English essayists
An essay is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a letter, a paper, an article, a pamphlet, and a short story. Essays have been sub-classified as formal and informal: formal essays are characterized by "serious purpose, dignity, logical organization, length," whereas the informal essay is characterized by "the personal element (self-revelation, individual tastes and experiences, confidential manner), humor, graceful style, rambling structure, unconventionality or novelty of theme," etc.Essays are commonly used as literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author.
12 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
CulturePhilosophyFellows of the Royal SocietyAnglican saintsOntologistsSocial philosophersPhilosophy writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyWriters about activism and social changeEnglish male poetsPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceEnlightenment philosophersSonneteersCritics of the Catholic ChurchWriters about religion and scienceAtheist philosophersBurials at Westminster AbbeyEnglish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social science20th-century atheistsChristian humanistsMetaphilosophersNobel laureates in LiteraturePhilosophers of economicsPhilosophers of mathematics17th-century English male writersAristotelian philosophersBritish male essayistsEnglish AnglicansEnglish people of Scottish descentLogiciansPhilosophers of lovePhilosophers of psychologyPhilosophers of sexuality19th-century atheistsAmerican male non-fiction writersCritics of work and the work ethicEmpiricistsEnglish male dramatists and playwrightsEnglish male novelistsEnglish non-fiction writersLiteracy and society theoristsModernist theatre17th-century English poets17th-century English writers19th-century English novelistsAnalytic philosophersAnti-consumeristsEnglish agnosticsEnglish male short story writersEnglish travel writersEnglish women poetsEpic poetsLiterary theoristsPhilosophers of technology17th-century English dramatists and playwrights17th-century writers in Latin18th-century English male writers19th-century English non-fiction writers19th-century English women writers19th-century English writers20th-century English male writers20th-century English poetsAnglican poetsAnti-nationalistsBritish critics of religionsBritish philosophers of educationChristian poetsConversationalistsEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish feminists, English feminist writersEnglish satiristsEnglish socialistsEnglish women novelistsIrony theoristsMale essayistsMembers of the Order of MeritMetaphysics writersPeople from the City of LondonRhetoric theoristsWriters about globalizationWriters of Gothic fiction17th-century English philosophers18th-century English writers20th-century English novelists20th-century English philosophersAmerican male essayists, American male poetsBritish ethicistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish political philosophersEnglish Catholic poetsEnglish fantasy writersEnglish libertariansEnglish people of Welsh descentEnglish philosophersEnglish political philosophersEnglish republicansEnglish short story writersEuropean democratic socialistsFreethought writersHistorians of the French RevolutionMembers of the American Academy of Arts and LettersMetaphor theoristsNaturalized citizens of the United StatesNeoclassical writersScholars of feminist philosophyUtilitariansWriters from London18th-century British essayists18th-century British philosophers18th-century English non-fiction writers18th-century English novelists19th-century British economists19th-century English dramatists and playwrights19th-century English essayists19th-century English philosophers20th-century American male writers20th-century British essayists20th-century English mathematicians20th-century mysticsAlumni of Christ Church, OxfordAlumni of Magdalen College, OxfordAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeAmerican lecturersAnglican philosophersArtists' Rifles soldiersBlind writersBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsBritish free speech activistsBritish historians of philosophyBritish philosophers of languageBritish socialistsBritish women essayistsCalvinist and Reformed poetsConsequentialistsEnglish LGBTQ poetsEnglish Roman CatholicsEnglish UnitariansEnglish educational theoristsEnglish emigrants to the United StatesEnglish literary criticsEnglish logiciansEnglish pamphleteersEnglish political writersEnglish suffragistsEnglish women philosophersEnglish writers with disabilitiesFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeFormalist poetsFounders of English schools and collegesGeorgistsGerman–English translatorsJames Tait Black Memorial Prize recipientsJerusalem Prize recipientsLinguistic