Victorian Short Story Reading Group: ‘The Pestilence at Noonday’ by Cornelia Sorabji

The Victorian Short Story Reading Group has regular meetings to explore some of the exciting material from the golden age of the British short story, which began during the latter part of the nineteenth century.

Current Theme: Colonial Short Stories: We start with stories of India.

As we explore these stories, we should gain a more personal perspective of the lives lived within the colonial system than that recorded in the history books. Our sessions will also give us the opportunity to discuss many of the current debates about imperialism through both the beliefs and understanding of the time and the different perspective and hindsight of the modern age.

‘The Pestilence at Noonday’ by Cornelia Sorabji

This writer, herself an Indian, sought to better the lives of her fellow countrywomen. This story, from a collection called Love and Life behind the Purdah, shows the lowly status of a woman in relation to her husband and also touches on how the British have added another layer of complexity to this.

Upon registration you will receive a link to an on-line copy of the text and, as it is a short story group, it will require no more than an evening’s preparation to read the required material.

Sessions take place monthly between October and June at a venue in Chiswick, London, W4 1TT, between 7 and 8.30 pm. At each session there is a brief introduction to the work, followed by a group discussion in a relaxed atmosphere, with wine and nibbles supplied.

Image: Dak Bungalow of Narkanda Village of Shimla District in Indian State of Himachal Pradesh in 1868 – Dak bungalow – The image is in the public domain, from of Museum of Photographic Arts from San Diego, USA, via Wikipedia.

Ticket Price: £6
Date: July 24th, 2024
Time: 7:00 pm– 8:30 pm
Venue: Priory Gardens, London W4 1TT - View on map
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