Elizabeth Gaskell, Mary Shelley, the Brontë sisters and George Eliot were all relatively young when they lost their mothers. Moreover, all of them create female characters who are affected by the loss of a mother. But is this necessarily a bad thing in literature? What are the drawbacks and the freedoms of being motherless in Victorian fiction? Starting with Elizabeth Gaskell’s heroine Molly in Wives and Daughters, this insightful talk looks at the importance of missing mothers in classic literature.

Three women in 1830s period dress from Tv adaptation
Join expert Sherry Ashworth for a closer look at motherless girls in literature. Perfect for anyone who enjoys 19th century women’s writing from some of the giants of Victorian literature!

‘Extremely interesting. Sherry is excellent!’ Visitor to online event

Part of Wives and Daughters Season.