turnMembers of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies, British MPs 1780–1784Mythopoeic writersNew Age predecessorsPamphleteersPresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyRoman Catholic writersStreathamitesTranslators of Homer17th-century English educators18th-century English diarists18th-century English historians18th-century English poets18th-century English women writers18th-century lexicographers, 18th-century writers in Latin19th-century British journalists19th-century English mathematicians20th-century American essayists20th-century English non-fiction writersAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceAlumni of Balliol College, OxfordAlumni of Christ's College, CambridgeAlumni of King's College LondonAmerican LGBTQ poetsAmerican male dramatists and playwrights, American literary criticsAnglo-ScotsAnti-Catholicism in the United KingdomArchitectural theoreticiansArts and Crafts movement artistsBlind poetsBritish MPs 1774–1780British atheism activistsBritish classical liberal economistsBritish critics of ChristianityBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionBritish social liberalsBurials at St Pancras Old ChurchCritics of political economyDeaths from kidney failure in the United KingdomDeaths in childbirthDuke University facultyEnglish Anglican theologiansEnglish DissentersEnglish ProtestantsEnglish anti-fascistsEnglish autobiographersEnglish biographersEnglish children's writersEnglish humanistsEnglish pacifists, British philosophers of cultureEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish rhetoriciansEnglish scepticsEnglish science fiction writersEnglish sermon writersEnglish theologiansEnglish women dramatists and playwrightsFeminist theoristsFree love advocatesFreemasons of the Premier Grand Lodge of EnglandFrench–English translatorsGay academicsGay poets, Gay dramatists and playwrightsGodwin familyHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghInfectious disease deaths in FranceLGBTQ AnglicansLost Generation writersPeople educated at Eton CollegePeople educated at Westminster School, LondonPeople from MonmouthshirePeople from Somers Town, LondonPeople with mood disordersRectors of the University of St AndrewsRhetoriciansSecular humanistsSet theoristsTory poetsTuberculosis deaths in EnglandUK MPs 1865–1868Universal basic income writersUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultyUniversity of Chicago faculty, Intellectual historiansVoting theoristsWriters about communismWriters from King's Lynn
Aldous Huxley's Brave New World
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss Aldous Huxley's dystopian 1932 novel Brave New World and its vision of a future of test tube babies, free love and round-the-clock surveillance.
9 April 2009
Featuring: David Bradshaw, Daniel Pick, Michèle Barrett
CulturePhilosophers of literatureEnglish male poetsEnglish essayistsEnglish male novelistsAnti-consumeristsEnglish male short story writersEnglish agnosticsPhilosophers of technologyEnglish travel writersEnglish satiristsMale essayists20th-century English philosophersBritish philosophers of mind20th-century English novelistsEnglish short story writersJames Tait Black Memorial Prize recipientsEnglish emigrants to the United StatesNew Age predecessors20th-century British essayists20th-century mysticsDuke University facultyLost Generation writersAlumni of Balliol College, OxfordEnglish science fiction writersPeople educated at Eton CollegeEnglish pacifists, British philosophers of cultureAuden
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss WH Auden's life and poetry from Europe before WWII, reflecting on his travels to Spain, China and Germany and the rise of totalitarianism.
19 December 2019
Featuring: Mark Ford, Janet Montefiore, Jeremy Noel-Tod
CultureEnglish male poetsEnglish essayistsEnglish male non-fiction writersBritish male essayistsModernist theatreAmerican male non-fiction writersEnglish male dramatists and playwrights20th-century English poetsAnglican poets20th-century English male writersNaturalized citizens of the United StatesMembers of the American Academy of Arts and Letters20th-century American male writersEnglish LGBTQ poetsAlumni of Christ Church, OxfordEnglish emigrants to the United StatesEnglish literary criticsFormalist poetsAmerican lecturersAmerican LGBTQ poetsGay academics20th-century American essayists20th-century English non-fiction writersLGBTQ AnglicansAmerican male essayists, American male poetsAmerican male dramatists and playwrights, American literary criticsGay poets, Gay dramatists and playwrightsBertrand Russell
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the influential 20th-century British thinker Bertrand Russell, widely regarded as one of the founders of Analytical philosophy.
