The Letchworth Settlement:  User Groups

Why are some classic English novels still popular today? What techniques have the authors used in order to engage us as readers? On this course, we try to answer these and other fascinating questions by discussing some 19th Century novels that have been enjoyed for generations. We begin with Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, probably the author’s most popular novel. Our next work – also with a strong heroine – is Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte. Finally, we encounter what some consider to be an early feminist novel , The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, by Anne Bronte.
In addition to discussing these outstanding fictional works, we will view some of the films based on or influenced by these novels. Along the way, we hope to learn more about the lives and times of these three writers. This course is centred on discussions rather than lectures and would suit those who are familiar with discussing literature as well as readers who have never experienced the pleasure of analysing novels in a classroom setting. No written work will be assigned, but students will be expected to read and discuss the three novels.