Come and dive with us into the rich world of literary writing about motherhood – in texts that reveal motherhood’s simultaneous rawness and beauty, exhaustion and joy, moments of pure exhilaration juxtaposed with the utterly mundane. We’ll explore the links between the personal and the political, and the role of literary fiction and non-fiction of making sense of motherhood as both an individual experience and an
institution (...
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
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This one-day in-college literature course explores the extraordinarily diverse world of writing about motherhood. We’ll look at literary texts that have firmly rebuked any notions of motherhood as ‘merely’ domestic and have instead made it the subject of serious literary writing, have explored major themes such as the body, trauma, gender, queerness, race and creativity, and have written diverse truths about the realities of motherhood. You’ll leave this course with an understanding of classic texts about motherhood by authors such as Adrienne Rich as well as more recent texts by authors such as Rachel Cusk, Maggie Nelson and Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀.
What will we cover?
We will look at a range of classic and contemporary literary texts, focusing on fiction and literary non-fiction, such as memoirs. We’ll read an extract from Adrienne Rich’s classic text Of Woman Born alongside short extracts from more recent texts from around the world that explore contemporary motherhood in all its complexity (by writers such as Rachel Cusk, Maggie Nelson and Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀). As well as building a picture of the diverse ways writers have depicted motherhood, and how this has changed over the last 50 years, we’ll explore how the texts navigate themes such as maternal ambivalence, infertility, the body, gender and sexuality, feminism and patriarchy, queerness, and creativity in relation to motherhood.
Whether you want to gain a fuller understanding of the link between the personal and the political, whether you’re interested in literary representations of gender, or whether you’d like to better understand your own experiences of motherhood through reading these writers’ diverse ways of making sense of it all – all are welcome.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Identify and analyse a diverse range of literary texts about motherhood
Understand some of the key trends, themes and literary characteristics of writing about motherhood from the 1970s to today
Identify the texts’ literary, social, historical and political contexts.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This is an introductory level course and no prior experience or knowledge is required – just a willingness and ability to read the texts and to listen and discuss ideas with others.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be taught mainly through group discussion, small group activities, and close reading and analysis, with encouragement to share your own responses and ideas about the texts – along with some short presentations from the tutor.
You will get the most out of the class if you can read the short extracts from each text before the class, which will be sent to you by the tutor.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Before the class, the tutor will supply extracts of the set readings by email. You do not need your own copies of any of the texts.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Look for other one day and longer Literature courses on our website at www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/literature.
Rebecca Jones is a researcher and lecturer in African literature, world literatures and travel writing. She has a PhD from the University of Birmingham, where she subsequently worked as a Lecturer, and is now an Honorary Research Fellow at Birmingham. Her first book, At the Crossroads: Nigerian Travel Writing and Literary Culture in Yoruba and English was published in 2019. She is an editor of the literary travel writing journal Fortunate Traveller. She works as a researcher at a charity and also runs creative journalling workshops for mothers.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/reading-motherhood3004462‘Reading Motherhood’https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/literature-taster-poetry-hlt373-1080.jpg6969GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Literature/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Literature/Fiction22851177118711881228511771187<p>Come and dive with us into the rich world of literary writing about motherhood – in texts that reveal motherhood’s simultaneous rawness and beauty, exhaustion and joy, moments of pure exhilaration juxtaposed with the utterly mundane. We’ll explore the links between the personal and the political, and the role of literary fiction and non-fiction of making sense of motherhood as both an individual experience and an institution (to borrow Adrienne Rich’s terms). Authors include Adrienne Rich, Rachel Cusk, Maggie Nelson and Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀.</p>003004456‘Reading Motherhood’6969https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/category/literature-taster-poetry-hlt373-1080.jpgInStockDaytimeSatKeeley StreetAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekend2026-07-11T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allJul 2026Culture, history & humanitiesHLT3986969‘Reading Motherhood’554569Rebecca Jonesreading-motherhood/hlt398-2526<p>Come and dive with us into the rich world of literary writing about motherhood – in texts that reveal motherhood’s simultaneous rawness and beauty, exhaustion and joy, moments of pure exhilaration juxtaposed with the utterly mundane. We’ll explore the links between the personal and the political, and the role of literary fiction and non-fiction of making sense of motherhood as both an individual experience and an institution (to borrow Adrienne Rich’s terms). Authors include Adrienne Rich, Rachel Cusk, Maggie Nelson and Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀.</p>0000-Available|2026-07-11 00:00:00<p>This one-day in-college literature course explores the extraordinarily diverse world of writing about motherhood. We’ll look at literary texts that have firmly rebuked any notions of motherhood as ‘merely’ domestic and have instead made it the subject of serious literary writing, have explored major themes such as the body, trauma, gender, queerness, race and creativity, and have written diverse truths about the realities of motherhood. You’ll leave this course with an understanding of classic texts about motherhood by authors such as Adrienne Rich as well as more recent texts by authors such as Rachel Cusk, Maggie Nelson and Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀. </p><p>Come and dive with us into the rich world of literary writing about motherhood – in texts that reveal motherhood’s simultaneous rawness and beauty, exhaustion and joy, moments of pure exhilaration juxtaposed with the utterly mundane. We’ll explore the links between the personal and the political, and the role of literary fiction and non-fiction of making sense of motherhood as both an individual experience and an institution (to borrow Adrienne Rich’s terms). Authors include Adrienne Rich, Rachel Cusk, Maggie Nelson and Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀.</p><p>We will look at a range of classic and contemporary literary texts, focusing on fiction and literary non-fiction, such as memoirs. We’ll read an extract from Adrienne Rich’s classic text <em>Of Woman Born </em>alongside short extracts from more recent texts from around the world that explore contemporary motherhood in all its complexity (by writers such as Rachel Cusk, Maggie Nelson and Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀). As well as building a picture of the diverse ways writers have depicted motherhood, and how this has changed over the last 50 years, we’ll explore how the texts navigate themes such as maternal ambivalence, infertility, the body, gender and sexuality, feminism and patriarchy, queerness, and creativity in relation to motherhood. </p><p>Whether you want to gain a fuller understanding of the link between the personal and the political, whether you’re interested in literary representations of gender, or whether you’d like to better understand your own experiences of motherhood through reading these writers’ diverse ways of making sense of it all – all are welcome. </p><p>Identify and analyse a diverse range of literary texts about motherhood</p><p>Understand some of the key trends, themes and literary characteristics of writing about motherhood from the 1970s to today</p><p> Identify the texts’ literary, social, historical and political contexts. </p><p> </p><p>This is an introductory level course and no prior experience or knowledge is required – just a willingness and ability to read the texts and to listen and discuss ideas with others.</p><p>You will be taught mainly through group discussion, small group activities, and close reading and analysis, with encouragement to share your own responses and ideas about the texts – along with some short presentations from the tutor. </p><p>You will get the most out of the class if you can read the short extracts from each text before the class, which will be sent to you by the tutor.</p><p>Before the class, the tutor will supply extracts of the set readings by email. You do not need your own copies of any of the texts. </p><p> </p><p>Look for other one day and longer Literature courses on our website at www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/literature.</p><p> </p>LiteratureFictionvirtual556945HLT398NONESat11/07/2610:30 - 16:3010:3016:301 session1One-off onlyDaytimeWeekendKSKeeley StreetRebecca JonesBeginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allAvailable courses2026-07-11T00:00:00+00:00Jul 2026Culture, history & humanities6969‘Reading Motherhood’reading-motherhood/hlt398-2526<p>Come and dive with us into the rich world of literary writing about motherhood – in texts that reveal motherhood’s simultaneous rawness and beauty, exhaustion and joy, moments of pure exhilaration juxtaposed with the utterly mundane. We’ll explore the links between the personal and the political, and the role of literary fiction and non-fiction of making sense of motherhood as both an individual experience and an institution (to borrow Adrienne Rich’s terms). Authors include Adrienne Rich, Rachel Cusk, Maggie Nelson and Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀.</p>0000-Available|2026-07-11 00:00:00<p>This one-day in-college literature course explores the extraordinarily diverse world of writing about motherhood. We’ll look at literary texts that have firmly rebuked any notions of motherhood as ‘merely’ domestic and have instead made it the subject of serious literary writing, have explored major themes such as the body, trauma, gender, queerness, race and creativity, and have written diverse truths about the realities of motherhood. You’ll leave this course with an understanding of classic texts about motherhood by authors such as Adrienne Rich as well as more recent texts by authors such as Rachel Cusk, Maggie Nelson and Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀. </p><p>Come and dive with us into the rich world of literary writing about motherhood – in texts that reveal motherhood’s simultaneous rawness and beauty, exhaustion and joy, moments of pure exhilaration juxtaposed with the utterly mundane. We’ll explore the links between the personal and the political, and the role of literary fiction and non-fiction of making sense of motherhood as both an individual experience and an institution (to borrow Adrienne Rich’s terms). Authors include Adrienne Rich, Rachel Cusk, Maggie Nelson and Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀.</p><p>We will look at a range of classic and contemporary literary texts, focusing on fiction and literary non-fiction, such as memoirs. We’ll read an extract from Adrienne Rich’s classic text <em>Of Woman Born </em>alongside short extracts from more recent texts from around the world that explore contemporary motherhood in all its complexity (by writers such as Rachel Cusk, Maggie Nelson and Ayọ̀bámi Adébáyọ̀). As well as building a picture of the diverse ways writers have depicted motherhood, and how this has changed over the last 50 years, we’ll explore how the texts navigate themes such as maternal ambivalence, infertility, the body, gender and sexuality, feminism and patriarchy, queerness, and creativity in relation to motherhood. </p><p>Whether you want to gain a fuller understanding of the link between the personal and the political, whether you’re interested in literary representations of gender, or whether you’d like to better understand your own experiences of motherhood through reading these writers’ diverse ways of making sense of it all – all are welcome. </p><p>Identify and analyse a diverse range of literary texts about motherhood</p><p>Understand some of the key trends, themes and literary characteristics of writing about motherhood from the 1970s to today</p><p> Identify the texts’ literary, social, historical and political contexts. </p><p> </p><p>This is an introductory level course and no prior experience or knowledge is required – just a willingness and ability to read the texts and to listen and discuss ideas with others.</p><p>You will be taught mainly through group discussion, small group activities, and close reading and analysis, with encouragement to share your own responses and ideas about the texts – along with some short presentations from the tutor. </p><p>You will get the most out of the class if you can read the short extracts from each text before the class, which will be sent to you by the tutor.</p><p>Before the class, the tutor will supply extracts of the set readings by email. You do not need your own copies of any of the texts. </p><p> </p><p>Look for other one day and longer Literature courses on our website at www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/literature.</p><p> </p>LiteratureFictionconfigurable
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