6 December 2012
Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Mike Beaney, Hilary Greaves
PhilosophyFellows of the Royal SocietyOntologistsPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changePhilosophers of historyCritics of the Catholic ChurchWriters about religion and scienceEnglish essayistsAtheist philosophersEnglish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of lawPhilosophers of social sciencePhilosophers of mathematics20th-century atheistsMetaphilosophersPhilosophers of economicsNobel laureates in LiteratureAristotelian philosophersPhilosophers of loveLogiciansPhilosophers of sexualityEnglish people of Scottish descent19th-century atheistsEmpiricistsCritics of work and the work ethicAnalytic philosophersEnglish agnosticsPhilosophers of technologyAnti-nationalistsMembers of the Order of MeritBritish critics of religionsRhetoric theoristsEnglish Nobel laureatesEnglish socialistsMetaphysics writersWriters about globalizationBritish philosophers of education20th-century English philosophersEuropean democratic socialistsBritish philosophers of mindEnglish people of Welsh descentBritish ethicistsUtilitariansEnglish political philosophersFreethought writersBritish political philosophersBritish philosophers of languagePresidents of the Aristotelian SocietyBritish historians of philosophy20th-century English mathematiciansEnglish logicians19th-century English philosophersJerusalem Prize recipientsGeorgists19th-century English essayistsAlumni of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish consciousness researchers and theoristsConsequentialistsEnglish political writersFellows of Trinity College, CambridgeBritish free speech activistsLinguistic turnUniversity of California, Los Angeles facultySet theoristsEnglish humanistsBritish atheism activistsUniversal basic income writersEnglish anti-fascistsWriters about communismPeople from Monmouthshire19th-century English mathematiciansBritish critics of ChristianityEnglish prisoners and detaineesEnglish scepticsFree love advocatesBritish philosophers of logicBritish philosophers of religionSecular humanistsUniversity of Chicago faculty, Intellectual historiansAcademics of the London School of Economics, British philosophers of scienceEnglish pacifists, British philosophers of cultureEdward Gibbon
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the life and ideas of the writer of The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, one of the most celebrated works of its kind.
17 June 2021
Featuring: David Womersley, Charlotte Roberts, Karen O'Brien
CultureFellows of the Royal SocietyTheorists on Western civilizationEnglish essayistsEnglish male non-fiction writersBritish male essayists18th-century English male writersBritish critics of religionsIrony theoristsRhetoric theorists18th-century English non-fiction writersAlumni of Magdalen College, Oxford18th-century English historiansBritish MPs 1774–1780English ProtestantsEnglish rhetoriciansFreemasons of the Premier Grand Lodge of EnglandPeople educated at Westminster School, LondonMembers of the Parliament of Great Britain for English constituencies, British MPs 1780–1784Fanny Burney
Melvyn Bragg and his guests discuss the life and work of the 18th-century writer Fanny Burney, also known as Frances D'Arblay and Frances Burney, best known for her novel Evelina.
23 April 2015
Featuring: Nicole Pohl, Judith Hawley, John Mullan
CultureEnglish essayists19th-century English novelistsEnglish women poetsEnglish women novelistsEnglish satiristsConversationalists19th-century English women writersWriters from London19th-century English dramatists and playwrightsEnglish pamphleteersBritish women essayists18th-century English novelistsStreathamites18th-century English diarists18th-century English women writersEnglish women dramatists and playwrightsWriters from King's LynnJohn Ruskin
Melvyn Bragg discusses the life and work of John Ruskin, art and social critic, and one of the most influential figures of the Victorian era.
31 March 2005
Featuring: Dinah Birch, Keith Hanley, Stefan Collini
CultureEnglish essayistsEnglish people of Scottish descentCritics of work and the work ethicAnti-consumeristsMale essayistsEnglish fantasy writersEnglish philosophersArtists' Rifles soldiers19th-century British economistsAlumni of Christ Church, OxfordAlumni of King's College LondonArts and Crafts movement artistsEnglish children's writersArchitectural theoreticiansAnglo-ScotsCritics of political economy19th-century British journalistsJohnson
Melvyn Bragg discusses Samuel Johnson, a giant of 18th century literature, language and letters, and perhaps the most quotable Englishman to have ever lifted a pen.
27 October 2005
Featuring: John Mullan, Jim McLaverty, Judith Hawley
CultureAnglican saintsEnglish essayistsBurials at Westminster AbbeyEnglish AnglicansEnglish travel writers18th-century English male writersConversationalistsMale essayists18th-century English writersEnglish literary criticsStreathamitesEnglish biographersEnglish sermon writersPeople with mood disorders18th-century English poets18th-century lexicographers, 18th-century writers in LatinMary Wollstonecraft
Melvyn Bragg and guests John Mullan, Karen O'Brien and Barbara Taylor discuss the life and ideas of the pioneering British Enlightenment thinker Mary Wollstonecraft.
