Book discussion: Victoria Benedictsson's Out of the darkness and Leonora Carrington's The Oval Lady
We are reading short stories about the role of women at home and in society: Out of the Darkness by Victoria Benedictsson and The Oval Lady by Leonora Carrington.
Time: Mon 2026-10-05 17.15 - 19.00
Location: Geisendorf, KTH Biblioteket
Language: Swedish and English
Participating: Ika Jorum. KTH Library
By the end of the 19th century, the role and rights of women in society were discussed and depicted in contemporary literature, and female authors were active in the ongoing debate. In Out of the Darkness, Victoria Benedictsson explores the difficulties a woman faces in relation to her father and to society at large.
Surrealism developed during the 1920s, and the artist and writer Leonora Carrington was influenced by the movement. In her work, elements of symbolism and the surreal can be found. In The Oval Lady a young woman revolts against her dominant father.
The short story by Benedictsson can be found in Swedish in the collection Synd, which is freely available via Litteraturbanken . You can also read Birgitta Ney's preface to find out more about the context in which the stories were published. It is also available in English in the collection of short stories Out of the darkness: classic short fiction from Sweden. The Oval Lady can be found in the collection The Skeleton's Holiday and borrowed at the library.
The discussion will be held in both Swedish and English. If you are one of the first six to sign up, you're welcome to pick up a copy of The Oval Lady. Bring the confirmation of your registration to the book discussion at the library's information desk.
Sandwhich, tea or coffee will be served.
Places are limited to 12 people. Registration opens at the beginning of the autumn semester 2026.
Welcome!