prize for *The Sea, The Sea*. Twenty-five years following her passing, a university professor specializing in her life and oeuvre stated that it is opportune to “reflect” on the subjects that held significance for the Irish-British writer. Gary Browning, a professor of political thought at Oxford Brookes University, observed that the author demonstrated “insight” into contemporary topics such as human rights and the acceptance of sexuality, even during the 1950s and 1960s. Professor Browning expressed that he was “excited” to author a book investigating her political perspectives. He noted that despite the broad appreciation for her literary contributions, her political ideas “tends to be neglected,” which provided “a big motivation for writing the book.” “Sexuality, the environment, equality, migration – all of those are very important aspects of politics.” He added that while “Some of the literary critics have said that she is not really engaged with the public, but she is much more about the personal and the individual,” in reality, “politics was extremely important to her.” Dame Iris passed away in 1999 at a nursing home in Oxford. This year also commemorates the 70th anniversary of *Under the Net*, her debut novel. Nevertheless, her political thought was deemed “ahead of her time” due to her exploration of subjects pertinent to the contemporary world. Professor Browning commented that while *Under the Net* was a “fun novel,” it also addressed “what does the Labour Party’s stand for in today’s world.” He explained that “The lead character who… does not adhere to any traditional values, wants to be a socialist.” The character “wants to support left wing politics, but wonders what it is.” Browning concluded, “That was in 1954 and there are a lot of people on the left thinking that today.” Dr. Miles Leeson, who directs the Iris Murdoch Research Centre, noted that the author’s political perspectives evolved “substantially” throughout her life. He stated that she had been “a leading figure in the communist party” in Oxford and subsequently in London, though “the horrors of the gulags” emerging from Russia caused her to abandon communism. “She’s certainly a figure that is reacting to particular political causes – the necessity for the development of women’s education, the campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, the cause of the legalisation of homosexuality.” However, in the 1970s, she grew disillusioned with the Labour Party and started shifting towards the right. Dr. Leeson remarked, “And that’s quite a significant move for her, particularly as an Irish woman living in Britain.” “She had a lot of thoughts about the Troubles and independence, and about European values as well.” He continued, “She doesn’t stay in one place, she’s always thinking about where her allegiances lie.” Dr. Leeson concluded, “Her journey demarcates where British political life was moving in that 30-40-year period.” Despite engaging in romantic and sexual relationships with both men and women during her lifetime, she was married to her fellow academic, John Bayley, for 43 years. In a 1994 interview, Dame Iris stated that “above all else,” he was the most significant aspect of her life and that experiencing a happy marriage “is a very good thing.” Bayley authored a book detailing Iris’s struggle with Alzheimer’s, which was adapted into a 2001 Oscar-winning biographical drama featuring Dame Judy Dench and Kate Winslet. Professor Browning mentioned that Dame Iris had been “concerned” with the acceptance of diverse sexualities. Her 1964 essay, *The Moral Decision about Homosexuality*, advocated for legal reform. He added, “Her novel *The Bell* is considered a very moving focus upon tortured repressed homosexuals – I think that has meaning for us today.” He also noted, “She herself was bisexual and there were bisexual people in her novels when it was not accepted generally.” He asserted that Dame Iris “wouldn’t be surprised at the politics of today.” He elaborated, “She was very concerned that all members of the community should be protected, should be valued.” This concern is evident in her novels, which heavily emphasize migrants and the challenges they encounter upon entering an unfamiliar society. He further added, “She also, at the very end of her life, had a strong interest in environmental laws.” He specified, “That’s in the 1990s – she thought there was a real danger that the planet might sink, might go down and so she urged very much for that.” Dr. Leeson stated that Dame Iris’s novels were “ahead of their time in their thinking” and in the challenges they investigated. He opined, “I think particularly her novels are even more relevant today than they were when they were published.” Readers can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding its approach to external linking is available.