Kamila Shamsie’s Home Fire has been critically acclaimed, winning the 2018 Women’s Prize for Fiction and being longlisted for the Booker Prize. The book adapts Sophocles’ ancient tragedy Antigone, with its focus on the conflict between private and public duties to a contemporary narrative of a British Muslim family caught up in the consequences of extremism. This session will discuss Home Fire as a response both to Antigone and to identity debates for British Muslims.
Course aim
To discuss Kamila Shamsie's 2018 Women's Prize for Fiction winner, Home Fire, in the context of its adaptation of themes from the ancient Greek tragedy, Antigone.
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:
- Learn about Kamila Shamsie's novel, Home Fire.
- Know more about contemporary themes and influences on the novel.
- Understand its links to the ancient Greek tragedy, Antigone.
What else do I need to know?
A pen & paper may be handy for notes. Links to further reading will be provided for those who wish to extend their learning.
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