Prof Jerry Hunter BA MPhil PhD

Name:

Professor Jerry Hunter

Position:

Professor

Email:

j.hunter@bangor.ac.uk

Location:

School of Welsh, Room 5, Professor’s Corridor

Phone:

+44 (0) 1248 38 2244

Background

Professor Jerry Hunter is a Celtic scholar who possess an international perspective. He is also an enthusiastic advocate for the Welsh language and literature. Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, where he studied for his initial degree, he later learned Welsh with the aid of the WLPAN course at Lampeter. He went on to earn a MPhil for his research into the lore in the Middle Welsh prose tales at University of Wales, Aberystwyth before returning to his homeland to study for a PhD at Harvard University. His research project formed the basis of his first book-length study, Soffestri’r Saeson (2000), an investigation into histriography and identity during the Tudor Age which was placed on the short list for the Book of the Year Award by the Arts Council of Wales in 2001. Following his period at the Department of Celtic Languages and Literatures, Harvard University he returned to Wales, this time as a Lecturer in the Department of Welsh, Cardiff University. He joined the academic staff of the School of Welsh at Bangor University in 2003.

His research interests are rich and varied, ranging from Welsh medieval prose to the twentieth-century fiction of Kate Roberts and from the sixteenth-century chronicle of Elis Gruffydd to Welsh literature in America during the nineteenth century. This particular field – American-Welsh writing - has proven to be highly successful: the television documentary series Y Cymry a Rhyfel Cartref America (‘The Welsh and the American Civil War’) gained a BAFTA Cymru award and the research for the series led to Llwch Cenhedloedd: Y Cymry a Rhyfel Cartref America (2003) which was named Book of the Year in 2004.

In 2006, the AHRC awarded Dr Jerry Hunter a major research grant to fund an investigation into Language, Religion and Print Culture in the Welsh Diaspora. This has resulted in the formation of a cross-disciplanary research network focusing on the Welsh migration to North and South America. Organised by the Welsh Institute for Social and Cultural Affairs (WISCA), during 2006-07 international experts will be meeting at Bangor University to discuss a number of related issues. Using ideas on identity from outside the humanities, and drawing on comparisons with other migrant groups, the aim is to reconsider the ways in which Welsh identity was preserved and adapted in both North and South America. A secondary aim is to appreciate the role of myth, symbol and subjective understandings of the past in that process, and to study the imaginary connections between migrants and the homeland and the homeland and migrants.

http://www.bangor.ac.uk/wisca/site_english/research/maj_projects/diasporas.htm

Dr Jerry Hunter has recently been collaborating once more with Cwmni Da, the Caernarfon-based media company, and the documentary series on Wales and slavery, America Gaeth: Y Cymry a Chaethwasanaeth yn Americawill be transmitted on S4C in October and November 2006. His study, Sons of Arthur, Children of Lincoln [:] Welsh Writing from the American Civil War, was published by University of Wales Press in 2007.

Teaching

Llenyddiaeth Gyfoes (‘Contemporary Literature’) (Level 1): CXC1016

Writing Celtic Wales: Level 1

Llên a Diwylliant 1540-1900 (‘Literature and Culture 1540-1900’) (Level 1):CXC1002

Chwedlau’r Oesau Canol (‘Medieval Prose Tales’)(Level 2 & 3): CXC2029 / CXC3029

Llên a Chymdeithas 1500-1800 (‘Literature and Society 1500-1800’) (Level 2 & 3)

Llais Llenyddol y Ferch (‘Welsh Women’s Literature’) (Level 2 & 3):

Llenyddiaeth Gymraeg America (‘American-Welsh Literature’) (Level 2 & 3) CXC2028 / CXC3028

Traethawd Hir (‘Dissertation’): Level 3 CXC3009

Responsibilities

Library Officer

Research Fields

Sixteenth-century literature; Middle Welsh prose; the relationship between national identity and literature; literary theory; twentieth-century literature, and especially. the prose of Kate Roberts; the Welsh-language literature of the United States.

