Katherine Mansfield - The Doll’s House

A Video Talk

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This brilliant short story set in Karori, NZ, is deceptively simple, evocative and deeply memorable. Join a little group of children in a Kiwi playground, and see for yourself that painted doll’s house and “the little lamp”. Katherine Mansfield is New Zealand’s most famous writer. She was born in Wellington in 1888 and moved to Europe in 1908, where she wrote some of the best short stories in the English language. She died at age 34 of tuberculosis.

Katherine Mansfield The Dolls House
Katherine Mansfield - The Doll's House

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This video is about 60 minutes full of intriguing information.

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“It is the unbearable poignancy of that last line, ‘I seen the little lamp’, that continues to haunt.”
― Margaret Drabble

Social distinctions

Katherine Mansfield’s short story The Doll’s House was first published in a UK weekly newspaper in 1922. It is a simple tale – the Burnell children have been given a doll’s house and want to show off their new plaything to the other children at the school. Their school in Karori is a social melting pot and the children have been given strict instructions, by snobbish parents, not to mix with the Kelveys, children of the town washerwoman, and a man who might, or might not, be in prison.

Gradually all the children are invited to admire the glamorous new doll’s house, which is particularly admired because in its tiny dining room is a little amber lamp that looks as if it has been filled with oil, ready for lighting. Although the two Kelvey girls, Lil and Else, have been excluded from the treat. But Kezia Burnell has something more of independence than her sisters and one day, swinging on the gate, she sees the Kelvey girls walking along the road and, on an impulse, invites them in to look.

This brilliant short story has become a New Zealand classic, often studied in schools and universities. It is a close to perfect example of what a short story ought to be, creating a whole little world, moments of drama and pathos, vividly real characters.

Just $15, purchase access here.
New Zealand’s greatest writer and her truly brilliant short story

Katherine Mansfield had a problematic relationship with her home country of New Zealand and left it at the age of 19, never to return. However, it would be the setting of most of her finest stories, so in many ways, while she left New Zealand, the country never left her. She was a troubled and difficult woman, struggling with ill health, relationships with strange men, and spending her later years travelling to places where a warm climate might cure her TB.

Learn more about this fascinating person and discover what it was that made her such a great woman. Virginia Woolf, who knew her, once commented that Katherine Mansfield was the only writer of whom she had ever felt jealous!

Join me to learn more about New Zealand’s greatest writer and a truly brilliant short story. Just $15, purchase access here.

Purchase access to the Zoom Talk and video (just $15) AU

This Video Talk is a real treat! Taken from a live-streamed presentation, it has been carefully recorded and completely edited to deliver the experience of being part of an audience and having the best seat in the house. It includes over 60 minutes of intriguing stories about the author to help you understand what prompted this book to be written. The main characters and their roles are identified, the themes behind the story are analysed, and a description of the influence that the era, lifestyle and circumstances have on the book’s setting. It is illustrated with photographs, paintings and illustrations – you’ll have plenty to look at while you listen. Just $15, purchase access here.

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Discuss it with me

This brilliant short story set in Karori, NZ, is deceptively simple, evocative and deeply memorable. Do you agree? Let’s discuss it here.

The Doll’s House – Katherine Mansfield
Rated 5/5 based on 5 customer reviews
Thank you, Susannah - that was delightful I very much appreciate the video recordings, as I am usually not able to see the live talks I do love the EH Shepard illustrations

Thank you, Susannah – that was delightful. I very much appreciate the video recordings, as I am usually not able to see the live talks. I do love the E.H. Shepard illustrations.

Margaret
5.0 5
Thank you, Susannah - that was delightful I very much appreciate the video recordings, as I am usually not able to see the live talks I do love the EH Shepard illustrations
Thank you Susannah, I love learning from you

Thank you Susannah, I love learning from you.

Kelly
5.0 5
Thank you Susannah, I love learning from you
Thanks for your lecture series on the 4 English trailblazers, I have now caught up with all four of them Even though I had a fair bit of prior knowledge of all except Florence Nightingale, I enjoyed your lectures very much, there were so many lovely pictures and unexpected sidelights that I was very well entertained You really brought out how these four brilliant misfits made a difference to Engli

Thanks for your lecture series on the 4 English trailblazers, I have now caught up with all four of them. Even though I had a fair bit of prior knowledge of all except Florence Nightingale, I enjoyed your lectures very much, there were so many lovely pictures and unexpected sidelights that I was very well entertained. You really brought out how these four brilliant misfits made a difference to English culture!

I would have loved to have taken part in the actual lectures, but 5 pm on a weekday does not work for me, unfortunately, so I was pleased to be able to catch the lectures later. I look forward to further lectures in the future.

