The Gothic Brontës seminar day ~ BrontëBlog

Friday, July 11, 2025

The Gothic Brontës seminar day

Friday, July 11, 2025 2:14 am by M. in Alert, Scholar, Talks No comments

An alert for tomorrow, July 12, in Haworth:

The Gothic Brontës seminar day
Sat 12 Jul, 10:00am
The Brontë Event Space at the Old School Room

Dive into the world of Gothic fiction and explore its impact on the Brontës’ work in this fascinating seminar day during Haworth Festival with Dr Sam Hirst. Sam is a Gothic specialist and Teaching Associate in Romanticism at the University of Sheffield. Together, you’ll investigate the Brontës’ own reworkings of the classic Gothic novel and examine the impact of the three sisters’ writing on the genre.

The day will be split into five sessions.

Hour Session Description

10am-11am Exploring the Brontës’ Gothic Influences In this first session, you’ll be introduced to key texts of the early Gothic and some of the early Gothic's key features and concerns. We’ll look at the ways in which the Gothic functioned as more than just a series of skeletons in closets and explore some of the texts that we know the Brontës read and had access to.

11am-12pm The Gothic and the Brontës’ Juvenilia The Brontës’ early work shows the strongest influence of the early Gothic with kidnappings, doubles, magic, torture and necromancy all taking place in their early worlds. This session will be an opportunity to explore the worlds the siblings created and trace the development of their relationship with the Gothic. We’ll be looking at a number of stories and poems but we recommend reading ‘The Foundling’ by Charlotte before the session. We will include a discussion of this story in the class.

12pm-1pm Lunch break (you’re welcome to bring your own lunch or join us at Cobbles & Clay café in Haworth)

1pm-2pm The Gothic Worlds of the Brontë Sisters In this class, we will dive into the Gothic worlds of some of the Brontës’ most famous novels. We will explore how they rewrote and remade the Gothic and reimagined the Gothic hero and heroine. Taking the Gothic from exotic mountain landscapes in Europe to the bleak moors of the North of England, from ruined castles to ‘haunted’ homes, and from a celebration of virtuous heroines to an exploration of passionate, independent women.

2pm-3pm The Gothic Afterlives of the Brontës In this session, we’ll look at the Brontës' afterlives, both literal and figurative. We’ll explore the work of nineteenth-century spiritualists claiming to have channelled Charlotte’s new novel, the Gothic films their works inspired, and their influence on later Gothic literature. We’ll finish the seminar with our own explorations of Gothic possibilities – the stories, adaptations, and ideas that your Gothic day in the Brontës home has inspired!

3pm-4pm Session in the Museum library See related collection items up close with our Principal Curator.

Hour	Session	Description
10am-11am	Exploring the Brontës’ Gothic Influences	In this first session, you’ll be introduced to key texts of the early Gothic and some of the early Gothic's key features and concerns. We’ll look at the ways in which the Gothic functioned as more than just a series of skeletons in closets and explore some of the texts that we know the Brontës read and had access to.
11am-12pm	The Gothic and the Brontës’ Juvenilia	The Brontës’ early work shows the strongest influence of the early Gothic with kidnappings, doubles, magic, torture and necromancy all taking place in their early worlds. This session will be an opportunity to explore the worlds the siblings created and trace the development of their relationship with the Gothic. We’ll be looking at a number of stories and poems but we recommend reading ‘The Foundling’ by Charlotte before the session. We will include a discussion of this story in the class.
12pm-1pm	Lunch break	(you’re welcome to bring your own lunch or join us at Cobbles & Clay café in Haworth)
1pm-2pm	The Gothic Worlds of the Brontë Sisters	In this class, we will dive into the Gothic worlds of some of the Brontës’ most famous novels. We will explore how they rewrote and remade the Gothic and reimagined the Gothic hero and heroine. Taking the Gothic from exotic mountain landscapes in Europe to the bleak moors of the North of England, from ruined castles to ‘haunted’ homes, and from a celebration of virtuous heroines to an exploration of passionate, independent women.
2pm-3pm	The Gothic Afterlives of the Brontës	In this session, we’ll look at the Brontës' afterlives, both literal and figurative. We’ll explore the work of nineteenth-century spiritualists claiming to have channelled Charlotte’s new novel, the Gothic films their works inspired, and their influence on later Gothic literature. We’ll finish the seminar with our own explorations of Gothic possibilities – the stories, adaptations, and ideas that your Gothic day in the Brontës home has inspired!
3pm-4pm	Session in the Museum library	See related collection items up close with our Principal Curator.

And also, a couple more of alerts (part of the Haworth Festival 2025):

The Female Gothic – a literary discussion
Saturday 12 July, 5pm – 6.15pm
The Brontë Space at the Old School Room, Haworth

Join Bronte experts and best-selling authors, Dr Claire O’Callaghan and Dr Michael Stewart, in conversation discussing the history of female gothic writing. From Ann Radcliffe’s The Mysteries of Udolpho, through Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, the works of the Brontë sisters, Daphne Du Maurier, Shirley Jackson, Anne Rice, Angela Carter and Sarah Waters, the genre of Gothic Literature has always had a very strong female presence. They will talking about and reading from some of their favourites.

A Gothic Haunted Haworth Ghost Tour
Saturday 12 July, 9.30pm

Step into the shadows of Haworth and uncover the village’s haunting secrets with Haunted Haworth’s Ghost Walks. Led by local storyteller and folklorist Adam Sargant, these tours delve into tales of terror and spectral stories from the historic home of the Brontës. As darkness falls, wander through the narrow, cobbled streets where the spirits of Branwell and Emily Brontë are said to linger. Discover the stories that inspired some of the Gothic elements of the sister’s novels. Feel the lingering presence of a hanged highwayman, still hunting for unsuspecting victims in local pubs. This immersive experience offers a unique blend of history and mystery, spine-chilling stories and unforgettable memories.