That Elizabeth Gaskell knew her Bible hardly needs stating, but what use did she make of it in her fiction? In particular, what use did she make of The Book of Esther?

Sherry Ashworth’s talk will cover how The Book of Esther was understood by nineteenth century English Christians, and how Elizabeth Gaskell used it to embellish and bring meaning to her fiction. You’ll be surprised how often The Book of Esther pops up, and how tuned in Gaskell was to its subversive meaning.

Sherry Ashworth is currently in the second year of her PhD on The Book of Esther and Victorian fiction; she studies at the University of Manchester.