In honor of the 250th anniversary of the birth of Jane Austen, professor Sean Dempsey will give a free public lecture on "Jane Austen and Comedy: 'The Art of Knowing Our Own Nothingness.'" Dempsey is associate professor of literary studies within the English Department of the University of Arkansas specializing in 19th century literature, religion and literature, and secular and postsecular studies. The lecture will be at 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9, in the Walker Community Room at the Fayetteville Public Library.

In this talk we will take Austen's comedies seriously, and try to think through Austen. Considering the development of the seven heroines in Austen's six published novels, from Catherine Morland to Anne Elliot, this talk will ponder why it is we would want to always "have the laughter on our side" and how Austen's novels offer an education in what it means to possess and be possessed by good humour.  

This talk is designed for a general audience and should be accessible both to those just dipping their toes into Austen as well as those more experienced in these waters.