Join Diane Duffy for a discussion on The Old Nurse’s Story.

The story can be found in collections of Gothic stories, ghost stories and tales of the macabre, something which might seem odd for a woman who was the wife of a Unitarian minister and, as a Unitarian, a believer in the rational. So what exactly was Gaskell’s attitude to the supernatural – or at least superstition – and how might this attitude inform her so-called ghost stories? In fact, perhaps it is even more relevant to consider just how far this is a story about malign spirits, or whether these ghosts  are being used  as a metaphor for something else, equally terrifying, but much more real.

Everyone is welcome to this informal discussion session – and here are some Points to Ponder.