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Freya Stark (1893-1993) Was Famous As an Explorer of Remote Middle Eastern Areas, As a Travel Writer and Was Accredited with a Deep Understanding of the Arab Mind

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Freya Stark (1893-1993) Was Famous As an Explorer of Remote Middle Eastern Areas, As a Travel Writer and Was Accredited with a Deep Understanding of the Arab Mind Library of the Australian Defence Force Academy w University College The University of New South Wales Donor: C.A. CAMPBELL UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Thesis/Project Report Sheet Surname or Family name: Firstname: CHRI.S.TINE Othername/s: MN Abbreviation for degree as given in the University calendar: MA... .(.HONS.) School: Faculty: ENQLISH. Titfc: F.REXA...S.XARK Abstract 350 words maximum: (PLEASE TYPE) Dame Freya Stark (1893-1993) was famous as an explorer of remote Middle Eastern areas, as a travel writer and was accredited with a deep understanding of the Arab mind. She received many awards and distinctions, commonly reserved for men. She wrote an autobiography, detailing her achievements, which revealed a self-made writer and explorer. She depicted a delicate invalid, yet her reputation was as an intrepid explorer; her writing career was an immediate success; her views on the Arab mind were courted at the highest level. Three of her friends wrote biographies about her, but all were based upon her own autobiography. Throughout her biographies there was a thin thread of subversive comment. The dissonance required explanation. My examination of her later-published letters result in an alternative story. She was not self-made, there was an unsuspected network of relations, friends and circumstances which had contributed to her otherwise inexplicably successful travelling, writing and "political" career. Her actual exploration was found to amount to very little - very brief and the product of good advice as much as anything else. An exploration of her health problems revealed them to be largely illusory. After examination of Stark's attitude towards "Orientalism" is defined and examined in detail, it is revealed that she understood little and sympathized even less with middle class Arabs. She had close acquaintance with simple living, whilst on her travels, and that was rare among the English. She was also able to communicate with local people, due to her ready Arabic. This again was rare. Aspects of her life passed over in silence, such as her relationships with men and her marriage, are examined in Appendix 1: no definite conclusions can be drawn, and she remains an enigma, even probably to herself, as far as they are concerned. Unpublished letters, comprising the correspondence of Freya Stark and her estranged husband Stewart Perowne, (1901-1989) colonial and foreign office official and author, to Sir Harry Luke, (1884-1969), colonial statesman and author, are in the Special Collections of the Australian Defence Force Academy Library. Those of Stark are transcribed and edited in Appendix 2. Her reputation for penning masterly prose at the edge of the path, during the traveller's lunch break, is dispelled: editing was heavy, mainly performed by herself, and later improvements not infrequent. My conclusion is that Stark was a consummate mistress of propaganda and subterfuge which extended to every detail of her life. Indefatigable letter writing played a large part in the creation of self. Among positive achievements was her remarkable travel writing, which is compared with other notable writers of the Middle East, and her rapport with the poorer Arabs. Many of my conclusions are supported by a recently published biography. Declaration relating to disposition of project report/thesis I am fully aware of the policy of the University relating to the retention and use ofhigher degree project reports and theses, namely that the University retains the copies submittedforexaminationandis free to aUowthem to beconsultedorborrowed.SubjecttotheprovisionsoftheCopyrightAct 1968^ issue a project report or thesis in whole or in part, in photostate or microfilm or other copying medium. lalso authorise the publication by University Microfilms of a350word abstract in Dissertation Abstracts International (applicable todoctorates only). ..a^uW&tC 3. ^Signature Witness Date TheUniversityrecognisesthattheremaybeexceptionalcircumstancesrequiringrestrictionsoncopyingorcon upto 2years mustbe made in writing to the Registrar. Requests foralongerperiodof restrictionmay beconsidered inexceptionalcircumstances if accompanied by aletterof support from the Supen^isor or Head of School. Such requests mustbe submitted with the thesis/project report FOR OFFICE USE ONLY DateofcompletionofrequirementsforAward: Registrar and Deputy Principal TfflS SHEET IS TO BE GLUED TO THE INSIDE FRONT COVER OF THE THESIS FREYA STARK - CREATIVE INVALID, TRAVEL WRITER AND AUTOBIOGRAPHER A Study of the autobiographical and travel writings of Dame Freya Stark 1893- 1993 by Christine Ann Campbell, M.A. A dissertation submitted for the degree of Master of Arts (Honours) in the Department of English, University College, University of New South Wales, Australian Defence Force Academy, Canberra. August, 1993, 301572 Abstract Dame Freya Stark (1893-1993) is famous for her explorations of remote Middle Eastern areas