Reimagining Tudor Women’s Lives: Maggie O’Farrell’s Hamnet and Ava Pickett’s 1536

About this course

The session examines Maggie O’Farrell’s novel Hamnet and Ava Pickett’s play 1536 as contemporary reworkings of the Tudor period. Participants will consider how the two texts reconstruct historical figures and events, address gender, power and historical memory, and connect personal stories with wider political concerns. Teaching combines tutor presentations, individual reading, small-group work and full-group discussion, with attention to how modern perspectives influence representations of the past.

What you'll learn

• Identify ways the two writers reconstruct historical figures and events.
• Examine how personal narratives can illuminate broader political realities.
• Discuss how contemporary concerns influence representations of Tudor history.
• Reflect on why particular aspects of the Tudor period continue to resonate.

Is this course right for you?

This introductory taster is intended for learners with no previous experience or knowledge of the subject. The session involves reading extracts independently, working in small groups and contributing to wider discussion, so participation takes place through a mixture of individual and collaborative study.

• No previous experience or subject knowledge is required.
• The session includes small-group and full-group discussion.
• Learners do not need to read either complete text beforehand.

Before you go

• The tutor will provide extracts from Hamnet and 1536.
• Learners do not need to bring their own copies of the texts.
• Reading the complete texts beforehand is optional.