Forthcoming events
Wednesday 20 May
6.30 pm, Arts Lecture Room 6, UWA
Show and Tell: ‘Medieval Aesthetics in Gothic Literature’, led by Louise Pitcher.
One of the event formats suggested by members after our AGM was ‘Show and Tell’, featuring a brief presentation by a member followed by an informal chat on the topic. In addition to the presentation, there will be an opportunity for attendees to add their own ‘show and tell’ and talk about their work, reading and viewing.
We’re delighted that our first Show and Tell is a chat about medievalism in Gothic literature, led by Louise Pitcher with an introductory talk.
Louise’s starting point is that Gothic literature is littered with faux medieval features. From crumbling medieval castles to licentious monks and disgraced nobles, classic Gothic literature often takes advantage of historical medieval settings or aesthetics to justify its depiction of ‘barbaric’ or ‘taboo’ narratives. This discussion will explore how these medieval-inspired elements helped Gothic develop into a unique genre. To get you thinking about the topic, you might like to consider which Gothic-style building you think would be the best setting for a vampire attack. What about the Thistle Chapel in St Giles’s Cathedral, Edinburgh (1909–11; see the poster here)?
Past events
Wednesday 25 February
6.30 pm, Arts Lecture Room 5, UWA
A brief Annual General Meeting, followed by
Into the Future: PMRG 2026 and Beyond – a group discussion between all members on what PMRG can and should be doing into the future
Would you like to see more social gatherings besides our annual conference, regular presentations, fortnightly reading group and quiz night? Should we be addressing more contemporary cultural adaptations or applications to medieval and early modern culture that extend beyond conference papers and presentations such as a regular film or book group? All ideas will be welcomed for discussion. Any interested members who would like to be involved in launching a group or a series of workshops in which others can participate would be most welcome.
A poster is available here.