Confession: I started writing this post to introduce one of my first guest contributors, the wonderful Adrienne, and then launched into a whole backstory about how North & South has shaped me as a woman, as a writer, a scholar, and a romantic….that quickly turned into another post that will kick off a series about the stories that shape us. But it just goes to show you how North & South continues to inspire readers in so many ways—and why its fandom only continues to grow.
And speaking of fandoms, Adrienne will walk us through the modern fandom surrounding the BBC series and how it introduced a new generation of readers to Elizabeth Gaskell, who is, by the way, fantastic—read her! Adrienne will also explain how the class struggle shapes not only the romance in North & South (both the book and the movie) but also the shifting gender norms.
It’s a fantastic lecture for anyone who loves this story as deeply as Adrienne and I do. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and welcome lively conversation. Enjoy!
Guest Contributor Bio
Adrienne (she/her) is an ardent Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell fan interested in exploring their work and thinking critically about fandom through her lens as a Latina living in the twenty-first century. She earned her Master’s Degree in English from Syracuse University in 2013. You can find her on Twitter @barelytolerabIe discussing her North and South fanfiction or tweeting about Mr. Darcy’s hand flex in Pride & Prejudice (2005).
The Bruja Professor, a witchy take on literature, the occult & pop culture, is the scholarly sister to Enchantment Learning & Living, an inspirational blog celebrating life’s simple pleasures, everyday mysticism, and delectable recipes that are guaranteed to stir the kitchen witch in you.
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