17th-century English poets
The term Metaphysical poets was coined by the critic Samuel Johnson to describe a loose group of 17th-century English poets whose work was characterised by the inventive use of conceits, and by a greater emphasis on the spoken rather than lyrical quality of their verse. These poets were not formally affiliated and few were highly regarded until 20th century attention established their importance.
7 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
Aphra Behn
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life and work of Aphra Behn, known for her plays for the Restoration stage such as The Rover and for her novel Oroonoko.
12 October 2017
Featuring: Janet Todd, Ros Ballaster, Claire Bowditch
CultureEnglish feminist writers, English feministsTory poetsBurials at Westminster Abbey17th-century English writersEnglish women poets17th-century English dramatists and playwrightsFeminism and historyEnglish women dramatists and playwrights17th-century English poets17th-century English women writersEnglish spiesEnglish women novelistsGeorge Herbert
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the author of 'the most beautiful poem in the world' whose works on his relationship with God offered comfort to Charles I when he faced execution.
07 November 2024
Featuring: Helen Wilcox, Victoria Moul, Simon Jackson
CulturePoet priestsSonneteersPeople celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendar17th-century English Anglican priestsAnglican saintsAnglo-Welsh poets17th-century deaths from tuberculosisEnglish male poetsAnglican poetsTuberculosis deaths in EnglandLutheran saintsAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgePeople educated at Westminster School, London17th-century Christian mystics17th-century English male writersProtestant mystics17th-century English poetsAnglican writersJohn Donne
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the extraordinary life and work of one of England's finest love poets and, as Dean of St Paul's Cathedral, most remarkable preachers.
12 January 2023
Featuring: Mary Ann Lund, Sue Wiseman, Hugh Adlington
CulturePeople from the City of London17th-century Anglican theologiansLutheran saintsLiteracy and society theoristsIndependent scholarsPamphleteers17th-century English Anglican priestsChristian poetsAnglican poetsAlumni of Hart Hall, OxfordEpigrammatistsMetaphor theoristsPoet priestsEnglish people of Welsh descentPeople celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendar16th-century English male writersCritics of the Catholic ChurchLiterary theoristsEnglish male poets16th-century English poets17th-century English poetsMetaphysical poetsWriters from LondonSonneteersPhilosophers of religionAnglican saintsEnglish satiristsWriters about activism and social changeEnglish male non-fiction writers17th-century English male writersMilton
Melvyn Bragg examines the literary and political career of the 17th century poet John Milton, examining work such as Paradise Lost as well as his role as propagandist during the English Civil War.
7 March 2002
Featuring: John Carey, Lisa Jardine, Blair Worden
Mythopoeic writersChristian humanistsBlind writersEnglish male dramatists and playwrightsPeople from the City of LondonLiteracy and society theorists17th-century English dramatists and playwrights17th-century English philosophersEnglish writers with disabilitiesBritish philosophers of religionPamphleteersNeoclassical writersRhetoriciansBritish free speech activistsEpic poetsChristian poetsSocial philosophersMale essayistsAnglican poetsDeaths from kidney failure in the United KingdomMetaphor theoristsEnglish DissentersRhetoric theoristsAlumni of Christ's College, Cambridge17th-century writers in LatinLiterary theoristsCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish male poets17th-century English writersEnglish theologians17th-century English poetsEnglish Anglican theologiansWriters from LondonAnti-Catholicism in the United KingdomBlind poetsCalvinist and Reformed poetsSonneteersAnglican philosophers17th-century English educatorsEnglish essayistsEnglish political philosophersEnlightenment philosophersEnglish educational theoristsWriters about activism and social changeEnglish non-fiction writersEnglish republicans17th-century English male writersShakespeare and Literary Criticism
Melvyn Bragg discusses the enduring popular and academic appeal of Shakespeare and examines whether literary criticism and the academic institution ruins the pleasure of reading.
4 March 1999
Featuring: Harold Bloom, Jacqueline Rose
16th-century English dramatists and playwrightsSonneteersEnglish male dramatists and playwrightsEnglish male poetsPeople of the Elizabethan era17th-century English dramatists and playwrights16th-century English poets17th-century English male writers17th-century English poetsEnglish Renaissance dramatists16th-century English male actors, 17th-century English male actors, Burials in Warwickshire, English male stage actors, King's Men (playing company), Male actors from Stratford-upon-Avon, People educated at King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare family, William Shakespeare, Writers from WarwickshireShakespeare's Life
Melvyn Bragg discusses what we know about the life of William Shakespeare, a tantalising conundrum that has exercised minds since the day the playwright died.
15 March 2001
Featuring: Katherine Duncan-Jones, John Sutherland, Grace Ioppolo
16th-century English dramatists and playwrightsSonneteersEnglish male dramatists and playwrightsEnglish male poetsPeople of the Elizabethan era17th-century English dramatists and playwrights16th-century English poets17th-century English male writers17th-century English poetsEnglish Renaissance dramatists16th-century English male actors, 17th-century English male actors, Burials in Warwickshire, English male stage actors, King's Men (playing company), Male actors from Stratford-upon-Avon, People educated at King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare family, William Shakespeare, Writers from WarwickshireShakespeare's Work
Melvyn Bragg discusses whether the work of William Shakespeare is 'not of an age but for all time' or increasingly irrelevant museum pieces embalmed in out of reach language.
11 May 2000
Featuring: Frank Kermode, Michael Bogdanov, Germaine Greer
16th-century English dramatists and playwrightsSonneteersEnglish male dramatists and playwrightsEnglish male poetsPeople of the Elizabethan era17th-century English dramatists and playwrights16th-century English poets17th-century English male writers17th-century English poetsEnglish Renaissance dramatists16th-century English male actors, 17th-century English male actors, Burials in Warwickshire, English male stage actors, King's Men (playing company), Male actors from Stratford-upon-Avon, People educated at King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare family, William Shakespeare, Writers from Warwickshire