Class Description - SMU-in-Taos

D.H. Lawrence and New Mexico

July 19-22, 2007

This course will focus on the powerful influence that both Old and New Mexico had on D. H. Lawrence. Readings will likely include passages from biographies such as Harry T. Moore's The Priest of Love, poems Lawrence wrote in and about New Mexico and Mexico, nonfiction prose works such as Mornings in Mexico, novels such as The Plumed Serpent, and literary works written in other places Lawrence considered to be deliciously beyond the edge of Western culture (Sicily, India, Australia). Excursions will be made to Ghost Ranch, where Lawrence and his wife Freida stayed (as did Georgia O'Keeffe); Mabel Dodge Luhan's home, the scene of his influential literary salon; and other D. H. Lawrence haunts in and around Taos. A possible guest speaker of this course will be Dr. Art Bachrach, author of the newly released book, D.H. Lawrence in New Mexico.

“New Mexico was the greatest experience from the outside world that I have ever had. It certainly changed my life forever….The moment I saw [it]…, something stood still in my soul….” DH Lawrence

Ross Murfin is professor of English in SMU’s Dedman College and the former SMU provost and vice president for academic affairs. After graduating with honors from Princeton University in 1971, he received his Master’s in English and his Ph.D. with Distinction from the University of Virginia. He was associate professor of English at Yale University, and then professor and director of graduate studies in English at the University of Miami, where he soon became vice provost for undergraduate affairs and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. Dr. Murfin has received “Professor of the Year” awards five times and won fellowships from Yale, the University of Miami, the American Council of Learned Societies, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. As internationally recognized scholar in the field of English literature, he is the author of Swinburne, Hardy, and the Burden of Belief; The Poetry of D. H. Lawrence: Texts and Contexts; Sons and Lovers: A Novel of Division and Desire; and Lord Jim: After the Truth. He is editor of Conrad Revisted: Essays for the Eighties and is series editor of Case Studies in Contemporary Criticism, an ambitious line of more than twenty books on literature and contemporary criticism.

Cost Information

The registration fee for this class includes course tuition, field trip entry fees and permits, materials costs, and designated meals. Lodging and transportation to and from Taos are the responsibility of each participant.

$650 if registration is received by May 1, 2007
$750 if registration is received after May 1, 2007

Register Early!

We filled up very quickly this year, so don't miss out for next summer. Go to our online registration form now.

Cancellation Policy

Registrants may cancel by notifying the SMU-in-Taos Cultural Institute up to 30 days prior to the start date of the Institute. A handling fee of $50 will be withheld from your registration fee, and the balance will be refunded to you. Refunds for the first weekend will not be permitted after June 14th; refunds for the second weekend with not be permitted after June 21st. Should the SMU-in-Taos Cultural Institute cancel a course, a full refund will be made to the registrants of that course.

Accommodations

We are currently in the process of blocking rooms with special rates at various hotels and B&Bs in Taos. Please check back with this website at the end of September for a listing of these accommodations. Meanwhile, if you'd like to check out a few of our recommended options for lodging, restaurants, and points of interest, please click here to Download a map of downtown Taos.

Getting There

If you choose to fly, the nearest airport is the Albuquerque International Airport, from which you may rent a car or take a shuttle into Taos (about a 2-hour drive). Download a map of the drive from Albuquerque to Taos, including driving directions and landmarks along the way.

If you choose to drive from Dallas to Taos, plan on approximately 11-12 hours. Download maps of the drive from Dallas to Taos, including driving directions and landmarks along the way.

Please Note

The Taos area is at an elevation of 7,000 feet above sea level. Some fieldtrips will include walking trails and climbing moderate inclines at this altitude.

For more Information

Contact Allison Curran at: acurran@mail.smu.edu or 214-768-1303.

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