Gothic Fiction & The Female Writer

We all know the fairytales of Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Little Red Riding Hood – but how many of us are familiar with the darker tale of Bluebeard, the notorious wife-killer?

First published in Charles Perrault’s Stories or Tales of Past Times (1697), Bluebeard has been retold and reinvented for centuries, leaving a lasting mark on literature and culture. In this talk, you’ll discover why this unsettling story has endured, and how it shaped some of the greatest works of Gothic fiction. From novels like Jane Eyre to Rebecca to the works of Angela Carter, Silvia Moreno-Garcia and Natalia Theodoridou, we’ll explore how Bluebeard continues to inspire stories that reflect anxieties about women’s lives, power, and freedom. Join us on a journey into the darker side of fairytales, and discover why Bluebeard remains one of its most unsettling and unforgettable tales.

Doors open at 6:30pm, last entry is 7pm and talk starts at 7.30pm - come down early to grab a good seat!

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Speaker Bio: 

Dr Sarah Gamble is Associate Professor in English Literature at Swansea University. She’s a specialist in contemporary Gothic fiction and women’s writing, and has a particular expertise in the life and work of Angela Carter, on whom she’s written two monographs: Angela Carter: Writing from the Front Line (Edinburgh University Press,1997), and Angela Carter: A Literary Life (Palgrave Macmillan, 2006). Most recently, she has co-edited (with Anna Watz of Uppsala University, Sweden) a two-volume collection of academic essays on Carter – Angela Carter’s Pasts: Allegories and Intertextualities, and Angela Carter’s Futures: Representations, Adaptations and Legacies (Bloomsbury, 2025). Her current research involves dark academia and vampires. 

This talk is 16+. All under 18s must be accompanied by an adult, and all under 25s may require government issued photo ID to gain entry.

For accessibility requirements, please contact the venue with any accessibility requirements before booking. Spaces may be limited and will be sold on a first come first served basis.You can call: 0121 693 2248 (Mon-Fri 9.30am-6pm & Sat/Sun 12-6pm) or email [email protected] with your access requirements and the show you wish to see in order to make a booking. Disabled Access is available by lift.

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