Awards

Soffestri’r Saeson (2000) was shortlisted for the Welsh Arts Council’s Book of the Year Award in 2001. Llwch Cenhedloedd (2003) was named winner of the Book of the Year Award in 2004. His novel Gwenddydd (2010) won the Prose Medal at that year's National Eisteddfod.

Main Publications

Soffestri'r Saeson [:] Hanesyddiaeth a Hunaniaeth yn Oes y Tuduriaid (Cardiff: University of Wales Press, 2000). [The Sophistry of the English: Historiography and Identity in the Age of the Tudors]

Llwch Cenhedloedd [:] Y Cymry a Rhyfel Cartref America (Llanrwst: Carreg Gwalch Press, 2003). [The Ashes of Nations: The Welsh and the American Civil War]

Sons of Arthur, Children of Lincoln [:] Welsh Writing from the American Civil War (Cardiff: University of Wales Press [scheduled to appear early in 2007])

‘Poets, Angels and Devilish Spirits: Elis Gruffydd’s Meditations on Idolatry,’ yn Joseph F. Nagy a Leslie Ellen Jones (eds.), Heroic Poets and Poetic Heroes in Celtic Tradition (Dublin: Four Courts, 2005).

‘“Poen y Ddynoliaeth”: Atgyfodiad Kate Roberts’ [Darlith flynyddol Cyfeillion Cae’r Gors] (Carreg Gwalch, 2005).

‘Y Traddodiad Llenyddol Coll’, Taliesin (Spring, 2003).

‘Taliesin at the Court of Henry VIII: Aspects of the writings of Elis Gruffydd’, Trafodion Anrhydeddus Gymdeithas y Cymmrodorion (2003).

‘Ar Drywydd y Tragwyddol: Cipolwg ar Farddoniaeth Alan Llwyd’, yn Huw M. Edwards (gol.), Alan: casgliad o gerddi ac ysgrifau ar Alan Llwyd (Cyhoeddiadau Barddas, 2003).

‘Cyfrinachau ar Dafod Leferydd: Ideoleg Technoleg yn yr Unfed Ganrif ar Bymtheg’, yn Angharad Price (gol.), Chwileniwm [:] Llenyddiaeth a Thechnoleg, (Caerdydd: Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru, 2002).

‘O'r Ymfudwr Ffuglennol i'r Twrist Barddol: Teithiau Llenyddol i'r Unol Daleithiau’, yn M. Wynn Thomas (gol.), Gweld Sêr [:] Cymru a Chanrif America (Caerdydd: Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru, 2001).

‘Y Dychymyg Dilechdidol: Ffuglen Gareth Miles’, yn John Rowlands (gol.),
Y Sêr yn eu Graddau[:] Golwg ar Ffurfafen y Nofel Gymraeg, (Caerdydd: Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru, 2000).

‘Y Nos, Y Niwl a'r Ynysig: Estheteg Fodernaidd T. Gwynn Jones', Taliesin 98 (1997).

‘Contemporary Welsh Poetry: 1969-1996', yn Dafydd Johnston (gol.), A Guide to Welsh Literature 1990-1996, (Caerdydd: Gwasg Prifysgol Cymru, 1997).

‘Cyd-destunoli Ymrysonau'r Cywyddwyr: Cipolwg ar yr Ysbaddiad Barddol’, Dwned 3 (1997).

‘The Genealogy of the Cell Angel: A Look at Contemporary Welsh Political Poetry’, Comparative Criticism, 19 (1997).

‘O'r Chwith: Pa mor feirniadol yw beirniadaeth ôl-fodern?’, Taliesin, 92 (1995). Gyda Richard Wyn Jones.

‘Maen y Cof a'r Gofeb Fydryddol’, Barn 410 (1997).

‘Y Gŵr Sydd Ar y Gorwel: Cywydd Brud Cyfoes’, Barn 409 (1997).

‘O'r Tywysog Canoloesol i'r Genedl Gyfoes’, Barn, 407/408 (1996/1997).

‘Cerddi Gwleidyddol Gerallt Lloyd Owen: Canoloesoldeb a Chyfoesedd’, Barn, 406
(1996).

‘Testun Dadl’, Tu Chwith, 3 (1994).

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