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PARCEVALL HALL
Tuesday - Thursday, April 12-14
CHAUCER
Chaucer now seems to be treated as the purveyor of rollicking pseudo-Medieval romps, flattened of course into modern English: not a fate which genius deserves. This course will sidestep the favourites beloved of travelling players and setters of school syllabuses, and give a glimpse of his quality through some of his less familiar Canterbury Tales, as well as taking you on a journey to some strange places of the imagination where you will meet duchesses, goddesses, birds, good women - and not so good women.
Tuesday - Friday, September 27-30
TALES FROM THE UNDERWORLD
The borderline between Earth and Hell has always been permeable enough to enable writers to invite some unsavoury characters to pay us a visit and curdle our blood. The fear is salutary, no doubt - and the commercial potential gratifying. This course will look at creepy and demonic spiritual intruders, particularly as shown in Elizabethan and Jacobean drama.
Parcevall Hall is a welcoming and peaceful house, dating originally from around 1600, set in beautiful Wharfedale scenery, with a delightful garden which is open to the public. It is a diocesan retreat house with a special atmosphere, and its courses offer particularly good value.
Contact details: Parcevall Hall, Appletreewick, Skipton, North Yorkshire BD23 6DG; 01756 720213. E-mail: parcevallhall.org.uk
UNIVERSITY OF THE THIRD AGE, Aberystwyth branch
Fridays, 10.15-12.15, at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre
A regular course on various literature themes. Recent topics have included travel writing (from Sir John Mandeville to Terry Darlington), literary responses to music (composers ranging from Beethoven to Gershwin), appearances by the Devil in miracle and morality plays, Hungarian writing, and versions of the Battle of Agincourt! For more details, contact me on 01974 298081 or e-mail woolgathererinwales@fastmail.com
I hope that at some point there will be a resumption of the course described below, which was running regularly before lockdown:
Wednesdays, 10.30-12.30, at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre
A course on Greek and Latin literature, giving a brief taster of a different writer at each meeting, using translations, but always with a glimpse of the original. This is not a language course, and no previous knowledge will be assumed. The group meets once a month, usually on the 3rd Wednesday. Please contact me for more details (see above).
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