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Mrs L, a Work of Literary Journalism, and Exegesis: the Poetics of Literary Journalism and Illuminating Absent Voices in Memoir and Biography

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Mrs L, a Work of Literary Journalism, and Exegesis: the Poetics of Literary Journalism and Illuminating Absent Voices in Memoir and Biography Mrs L, a work of literary journalism, and exegesis: The poetics of literary journalism and illuminating absent voices in memoir and biography. K.M Davies Department of Media and Communication University of Sydney September 2017 Thesis submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Arts (Literary Journalism) in Department of Media and Communications, University of Sydney 1 Statement of Originality I certify that the worK in this thesis has not previously been submitted for a degree nor has it been submitted as part of requirements for a degree except as fully acKnowledged within the text. I also certify that the thesis has been written by me. Any help that I have received in my research worK and the preparation of the thesis itself has been acKnowledged. In addition, I certify that all information sources and literature used are indicated in the thesis. This thesis has been prepared in accordance with Human Ethics Approval, University of Sydney: Project No: 2013/444. 2 Acknowledgements This thesis began as a memoir of single parenting that gradually became a worK of biography and theoretical reflection. I was encouraged to Keep researching and writing by Dr. Megan Le Masurier, Dr. Fiona Giles and Dr. Bunty Avieson at the Department of Media and Communications, University of Sydney. I was additionally given permission to view Ruth ParK’s unpublished notes about Bertha Lawson by Tim Curnow. I spent many hours researching at the State Library of NSW, the State Archives of NSW, the Fisher Library, University of Sydney and State Library Victoria, assisted by their wonderful librarians. Professor Colin RodericK, Professor Manning ClarK, Olive Lawson, Brian Matthews, Dr. Meg TasKer and Dr. Lucy Sussex’s research helped illuminate Henry and Bertha’s life, as did Deborah BecK at the National Art School. The final thesis has been proofed and formatted by a professional editor, Stephanie Walters. Finally, as this thesis still is a memoir in part, I wish to acKnowledge that a memoir is not just your memories. I thanK my family and friends who graciously contributed their stories to the thesis, allowed me to write memories I share with them, and patiently listened while I wondered aloud about a long ago poet and his single parent wife. 3 Prior Publication The following submission of the literary journalism component of this Doctor of Arts thesis, Mrs L, is an early manuscript of the professionally edited book version, published as A Wife’s Heart by University of Queensland Press on April 3, 2017. The majority of the exegesis chapter “Revisionist Biography and Absent Voices” was published in Writing the Ghost Train: Rewriting, Remaking, Rediscovering Papers – The Refereed Proceedings Of The 20th Conference Of The Australasian Association Of Writing Programs, 2015, Melbourne: http://www.aawp.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Davies-1.pdf 4 Abstract Was Henry Lawson’s decline into alcoholism, poverty and an early death really caused by his wife, Bertha Lawson? The biographers of the iconic bush poet and writer – most notably Denton Prout (1963), Manning ClarK (1978) and Colin RodericK (1991) – have all constructed a victim as hero narrative around Lawson’s life, blaming Bertha Lawson (nee Bredt) for his personal and creative decline. With these biographies in mind, the thesis Mrs L is a worK of literary journalism that is an alternative reading of Bertha Lawson as a single parent with two young children and a limited ability within the mores of the time to provide for her family. Mrs L repositions Bertha within a post separation and divorce single motherhood discourse that was emerging alongside suffragette narratives in Australia at the turn of the 20th century. In doing so, it illuminates her voice, one that has been absent in previous biographies of Henry Lawson. Mrs L further intertwines a contemporary memoir of single parenting that reflects upon the historic narrative to conclude that there remain many similarities in the experience of separation and divorce for women despite considerable changes in law across the century. The accompanying exegesis reflects upon the thesis Mrs L as a hybrid text of biography and memoir described by Sidonie Smith and Julia Watson (2001) as the auto / biography or a / b genre. The exegesis explores the distinctions and relationships between literary journalism, memoir and biography, and suggests literary journalism