“Wordsworth and Reading’s Promise”

Wordsworth’s idea of the poem as a ‘promise’ or ‘pledge’
looks forward not only to the potential of literary reception,
but also to ways of establishing a relationship of obligation
that sees reading hold out the promise of future connection.
I trace instances when his poems imagine their own future
reading by someone who is absent for the time being or more
often by someone who has died. These poems consider how
a promise plays out over time, seeking consolation in
contingency by looking to the rhythms of reciprocity and
rhythms of reading. I’ll be thinking about broken promises
and death-bed promises, while also drawing on some
Romantic-period discussions of the promise (by William
Godwin) and more recent accounts of promising as a
performative utterance.

Come along and find out more about becoming a volunteer Transformations student tutor with English and CLS.

The group meets once a month, on a Wednesday from 4:30 to 6pm. First meeting is scheduled to take place on the 16th of October in the SRC on the 5th floor of the Humanities Building.

We have 8 sessions planned (for now). We''ll be reading a variety of new and canonical texts, and envision the group as a space of warm participation and discussion around a broad array of feminist issues and concerns. We have a small budget thanks to Emma (our generous HOD) so there will be some drinks and snacks to share, too.

All are welcome!