PROGRAMA DE LITERATURA
Friday September 4th
Somerset Maugham and the Colonial Experience
We will read two short stories by Somerset Maugham which highlight both his storytelling skills and the way colonialism occupied him and other writers such as Conrad, Kipling and Orwell.
Friday September 11th
The Forest
The Forest is an imaginative presence in British literature, culture and folklore. Several recent studies have tried to understand the origins and significance of the forest as a place of mystery, escape, danger or adventure. We will read a selection of ‘modern’ folk/fairy tales, stories, poems and descriptions that illustrate the forest’s hold on the literary imagination.
Friday September 18st
New Technology in Literature
From the telephone and cinema to PC’s and mobile phones, how have writers responded to and incorporated new technology into their work? Is the arrival of new technology a challenge, an advantage or a source of inspiration? We will read examples of how writers have engaged with new technology including Mark Twain, Ray Bradbury, Ruth Rendell and Beryl Bainbridge.
Friday September 25th
The Face of Victorian London
We will compare how, in number of short texts and extracts, different writers (in fiction and non-fiction) and poets describe and evoke the locations and life of Victorian London, and consider what makes this setting a place of enduring fascination.