Merete
5.0 5
Thanks for your lecture series on the 4 English trailblazers, I have now caught up with all four of them Even though I had a fair bit of prior knowledge of all except Florence Nightingale, I enjoyed your lectures very much, there were so many lovely pictures and unexpected sidelights that I was very well entertained You really brought out how these four brilliant misfits made a difference to English culture! I would have loved to have taken part in the actual lectures, but 5 pm on a weekday does not work for me, unfortunately, so I was pleased to be able to catch the lectures later I look forward to further lectures in the future
I absolutely love receiving your programs!

I absolutely love receiving your programs!

Wendy
5.0 5
I absolutely love receiving your programs!
I just wanted to thank you for your March Trailblazers series Such interesting and diverse lives and the discovery of all those quirky facts gave a full picture of the personalities behind the famous personas As the ladies say, "It's not easy" What an understatement!

I just wanted to thank you for your March Trailblazers series.
Such interesting and diverse lives and the discovery of all those quirky facts gave a full picture of the personalities behind the famous personas.

As the ladies say, “It’s not easy”. What an understatement!

Gayle
5.0 5
I just wanted to thank you for your March Trailblazers series Such interesting and diverse lives and the discovery of all those quirky facts gave a full picture of the personalities behind the famous personas As the ladies say, "It's not easy" What an understatement!
Thank you I thoroughly enjoyed the refresher on Florence A great woman Today we would no doubt diagnose her as having a mental illness In my experience people who are so exceptional, such creative thinkers, so different from their peers as Florence was could be bi-polar Her debilitating illnesses would have exacerbated this So much of what I learned as a nurse came directly from her teachings All

Thank you I thoroughly enjoyed the refresher on Florence. A great woman. Today we would no doubt diagnose her as having a mental illness. In my experience people who are so exceptional, such creative thinkers, so different from their peers as Florence was could be bi-polar. Her debilitating illnesses would have exacerbated this. So much of what I learned as a nurse came directly from her teachings. 
All the stats we continually collected also came from her.

Jann
5.0 5
Thank you I thoroughly enjoyed the refresher on Florence A great woman Today we would no doubt diagnose her as having a mental illness In my experience people who are so exceptional, such creative thinkers, so different from their peers as Florence was could be bi-polar Her debilitating illnesses would have exacerbated this So much of what I learned as a nurse came directly from her teachings All the stats we continually collected also came from her
I really enjoyed this talk, Susannah Today I used notes I took from this Trailblazers series to complete 3 hours of the 100 hours of Professional Learning I must do to be able to continue casual teaching! I'm sure to use the things I have learned in class Thank you!

I really enjoyed this talk, Susannah. Today I used notes I took from this Trailblazers series to complete 3 hours of the 100 hours of Professional Learning I must do to be able to continue casual teaching!

I’m sure to use the things I have learned in class. Thank you!
Cathy
5.0 5
I really enjoyed this talk, Susannah Today I used notes I took from this Trailblazers series to complete 3 hours of the 100 hours of Professional Learning I must do to be able to continue casual teaching! I'm sure to use the things I have learned in class Thank you!
I want to say how much I enjoy and appreciate, Susannah’s Trailblazer presentations

I want to say how much I enjoy and appreciate, Susannah’s Trailblazer presentations.

Thelma
5.0 5
I want to say how much I enjoy and appreciate, Susannah’s Trailblazer presentations
Bravo Susannah!  You revealed a phenomenal man to us  Photographic memory!

Bravo Susannah!  You revealed a phenomenal man to us.  Photographic memory!

Stephanie
5.0 5
Bravo Susannah!  You revealed a phenomenal man to us  Photographic memory!
Thank you so much for a most enjoyable and informative talk last night on Dr Johnson

Thank you so much for a most enjoyable and informative talk last night on Dr Johnson.

Sandra
5.0 5
Thank you so much for a most enjoyable and informative talk last night on Dr Johnson
Another great and inspiring talk  Can’t wait to go to the Library to see a copy

Another great and inspiring talk.  Can’t wait to go to the Library to see a copy.

Christine
5.0 5
Another great and inspiring talk  Can’t wait to go to the Library to see a copy
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Comments (2)

  1. Heather Grant

    I also have another book on Katherine Mansfield entitled “Catherine Mansfield – The Woman and the Writer” by Gillian Goddy who was born in Rotorua, a town detested by Katherine!!! I haven’t read it for a long time but will now reread it.

    Love Katherine Mansfield’s short stories particularly the ones set in New Zealand.

    Looking forward to seeing the video.

    • Susannah Fullerton

      I don’t know that book about her. Yes, she hated the smell of Rotorua!
      I hope you enjoy tomorrow’s talk.

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