The University is delighted to welcome author and radio presenter Sophie Coulombeau in this talk showcasing some of the research from her recent publication 'Reading with the Burneys' which is closely linked to Aberdeen.
About the Speaker
Dr Sophie Coulombeau is a Senior Lecturer in eighteenth-century literature and culture at the University of York. She is also a creative writer. Her debut novel, Rites, came out in 2012 and her second novel, Monster: A Tale, will be published by Northodox Press in 2026. Sophie writes and presents for radio and regularly creates features on mainstream arts and history for publications including BBC Arts, the Guardian, the Independent, the Times Literary Supplement, and History Today.
About this Talk
In this talk, Sophie Coulombeau will showcase some of the research she published recently in her book Reading With The Burneys (Cambridge University Press 2024). This publication centres on an all-important annotated set of Fanny Burney's first novel Evelina, which is held in the University of Aberdeen's Special Collections.
Frances Burney (1752 – 1840), also known as Fanny Burney, was an English satirical novelist, diarist and playwright. In 1786–1790 she held the post of "Keeper of the Robes" to George III's queen, Charlotte. Her long writing career gained her a reputation as one of England's foremost literary authors. Her fiction had a significant influence on the novels of Jane Austen, who greatly admired her style and drew on Burney's characters in creating her own.
Burney has traditionally been thought of as a 'novelist of manners' far removed from the Gothic fiction of the time, but this talk explores how her four novels do in fact take part in some of the same conversations, and employ the same ideas. Coulombeau will be examining selected passages from Evelina with gothic features such as oppressive fear, fainting women, sexual menacing from villains, and will conclude by focusing closely on the way in which Evelina's brother/lover character Mr Macartney raises the spectre of incest - a key Gothic trope. Using the copy of Evelina now held in the University Collections, Frances Burney's own brother Charles attempted to model himself on Macartney when he lived in Aberdeen, with troublesome consequences!
This event is part of a programme of events that will be accompanying the latest exhibition from University Collections. Fear and Fascination - A Gothic Exhibition runs until 7 December 2025.
- Speaker
- Sophie Coulombeau
- Hosted by
- University Collections
- Venue
- The Sir Duncan Rice Library
- Contact
-
- This FREE talk is open to all and will take place in the Sir Duncan Rice Library.
- If you would like to attend in person, please reserve a seat by following the booking link.
- Parking at the University is FREE at the time of this event.
REQUEST A RECORDING OF THIS TALK
We are hoping to record this talk. If you are unable to attend the event in person but would like to receive a link to the recording that will be prepared after the event, please email uoacollections@abdn.ac.uk
- Booking
- Online booking available