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Open the Door

Cathy MacDonald on Catherine Carswell’s groundbreaking classic novel, set in Glasgow. Cathy Dhòmhnallach a-mach air an nobhail ùrail aig Catherine Carswell, ann an Glaschu.

Catherine Carswell’s classic novel of a free-spirited young woman rebelling against her strictly religious, bourgeois, upbringing at the dawn of the 20th century draws very much on her own life in a Glasgow that was a hotbed of new ideas. Established religion and politics were being challenged. There were new ideas about how society should be run, about art and culture and about the role and status of women.

Catherine, like her fictional character Joanna Bannerman, was impulsive and passionate, entered into a hasty and disastrous marriage, took lovers, and embraced the artistic and social revolutions of the era.
Cathy revisits Carswell’s sadly neglected novel, which was praised by her friend DH Lawrence.

Tha an nobhail aig Catherine Carswell a’dèanamh dealbh de bhoirionnach òg, làidir na beachdan fhèin, a’cur an aghaidh a togail ann an teaghlach math dheth, cumhang creidmheach aig toiseach na ficheadamh linne. Tha e a’tarraing gu mòr air a beatha fhèin ann an Glaschu a bha beò le smuaintean ùra aig an am. Bha daoine a’togail cheistean mun chreideamh agus mu na poileataigs. agus a’foighneachd an gabhadh dòigh-beatha ùr fheuchainn, agus bha ceistean a’nochdadh mu inbhe agus àite bhoirionnach.

Cleas Joanna Bannerman, an tè a chruthaich i san leabhar, bha Catherine a’leum far an robh a faireachdainnean làidir ga tarraing: phòs i ann an cabhaig agus ghabh i aithreachas, bha i ri leannanachd, is ghabh i ri na h-atharraichidhean sòisealta a bha a’ tachairt na latha.

Tha Cathy a’tilleadh gu leabhar a bha fada a’laighe dùinte – a dh’aindeoin moladh bho charaid Carswell, D. H. Lawrence.

In Gaelic with English subtitles

22 days left to watch

59 minutes

Last on

Last Thursday 21:00

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Presenter Cathy MacDonald

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