Epic poets
An epic poem, or simply an epic, is a lengthy narrative poem typically about the extraordinary deeds of extraordinary characters who, in dealings with gods or other superhuman forces, gave shape to the mortal universe for their descendants. == Etymology == The English word epic comes from the Latin epicus, which itself comes from the Ancient Greek adjective ἐπικός (epikos), from ἔπος (epos), "word, story, poem."In ancient Greek, 'epic' could refer to all poetry in dactylic hexameter (epea), which included not only Homer but also the wisdom poetry of Hesiod, the utterances of the Delphic oracle, and the strange theological verses attributed to Orpheus.
6 episodes
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CultureScienceSocial philosophersEnglish male poetsPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeEnlightenment philosophersSonneteersCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsGerman male non-fiction writers17th-century English male writersPhilosophers of social science19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersChristian humanistsPantheistsEnglish male dramatists and playwrightsEnglish male novelistsGerman male essayistsGerman philosophers of historyGerman political philosophersHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesNatural philosophersPhilosophers of sexuality17th-century English poets19th-century English poetsAmerican male non-fiction writersEnglish male short story writersEnglish non-fiction writersGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureLiteracy and society theoristsVictorian novelists17th-century English dramatists and playwrights17th-century English writers17th-century writers in Latin19th-century German essayists19th-century pseudonymous writersAmerican people of English descentAnglican poetsEnglish atheistsGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationGolden Age Latin writersLiterary theoristsPeople from the City of LondonVictorian poets18th-century German male writers19th-century American poetsChristian poetsEnglish short story writersEnglish socialistsGerman philosophers of languageGerman philosophers of scienceLeipzig University alumniMale essayistsMembers of the Bavarian Academy of SciencesRhetoric theoristsRomantic poetsWriters of Gothic fiction17th-century English philosophers18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayists19th-century American male writers19th-century British short story writers19th-century German non-fiction writersAmerican male essayists, American male poetsArtist authorsEnglish fantasy writersEnglish libertariansEnglish political philosophersEnglish republicansEnglish writers with disabilitiesFabulistsFreethought writersGerman untitled nobilityLibertarian socialistsMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesMetaphor theoristsNeoclassical writersWriters from London18th-century German educators, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 19th-century historians19th-century American essayists19th-century American novelists, Novelists from New York (state)19th-century English architects19th-century German historians19th-century German novelists19th-century travel writersAnglican philosophersArtists' Rifles soldiersBlind writersBritish free speech activistsBritish socialistsCalvinist and Reformed poetsColor scientistsEnglish educational theoristsEpigrammatistsGerman FreemasonsGerman autobiographersGerman librariansGerman male dramatists and playwrights, German male poetsGerman travel writersJohann Wolfgang von Goethe, Sturm und DrangMythopoeic writersPamphleteersPhilosophers of linguisticsSurrealist writersTranslators of HomerUniversity of Strasbourg alumni17th-century English educators18th-century German civil servants, 18th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 18th-century German historians, 18th-century German novelists, 18th-century German poets, 18th-century travel writers, 19th-century German civil servants, 19th-century German diplomats, 19th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 19th-century German poets, German bibliophiles, German diplomats, German male novelists, People from Weimar, Scientists from Weimar, Writers from Frankfurt, Writers from Weimar19th-century American non-fiction writers19th-century American short story writers, Ghost story writers1st-century BC Roman poets, Elegiac poetsAlumni of Christ's College, CambridgeAmerican literary critics, American male dramatists and playwrightsAmerican male novelistsAncient Roman equites, Ancient Roman exilesAnti-Catholicism in the United KingdomArts and Crafts movement artistsBlind poetsBritish botanical illustratorsBritish male poetsBritish philosophers of religionDeaths from kidney failure in the United KingdomEnglish Anglican theologiansEnglish DissentersEnglish printers, Translators of VirgilEnglish theologiansPeople educated at Marlborough CollegeRecreational cryptographers, Writers from Boston, Writers from PhiladelphiaRhetoriciansSocial Democratic Federation membersUnited States Military Academy alumniWriters from Baltimore
Edgar Allan Poe
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the writer of The Raven and Gothic horror stories such as The Tell-Tale Heart and The Fall of the House of Usher.
