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The Gothic Brontës seminar day
Dive into the world of Gothic fiction and explore its impact on the Brontës’ work in this fascinating seminar day during Haworth Festival with Dr Sam Hirst. Sam is a Gothic specialist and Teaching Associate in Romanticism at the University of Sheffield. Together, you’ll investigate the Brontës’ own reworkings of the classic Gothic novel and examine the impact of the three sisters’ writing on the genre.
The day will be split into five sessions.
| 10am-11am | Exploring the Brontës’ Gothic Influences | In this first session, you’ll be introduced to key texts of the early Gothic and some of the early Gothic's key features and concerns. We’ll look at the ways in which the Gothic functioned as more than just a series of skeletons in closets and explore some of the texts that we know the Brontës read and had access to. |
| 11am-12pm | The Gothic and the Brontës’ Juvenilia | The Brontës’ early work shows the strongest influence of the early Gothic with kidnappings, doubles, magic, torture and necromancy all taking place in their early worlds. This session will be an opportunity to explore the worlds the siblings created and trace the development of their relationship with the Gothic. We’ll be looking at a number of stories and poems but we recommend reading ‘The Foundling’ by Charlotte before the session. We will include a discussion of this story in the class. |
| 12pm-1pm | Lunch break | (you’re welcome to bring your own lunch or join us at Cobbles & Clay café in Haworth) |
| 1pm-2pm | The Gothic Worlds of the Brontë Sisters | In this class, we will dive into the Gothic worlds of some of the Brontës’ most famous novels. We will explore how they rewrote and remade the Gothic and reimagined the Gothic hero and heroine. Taking the Gothic from exotic mountain landscapes in Europe to the bleak moors of the North of England, from ruined castles to ‘haunted’ homes, and from a celebration of virtuous heroines to an exploration of passionate, independent women. |
| 2pm-3pm | The Gothic Afterlives of the Brontës | In this session, we’ll look at the Brontës' afterlives, both literal and figurative. We’ll explore the work of nineteenth-century spiritualists claiming to have channelled Charlotte’s new novel, the Gothic films their works inspired, and their influence on later Gothic literature. We’ll finish the seminar with our own explorations of Gothic possibilities – the stories, adaptations, and ideas that your Gothic day in the Brontës home has inspired! |
| 3pm-4pm | Session in the Museum library to see related collection items up close with our Principal Curator. |
Please note, this ticket is only refundable if the event is cancelled, in which case we’ll contact you. We reserve the right to make changes to our programme. All information is correct at the time of booking.
