News

A Man’s World – New Online Course for Spring 2025

Posted
6th November 2024
in blogsNnews, news

In our 10th anniversary year, Elizabeth Gaskell’s House is delighted to announce a new online course with the ever-popular Dr Sherry Ashworth. This spring we take a look at literary men and masculinity. Join Sherry to ask what do Victorian novelists have to say about men as fathers, lovers, activists, wealth creators – and kings?

In this new course, we will be looking at Elizabeth Gaskell’s John Barton in Mary Barton (father), John Thornton in North and South together with Mr Rochester from Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre (lovers), George Eliot’s Felix Holt in Felix Holt, the Radical (activist and lover), Jabez Clegg in Isabella Banks’ A Manchester Man (wealth creator) and finally the heroes of Rudyard Kipling’s novella, The Man who would be King – empire builders!

How easy is it to be a man in a man’s world?
What are you waiting for? Come and join us!

You can share your love of literature by discussing these stories with other like-minded people – all from the comfort of your own home.

Who is this course suitable for?

You! The course is suitable for the general reader, who wants to delve deeper into nineteenth-century writing. Extracts will be provided in advance to focus your reading so you can prepare yourself to take part in the discussion. Sessions will take place on Zoom and numbers are limited to allow an inclusive discussion with the chance for all to take part. Please note that these are online workshops, for participants to join in with rather than talks, so they will not be recorded.

What now?

Sherry’s courses often sell out quickly so we advise you to book early. What are you waiting for?
Sessions are every second* Wednesday of the month January -May 2025, 7-9pm for £13 per workshop. Click on the links below to book each session.

Every second Wednesday* of each month January – May 2025, 7-9pm

*Please note that February’s session will be on the first Wednesday of the month.

Please click on the links to book.

Wednesday 8 January – Fathers – John Barton from Elizabeth Gaskell’s Mary Barton

Wednesday 5 February – Lovers – John Thornton from Elizabeth Gaskell’s North and South and Mr Rochester from Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre

Wednesday 12 March – Activists – Felix Holt from George Eliot’s Felix Holt, the Radical

Wednesday 9 April – Wealth Creators – Jabez Clegg from Isabella Banks’ The Manchester Man

 Wednesday 14 May – Rulers – Rudyard Kipling’s novella, The Man who would be King

£12 per session

“Learned so much about 19th century novels I was not familiar with. Sherry is extremely knowledgeable, friendly and engages with all the participants. Very inclusive.” Visitor to online events

If you have any questions about this event, please see our Frequently Asked Questions.

Elizabeth Gaskell’s House is run by Manchester Historic Buildings Trust (charity no. 1080606) and your support of the events programme, alongside private tours, talks, room hire and weddings, goes towards the ongoing maintenance and running costs of the house. To commemorate the House’s milestone anniversary, we are asking visitors and supporters to donate £10 to celebrate 10 years. Click here If you would like to donate £10 (or more).

The interruptions of home life are never ending

Elizabeth Gaskell 1863