The Life and Times of Literary Favorites ?explores the captivating biographies of some of the world’s most celebrated writers. The series provides a captivating exploration of the lives and works of Victorian literary giants such as Charles Dickens, George Eliot, Thomas Hardy and Elizabeth Gaskill.
Lauren Radick examines their friendships, loves, and rivalries, gaining insights into the complex characters and evocative settings they created. This interactive experience uncovers details about their most famous works, contextualizing them within their times and cultures.
By examining the influences on these literary giants and how their writings shaped the world, we will gain a deeper understanding of their imaginations. This promises to be an enriching journey into the lives of remarkable individuals in literary history.
Week One: Charles Dickens
Week Four Elizabeth Gaskell
Charles Dickens
Charles Dickens remains one of the most beloved and influential novelists of the Victorian era, celebrated for his vivid characters, social criticism, and gripping storytelling. His works often illuminated the struggles of the poor and exposed the hypocrisies of British society with both compassion and wit.
In this session, we will focus on Great Expectations, one of Dickens’s most enduring novels. Through the journey of Pip—from humble beginnings to unexpected fortune—we’ll examine themes of class, ambition, identity, and redemption. As we explore into the richly drawn world of Dickens, we will discover why Great Expectations continues to captivate and challenge readers more than 150 years after its publication.
George Eliot
Born Mary Ann Evans, George Eliot was a groundbreaking writer who challenged Victorian norms with her deeply psychological and morally complex fiction. Writing under a male pen name to ensure her work was taken seriously in a male-dominated literary world, Eliot became one of the most influential novelists of her time.
We will analyze her masterwork Middlemarch—a richly layered portrait of a provincial town grappling with the forces of change. Through its interwoven lives and ambitions, Middlemarch offers profound insights into social reform, gender roles, idealism, and human nature. Join us as we explore why Eliot’s vision of small-town life and big ideas continues to resonate with readers today.
Step into the world of Thomas Hardy, the legendary novelist and poet whose works continue to captivate readers! Born in rural England, Hardy found inspiration in the landscapes around him, crafting unforgettable novels like Tess of the d’Urbervilles and Jude the Obscure. After facing criticism of his novels, he turned to poetry, where he expressed deep personal reflections and loss.
A bold writer ahead of his time, he challenged societal norms and explored human struggles with striking honesty. Discover the man behind the words and the legacy that still shapes literature today!
Elizabeth Gaskell was more than just a novelist—she was a keen observer of Victorian life, capturing the struggles of industrialization, class divisions, and gender roles with remarkable insight and empathy. In this session, we will focus on North and South, her most influential and enduring novel.
Through the story of Margaret Hale and John Thornton, we will explore how Gaskell blended sharp social critique with compelling character-driven storytelling. We’ll also uncover her personal journey—from her upbringing in Knutsford to her life in industrial Manchester—and how these experiences shaped her literary voice.
In both her fiction and her biography of Charlotte Brontë, Gaskell offered a powerful window into the complexities of 19th-century Britain, leaving a lasting legacy in English literature.