The selection of novels explored on this course present different versions of female identity and engage with a variety of themes as well as highlighting the importance of the influence of earlier writers. Muriel Spark created one of most enduring female characters in her short novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1961) which raises issues of moral ambiguity. The Millstone by Margaret Drabble (1965) presents us with the challenges of single motherhood at a time when it was not socially acceptable. Finally, we will read Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys (1966) which has often been thought of as an anti-colonial response to Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre.
Course aim
To consider differing representations of female identity in three novels of the 1960s.
Do I need any particular skills or experience?
- This course is for beginners and improvers
By the end of the course I should be able to:
- Approach literary texts in a critical way.
- Consider the importance of historical context in the three set texts.
- Discuss the engagement with social issues in the set texts.
- Compare the differing representations of female identity in the three texts.
- Participate in group discussion.
What else do I need to know?
We will be reading 'The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie' by Muriel Spark, 'The Millstone' by Margaret Drabble and 'Wide Sargasso Sea' by Jean Rhys. You may wish to start reading these texts before the course begins.
View full course information sheet
Literature: Women Writers of the 1960s with Dr Denise Hanrahan-Wells







