At the Locke Lecture in March, Ophelia Field discussed the fine balance between crafting a narrative that resonates emotionally with modern audiences and, in her case, accurately representing a historical figure and the society in which they lived.

The author of The Favourite, a biography of the first Duchess of Marlborough, Ophelia asked her sixth form audience to consider whether they value a story more when they can empathise with its protagonist, before going on to emphasise the importance of considering stories within the context of their time.

Turning to film, a medium so often used to shape public opinion, she highlighted a subsection of the entertainment industry dedicated to advocacy for refugees. She encouraged the room to think about the relatable touch points adopted by filmmakers to bridge gaps between viewers and subjects they might otherwise overlook – family, community, friends – and how these familiarities can ultimately affect and turn public opinion. She also mentioned charities OKRE and HEARD, which aim to drive social impact through collaboration with the media and the art of storytelling.

In response to a question about moral conduct today, Ophelia explained that she prefers to step away from the social construct of ‘them and us’ and instead focus on seeing the good in people. She likened human beings to intricate recipes, just as we have a wide range of taste receptors, we also possess the capacity to appreciate and value many different things at once. In her view, humans are inherently nuanced and cannot be neatly placed into binary categories – an approach of thought she applies to her writing.

Ophelia is also the author of The Kit-Cat Club, and lectures in Biography at the University of Buckingham.

Following the lecture, Jahnvi (Sixth Form, RR) said: “Field’s insight on the power of narratives to convey political ideas was fascinating, and her experience in both spheres of literature and policy gave way for a fruitful discussion.”

Saathana (Sixth Form, BB) said: “Ophelia Field gave a fascinating insight into the process of writing historical biographies, and what it takes to research and understand historical figures in such depth, as well as sharing her own personal stories. It was a real privilege to hear her speak.”