Amy Wilcockson will draw on letters by Edward Lear, Jane Austen, and Thomas Campbell to discuss how – and why – they use comedy, nonsense, and the absurd. She will explore how such attempts to create camaraderie, advance social status, and deal with difficult situations, provide an intimate insight into the lives of all three authors.

Image: Beeton’s complete letter-writer for ladies and gentlemen: a useful compendium of epistolary materials gathered from the best sources, and adapted to suit an indefinite number of cases (1873?). Special Collection PE1483.B4