Event—Adult Education

Walking Invisible: Women Writers and Anonymity

“For most of history, Anonymous was a woman.” – Virginia Woolf. This seminar will explore famous and successful women writers who hid their gender identity by publishing under gender- neutral or male names or by simply signing off “Anonymous.”

For the Fall 2021 term, we're offering a mix of virtual and in-person classes. Although we are still primarily virtual, you will find a smaller selection of in-person seminars in the schedule. For more information about the Newberry’s virtual seminars, including a Zoom tutorial, please see our Virtual Seminars FAQ page. Registration opens on September 1st at 9am (Central time). Registration will take place through our online platform, Learning Stream.

Seminar Description

“For most of history, Anonymous was a woman.” – Virginia Woolf. This seminar will explore famous and successful women writers who hid their gender identity by publishing under gender- neutral or male names or by simply signing off “Anonymous.” Covering authors from the Bronte sisters, Mary Shelley, Louisa May Alcott, and George Eliot to S. E. Hinton and J. K. Rowling, we will explore a large body of work by women writers who felt the pressure to “walk invisible” and hide their female identity, discussing their stories and the cultural constraints these prolific and creative women faced.

One sessions. Registration – $40

Katrina Kemble is Adjunct Professor at Columbia College Chicago and Loyola University. She has special interests in women's literature and British Gothic literature.

Materials List

Required:

  • There are no required materials.

First Reading:

  • There is no first reading assignment..