Explore ‘The Ropes Of Life’ At C.H. Booth Library

The C.H. Booth Library will host a new literary series led by Julie Stern, a retired Western Connecticut State University teacher, on Wednesday evenings beginning January 26.

The series, “The Ropes of Life: Social Class, Responsibility, and the Individual’s Quest for the Meaningful Personal Direction,” will focus on five great works of literature: Howard’s End by E.M. Forster (January 26); Fathers and Sons by Ivan Turgenev (February 16); Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen (March 2); The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald (March 23); and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (April 13).

Lectures will begin at 7:30 pm and will be in the Antiques Room of the library, 25 Main Street.

The image of having one’s hands on the ropes is used repeatedly in Howard’s End, E.M. Forster’s 1910 study in English values and attitudes. The phrase is nautical in origin, referring to the need for sailors to know which ropes controlled which sails, so that they could successfully steer the ship in the direction it needed to go, by hauling on the proper lines at the right time.

In a broader sense, said Ms Stern, the metaphor applies to those eras of conflicting ideals wherein liberal minded people are pressed to choose a path they believe is both right, and attainable, in the face of antagonism from conventional circles. To explore this idea, the “Ropes of Life” series will begin with Forster, and then go on to consider Turgenev, Ibsen, Fitzgerald and Austen.

For the Schegel sisters, for Arkady Kirsanov and his friend Bazarov, for Thomas Stockmann and Nora Helmer, for Nick Carraway and Jay Gatsby, and for Elizabeth Bennet, themes of social justice, personal freedom, political responsibility, and women’s liberation dictate the choices that steer the course of their lives.

The program is free and all are welcome to attend one, two, or all of the lectures. Copies of all five titles are available at the second floor circulation desk of the library. For more information, call the library at 203-426-4533.