as a poetics methodology (Lasky, 2013; Sims, 1995, 2012) for writing a / b texts such as Mrs L. Additionally, the exegesis posits that an epistolary strategy can replace the literary journalism technique of immersion in historical worKs such as Mrs L and the collective biography (Caine, 2010) The Forgotten Rebels of Eureka (Wright, 2013). Responding to a recent critique by David Marr (2016-2017) of the use of first person in biographies, the exegesis further considers the role of the cultural self in memoir (Grant, 2016; Larson, 2007), its place in the a / b genre, and how the “biography as corrective” (Hamilton, 2016, p. 15) is encouraging revisionist as well as innovative explorations of biographical subjects whose voices have been negated in the past. Keywords: Henry Lawson, Bertha Lawson, biography, memoir, revisionist 5 Contents A work of literary journalism: Mrs L 7 Exegesis Introduction 148 Literary Journalism and Biography 155 Memoir, the Cultural Self and the auto / biography Genre 162 Revisionist Biography and Absent Voices 169 The Uses of Epistolary in Literary Journalism 176 Conclusion 182 6 “I did not realise then the restlessness which always filled Harry’s heart and soul, a state which was entirely due to the blood that ran in his veins – wanderer’s blood”. Bertha Lawson, 1943 1 1 Bertha Lawson, My Henry Lawson. (Sydney: FranK Johnson, 1943). 7 IN THE SUPREME COURT of New South Wales Matrimonial Causes Jurisdiction In re HENRY LAWSON of Manly in the State of New South Wales Author and Journalist And BERTHA MARIE LOUISA LAWSON, (formerly BERTHA MARIE LOUISA BREDT. Spinster) his wife. 2 On this third day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred and three, BERTHA MARIE LOUISA LAWSON, wife of HENRY LAWSON of Manly in the State of New South Wales Author and Journalist being duly sworn maKeth oath and saith as follows. 1. I was on the fifteenth day of April A.D. One thousand eigth [sic] hundred and ninety six, lawfully married to Henry Lawson at Sydney in New South Wales according to the rites of the Church of England. 2. I was born at Bairnsdale in the State of Victoria and am at the present, that is to say, at the date of the institution of this suit, and have for three years and upwards been domiciled in New South Wales. My husband I was informed by him and believe was born at Grenfell in the State of New South Wales and is at the present time that is to say at the date of the institution of this suit and has been for three years and upwards been domiciled in New South Wales. 3. I and my said husband have had issue of our said marriage two children to wit JOSEPH HENRY LAWSON aged five years and one month and BERTHA MARIE LOUISA LAWSON, aged three years and one month. 4. My husband has during three years and upwards been a habitual drunKard and habitually been guilty of cruelty towardsme.[sic] 5. My husband has been guilty of cruelty towards me. 6. The cruelty alleged in paragraphs four and five of this. My affidavit consists of the acts and matters following. That my husband during the last three years strucK me in the face and about the body and blacKed my eye and hit me with a bottle and attempted to stab me and pulled me out of bed when I was ill and purposely made a noise in my room when I was ill and pulled my hair and repeatedly used abusive language and insulting language to me and was guilty of divers [sic] other acts of cruelty to me whereby my health and safety are endangered. Bertha Marie Louisa Lawson [handwritten signature] Sworn by the Deponent on the day and year first before written before me. At Sydney [signature unclear] A Commissioner for the Affidavits April 3rd, 1903 2 Bertha’s full name was in fact Bertha Marie Louise Lawson but the affidavit has ‘Louisa’ throughout. 8 1. Undated letter to Bertha Lawson from Henry Lawson, c. 1903:3 Girlie, Do try to forgive and forget. My heart is breaKing and I can’t live without you. Remember I was ill, very ill, and not responsible for what I said. It was all my fault. If I maKe you suffer, thinK how I have suffered. I have not touched a drinK and am worKing hard. Don’t thinK I’m a coward and afraid of the money. I have paid it and maKing plenty. Dearie I love you with all my heart and soul and will never say an unkind word to you again. Don’t listen to friends and neighbours – listen to me. I will bury the past if you can. Come to me tonight and save me. You don’t Know what I’m asKing you to save me from. Let us have one more try at happiness. If I did not love you so much I might not have taKen notice of little things. If you can’t come, at least let little Bertha come to me ‘till Monday. Don’t let pride stand in your way. Remember the happy days we had once. Only think of me as the man I was and will be again.
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