ISSUED: 13 April 2021
MEDIA CONTACT: Valerie Owens
SHEPHERDSTOWN, WV — Four Shepherd University English majors led a roundtable discussion titled “Metamorphosis and the Female Voice in Literature and Culture” during the March 26 Sigma Tau Delta International Convention, which took place virtually this year. Ashley Hess and Sarah Seibert, both of Martinsburg, Isabella Sager, Harpers Ferry, and Vivienne Wells, Charles Town, participated in the event.
The students prepared a pre-recorded video presentation where each introduced their particular critical take on the topic. Hess focused on the female voice in Ovid’s “Metamorphosis.” Sager examined “Cassandra,” a novel by Krista Wolf, while Seibert looked at Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “The Scarlet Letter.” Both showed how female characters used silence strategically to access a new kind of voice and power. Wells focused on contemporary stand-up comedy, including Hannah Gadsby’s “Nanette,” and illustrated how that medium can be used to open up new conversations about voice and gender.
Dr. Heidi Hanrahan, professor of English and chapter sponsor, said with the shift to an all-virtual, all roundtable format, the application process for this year’s convention was particularly competitive.
“After attendees viewed the video presentation, the presenters and the audience engaged in a lively, real-time discussion of the topic, building on the presenters’ ideas and extending them,” said Hanrahan, who served as the moderator and noted how impressed the audience was with the students’ work.
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