The University of Delaware will hold a special Saturday Symposium on Feb. 18 in honor of the 200th anniversary of the birth of novelist Charles Dickens.

The "Celebrating Mr. Dickens" program includes talks on Dickens and his world by faculty members, a tour of two exhibitions in the University of Delaware Library, and a performance of the author's most celebrated public reading, "Sikes and Nancy."

The Symposium will begin at 10:30a a.m. in Gore Hall, room 103, on the UD campus. Following coffee, participants will first hear Margaret D. Stetz, the Mae and Robert Carter Professor of Women's Studies and Professor of Humanities, speak on "He wanted a wife and a family: Charles Dickens and Women."

The second speaker will be Thomas Leitch, Professor of English and Director of the Film Studies Program, who will speak on "Dickens, Dickens, and Adaptation."

Following the two morning sessions, a buffet lunch will be served.

Participants will then visit the University of Delaware Library to tour two exhibitions of rare books and Dickensiana: "Dickens at 200: 1812-2012," in the Special Collections Gallery, 2nd floor, Morris Library, on view January 24, 2012-June 8, 2012 and "Dickens and the Late Victorians," an exhibition in the Mark Samuels Lasner Collection, Morris Library 115A, on view January 24, 2012-March 1, 2012

The third talk of the day will be by Heidi Kaufman, Associate Professor of English and Jewish Studies, who will speak on "The Fagin Myth."

Following Professor Kaufman's talk and a break for coffee and tea, Iain Crawford, Acting Chair of English, will discuss Dickens's public readings and introduce a performance of "Sikes and Nancy" by Mic Matarrese, who is a member of UD's professional acting company, the Resident Ensemble Players (REP).

The cost is $50 per person, including lunch. Registration for the first 25 University of Delaware students or staff is free, with lunch not included. Space is limited.

To buy tickets, see the UD Connection Saturday Symposium website: http://www.udconnection.com/saturdaysymposium

The symposium has been made possible through the support of the Mark Samuels Lasner Collection, University of Delaware Library.