Thinking of Tea & Literature
by Laurie Nienhaus
The renewed passion for the 19th century began in the 1970's and 1980's. Scholars were looking for a feminist approach to literature and turned to the almost unknown women writers of the Victorian age. The door was thrown wide open once writers such as Annie Besant, Mary Elizabeth Braddon, Ann Bronte, Ella D'Arcy, and Harriet Martineau were rediscovered.
Scholars now wanted to also investigate the rippling effect of women's writing on women editors, women's newspapers, murder trials of women, New Woman literature and attitudes towards marriage and divorce.
This trend of studying the social history of the 19th century in order to understand its women writers ultimately opened a room with a view not only for scholars, but also for the modern magazine industry, the interior design world, and savvy entrepreneurs. And then, you might say, "We were hooked."
For those enamored of both tea and books, these facts point to the obvious - a book or story discussion is a perfect teatime activity!
While the possibilities are endless, a good choice for a beginning book group or for a one-time tea event is The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Written in 1899, it's the story of a woman's descent into madness. At first glance, it may not appear especially tea-ish, but wait!
It's short. It takes less than an hour to read and so does not require the commitment of Margaret Mitchell's Gone With the Wind or George Elliot's Middlemarch. Even the busiest woman can fit this short story into her schedule.
It is easy to find. It can be read on-line at Women's History. An audio version can be found at Scribbling Women.
It was considered incredibly controversial in its time, possesses tremendous symbolism, and always elicits strong thoughts and emotions from readers. It's perfect for discussion.
There are many sources providing the details necessary to run a book discussion, such as The Reading Group Handbook, by Rachel Jacobson. Charlotte Perkins Gilman authored a helpful, short piece on why she wrote the story that can be found at the same location as the e-text. Google discussion questions for The Yellow Wallpaper and you'll find a wide array of questions to choose from.
Basically you must remember that a successful book discussion needs a leader who has researched background information about the book and the author, who has chosen specific questions, and who is comfortable leading the group and keeping it on track. You're not required to be an expert on the book. What is important is to encourage an atmosphere where all feel comfortable voicing their thoughts and opinions. Disagreements are fine and can foster stimulating conversation.
A book discussion ties in well with a dessert tea. Have tea available during the discussion and serve dessert once it's over.
And, if your ladies enjoy the discussion and are pleased to continue along the path of controversy in vintage literature, Kate Chopin's The Awakening may be a good choice for a second event.