31 December 2009
Featuring: Karen O'Brien, John Mullan, Barbara Taylor
PhilosophyEnlightenment philosophersEnglish essayistsEnglish travel writersWriters of Gothic fictionEnglish women novelistsBritish philosophers of educationScholars of feminist philosophyHistorians of the French RevolutionEnglish philosophersEnglish republicansEnglish women philosophersEnglish UnitariansFounders of English schools and collegesGerman–English translators18th-century British philosophersEnglish educational theoristsBritish women essayists18th-century English novelists18th-century British essayistsBurials at St Pancras Old Church18th-century English historiansDeaths in childbirthFrench–English translatorsFeminist theoristsPeople from Somers Town, LondonGodwin familyEnglish feminists, English feminist writersMill
Melvyn Bragg discusses the 19th century political philosopher John Stuart Mill and his treatise On Liberty which is one of the sacred texts of liberalism.
18 May 2006
Featuring: A. C. Grayling, Janet Radcliffe Richards, Alan Ryan
PhilosophyPhilosophy writersFellows of the American Academy of Arts and SciencesTheorists on Western civilizationPhilosophers of historyPhilosophers of culturePhilosophers of scienceEnglish essayistsEnglish male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of economicsLogiciansBritish male essayistsPhilosophers of sexualityEnglish people of Scottish descentPhilosophers of psychologyEnglish non-fiction writersEmpiricistsEnglish agnostics19th-century English non-fiction writers19th-century English writersEnglish socialistsScholars of feminist philosophyEuropean democratic socialistsBritish philosophers of mindBritish ethicistsUtilitariansEnglish libertariansEnglish republicansEnglish political philosophersBritish political philosophersBritish philosophers of languageBritish socialistsEnglish logicians19th-century English philosophersEnglish suffragists19th-century English essayistsConsequentialistsEnglish political writersBritish free speech activistsUK MPs 1865–1868Voting theoristsBritish classical liberal economistsEnglish autobiographersRectors of the University of St AndrewsBritish philosophers of logicBritish social liberalsAnglo-ScotsHonorary Fellows of the Royal Society of EdinburghInfectious disease deaths in FranceEnglish feminists, English feminist 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
CultureSocial philosophersWriters about activism and social changeEnglish male poetsEnlightenment philosophersSonneteersCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsChristian humanists17th-century English male writersEnglish non-fiction writersLiteracy and society theoristsEnglish male dramatists and playwrightsEpic poets17th-century English poetsLiterary theorists17th-century English writersAnglican poetsChristian poetsPeople from the City of London17th-century writers in LatinRhetoric theorists17th-century English dramatists and playwrightsMale essayistsMetaphor theoristsWriters from London17th-century English philosophersEnglish republicansEnglish political philosophersNeoclassical writersPamphleteersEnglish writers with disabilitiesEnglish educational theoristsCalvinist and Reformed poetsMythopoeic writersAnglican philosophersBritish free speech activistsBlind writersDeaths from kidney failure in the United KingdomEnglish Anglican theologians17th-century English educatorsRhetoriciansBritish philosophers of religionEnglish DissentersAlumni of Christ's College, CambridgeBlind poetsEnglish theologiansAnti-Catholicism in the United KingdomPope
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the satirist Alexander Pope. One of the greatest poets of the English language, his brilliant satires have made him popular in our age but not in his own.
9 November 2006
Featuring: John Mullan, Jim McLaverty, Valerie Rumbold
CultureEnglish male poetsEnglish essayistsEnglish male non-fiction writersBritish male essayistsPeople from the City of London18th-century English male writersEnglish Catholic poetsNeoclassical writersRoman Catholic writers18th-century English non-fiction writersTranslators of HomerEnglish Roman Catholics18th-century British essayistsFreemasons of the Premier Grand Lodge of EnglandTory poetsTuberculosis deaths in England18th-century English poetsWilliam Hazlitt
Melvyn Bragg and guests Jonathan Bate, Uttara Natarajan and AC Grayling discuss the life and works of William Hazlitt.
8 April 2010
Featuring: Jonathan Bate, A. C. Grayling, Uttara Natarajan