Louisa May Alcott-Her Life and Works (C/S102)

This course will study the works of Louisa May Alcott, her Victorian children's novels as well as her long-lost "blood and thunder" stories. We will focus on the eccentric lives of the Alcott family, the part that abolitionism and women's rights played in the evolution of Louisa's character and works, and the darker side of the Alcott world, from Bronson Alcott's severe depressions and mental illness to the early deaths of Louisa's sisters Elizabeth and Abba. Taken in the context of mid-19th century culture, students will explore Alcott's ground-breaking approach to children's literature and her interweaving of progressive social themes into her innocent children's tales, as well as into her more macabre and brooding adult thrillers, written under the pen name of A.M. Barnard. If you are already a fan of Alcott, this course may move you to return to her works with a different perspective; if you have never read Alcott, this course may send you rushing to the library!

1/30-3/27, Wednesdays (9 Sessions)

7:00-9:00 PM

ACM

Instructor: Ellen McDaniel-Weissler

Course Cost: $52.00

Maryland Senior Course Cost: $9.00