Class Description
In this course, we will explore eighteenth-century gothic literature beginnings. We will read Horace Walpole's gothic classic The Castle of Otranto, a text considered to be the first gothic novel and the start of a beloved literary genre. We will also explore Walpole's famous Strawberry Hill House, a medieval gothic-style palace he built in London, and talk about the infamous haunted dream he had and how it influenced him to write the first gothic novel. We will also look at how Walpole's Strawberry Hill House inspired the Gothic Revival architectural movement.
Katrina Kemble is a literature, writing, and communications instructor at Loyola University and Columbia College Chicago. She has a special love for 18th and 19th century gothic literature.
What to Expect
Format: In Person
Class Capacity: 20
Class Style: Mix of lecture and discussion; participation encouraged
Materials List
Required
- Horace Walpole, The Castle of Otranto. Oxford, 2008. ISBN: 9780199537211
No required reading for the first day.
A Brief Syllabus
- Gothic Beginnings: Horace Walpole, Medieval Fascination, and Strawberry Hill House.
- Strawberry Hill House Nightmare: The Castle of Otranto.
- Cont., The Castle of Otranto.
- Wrap Up The Castle of Otranto.
Cost and Registration
4 Sessions, $175 ($157.50 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.
We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($175), Community Supported ($160), and Sponsor ($190). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.
To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.
Having trouble signing up? Take a look at our step-by-step guide to registration by clicking here.
RegisterThe views and opinions expressed in this class and/or by the instructor are not necessarily representative of the Newberry. We aim to ensure that in our classes, participants can have respectful disagreement to foster critical thinking. This is a space to challenge and expand our own worldviews to work towards better understanding and appreciating humanity.
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