and for her travel books and was widely acclaimed for her deep understanding of the Arab mind. As a result, she received many of the awards and distinctions which were usually conferred on men. She wrote an autobiography which depicted a socially awkward and impoverished woman, and a delicate invalid. It is not clear from her autobiography how she achieved what she did and neither is it apparent how her travels came to be treated with deferential respect by the media and by men of influence. TTiree of her friends wrote biographies about her, but all are based upon uncritical acceptance of her autobiography. Despite their apparent acquiescence in her view of herself, the biographies do contain a thin thread of subversive comment, and this encouraged me to make further investigations about how she had achieved her reputation. My examination of Freya Stark's eight volumes of letters reveal that she possessed few advantages indicating likely success as an explorer. She enjoyed adventuring, and on this her reputation rests. She was not self-made but forced by single-mindedness of purpose, lack of position and unmarried state to accept what help she could. There is a network of relations, friends and circumstances which contributed to her successful travelling, writing and war-time political career. She did not select exploration areas by inspired good fortune but as the result of consultation with knowledgeable experts who encouraged her and assisted her travels. Her actual explorations were cursory. Sickness on her travels was more often than not the result of lack of rest and injudicious self-medication. Invalidism was a subterfuge, both in ordinary living and on her travels. The Second World War allowed her to achieve a measure of success as a propagandist but her position in the political world remained marginal, despite her reputation. Her understanding of the minds of Arab peoples might more properly be presented as a formidable ability to manipulate people. She lived with simple people on her brief travels and she spoke Arabic, however haltingly. This was rare among die English, and she was as much criticized as admired in the local expatriate community, where her unmarried state and poverty were viewed as social problems. Aspects of her life passed over in near silence, such as her relationships with men, or indeed with women, and her late and unsuccessful marriage, are examined in Appendix 1. No definite conclusions can be drawn. However, her reputation for penning scintillating prose at the edge of the track whilst on her explorations, is dispelled: the prose was sometimes written whilst travelling, but the editing of her letters is heavy, and was mainly if not always performed by herself, whilst retrospective improvements were not infrequent. Stark enjoyed the reputation which the press created for her because it was convenient and brought its own rewards. Her travel writing remains popular and is compared, favourably, with other notable writers of the Middle East. I have attempted a more balanced view than that offered by her supporters or a recently published biography. Unpublished letters, comprising the correspondence of Freya Stark and her estranged husband Stewart Perowne (1901-1989), colonial and foreign office official and author, with Sir Harry Luke (1884-1969), colonial statesman and author, are in the Special Collections of the Australian Defence Force Academy Library. Those of Stark are presented in an annoted edition in Appendix 2. Acknowledgement Thanks are due to Dr Paul Eggert for his assistance and support in the preparation of this thesis. TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract 2 Acknowledgement 3 Table of Contents 4 Chronology, map and photograph of Freya Stark 5 Introduction 12 Chapter 1. Freya Stark and the Creation of a Self 18 Chapter 2. Divine Discontent and Psychoneurosis - The Profile of an Explorer 40 Chapter 3. "Orientalism": Approaches to the East in Freya Stark, Charles Doughty, Gertrude Bell, and T. E. Lawrence 55 Chapter 4. Freya Stark's First Response to the East 66 Chapter 5. Freya Stark's More Mature Response towards the East 75 Chapter 6. Reviews and Reputation 87 Conclusion 106 Bibliography 111 Appendix 1. Biographical Puzzles and the Enigmatic Freya Stark 126 Appendix 2. witTheh A.D.F.ASir Harry. LettersLuke . Correspondence of Freya Stark 142 STARK'S TRAVELS IN SYRIA STARK'S TRAVELS IN SOUTHERN ARABIA AND NORTH-WEST PERSIA CHRONOLOGY 1893. Paris, 31 January. Birth of Freya Madeleine Stark, elder daughter of English artistic couple, Robert (18534931) and Flora (1861-1942) Stark. Peripatetic life style. 1894. May. Birth of Vera Stark, younger sister, at Asolo near Venice, Italy. Stark jealous and dominated sister. 1901. Mother left England without husband and went to North Italy with children. Winter in Devon with paternal grandmother. 1902-1918. Permanent residence in Dronero, Piedmont, Italy, home-town of Mario di Roascio (bom c. 1879), mother's friend and business associate. Claimed ostracism by local families due to mother's presumed intimacy with di Roascio. 1906, January. Scalp and eyelid injured in loom accident in di Roascio's coir matting factory. Pioneering skin grafting but infliction of physical and psychological scarring. Read a lot, wrote a little. Spent time with father in Devon.
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