Dorothy Wordsworth

A single session on campus on Saturday 21 March, 10am - 4pm

Overview

Sister of the more famous William; Dorothy Wordsworth started to write her narrative of Lakeland life to give ‘Wm Pleasure’ and to console herself in his absence.  The 4 little notebooks that have become known as the Grasmere Journal convey the details of the everyday at Dove Cottage which encompasses cows and Coleridge; bowels and botany; porridge and poetry.  There’s a domestic drama of love and loss in the pages too.  This short course will consider Dorothy’s distinctive text and her inspirational powers of observation. 

This course aims to introduce Dorothy Wordsworth, the writer, to people who know her by name only.  Dorothy’s writing will be explored in relation to her distinctive family and the community of writers in which she lived. 

This course will appeal to anyone interested in nineteenth-century women’s writing, journal writing, and nature writing. 

Syllabus

This one-day course will start with an introduction to Dorothy Wordsworth's life and work and then be followed by reading and discussion of extracts from her Grasmere journal and other sources.

Course lecturer

At Continuing Education, Dr Shirley Jones currently runs courses on contemporary women's writing, and the thematic strand, The Monthly Novel. Previously Shirley has also taught courses on classic authors, such as Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, Wilkie Collins, and Dorothy Wordsworth. Shirley's PhD was a study of the Victorian writer, Margaret Oliphant.

Outside of Continuing Education, Shirley is a member of a writers' group and runs the Redbrick Writers, a community writing group, at the Victoria Gallery and Museum.

Course fee

• Standard fee: £55