30 November 2023
Featuring: Bridget Bennett, Erin Forbes, Tom Wright
CultureRomantic poetsAmerican literary critics, American male dramatists and playwrightsAmerican male novelistsAmerican male essayists, American male poets19th-century American essayistsAmerican male non-fiction writersUnited States Military Academy alumni19th-century American male writersWriters of Gothic fictionEpic poets19th-century American short story writers, Ghost story writersAmerican people of English descentRecreational cryptographers, Writers from Boston, Writers from PhiladelphiaHall of Fame for Great Americans inductees19th-century American novelists, Novelists from New York (state)19th-century pseudonymous writers19th-century American poets19th-century American non-fiction writersWriters from BaltimoreSurrealist writersGoethe
Melvyn Bragg discusses the great German polymath Johann Wolfgang Goethe - novelist, dramatist, poet, humanist, scientist and philosopher.
6 April 2006
Featuring: Tim Blanning, Sarah Colvin, W. Daniel Wilson
Philosophers of linguisticsGerman philosophers of artRomantic poetsGerman philosophers of scienceGerman political philosophersJohann Wolfgang von Goethe, Sturm und Drang18th-century German civil servants, 18th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 18th-century German historians, 18th-century German novelists, 18th-century German poets, 18th-century travel writers, 19th-century German civil servants, 19th-century German diplomats, 19th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 19th-century German poets, German bibliophiles, German diplomats, German male novelists, People from Weimar, Scientists from Weimar, Writers from Frankfurt, Writers from WeimarLiteracy and society theoristsPhilosophers of social science19th-century German philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationGerman travel writersPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of sexualityEpic poets19th-century German novelistsPhilosophy writersLeipzig University alumni18th-century German male writersEpigrammatists18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayists19th-century travel writers19th-century German male writersUniversity of Strasbourg alumniGerman philosophers of languageMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesLiterary theoristsMembers of the Bavarian Academy of SciencesFabulistsGerman untitled nobilityGerman philosophers of culture19th-century German essayistsGerman male essayists18th-century German educators, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 19th-century historiansGerman autobiographersGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationNatural philosophersGerman male dramatists and playwrights, German male poetsPantheistsFreethought writersEnlightenment philosophersGerman librariansWriters about activism and social changeColor scientistsGerman Freemasons19th-century German historians19th-century German non-fiction writersGerman philosophers of historyGerman male non-fiction writersGoethe and the Science of the Enlightenment
Melvyn Bragg assesses the scientific legacy of the 18th century German poet and thinker Goethe, who gave us the term morphology and is sometimes even credited with inventing biology itself.
10 February 2000
Featuring: Nicholas Boyle, Simon Schaffer
SciencePhilosophers of linguisticsGerman philosophers of artRomantic poetsGerman philosophers of scienceGerman political philosophersJohann Wolfgang von Goethe, Sturm und Drang18th-century German civil servants, 18th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 18th-century German historians, 18th-century German novelists, 18th-century German poets, 18th-century travel writers, 19th-century German civil servants, 19th-century German diplomats, 19th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 19th-century German poets, German bibliophiles, German diplomats, German male novelists, People from Weimar, Scientists from Weimar, Writers from Frankfurt, Writers from WeimarLiteracy and society theoristsPhilosophers of social science19th-century German philosophersTheorists on Western civilizationGerman travel writersPhilosophers of literaturePhilosophers of sexualityEpic poets19th-century German novelistsPhilosophy writersLeipzig University alumni18th-century German male writersEpigrammatists18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayists19th-century travel writers19th-century German male writersUniversity of Strasbourg alumniGerman philosophers of languageMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesLiterary theoristsMembers of the Bavarian Academy of SciencesFabulistsGerman untitled nobilityGerman philosophers of culture19th-century German essayistsGerman male essayists18th-century German educators, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 19th-century historiansGerman autobiographersGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationNatural philosophersGerman male dramatists and playwrights, German male poetsPantheistsFreethought writersEnlightenment philosophersGerman librariansWriters about activism and social changeColor scientistsGerman Freemasons19th-century German historians19th-century German non-fiction writersGerman philosophers of historyGerman male non-fiction 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 writersOvid
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the Roman poet whose influence is arguably greater than any poet of the classical age, besides Homer, even though his writing led to his exile.
29 April 2021
Featuring: Maria Wyke, Gail Trimble, Dunstan Lowe
William Morris
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss some of the many aspects of William Morris: his activism, poetry and prose and his ideas on arts, crafts and work in an industrial world.
5 July 2018
Featuring: Ingrid Hanson, Marcus Waithe, Jane Thomas
CultureEnglish libertariansMythopoeic writersEnglish atheistsBritish male poetsArtist authorsEnglish socialistsBritish socialistsEnglish male short story writersArtists' Rifles soldiersEpic poetsEnglish fantasy writersPeople educated at Marlborough CollegeArts and Crafts movement artistsVictorian novelistsEnglish printers, Translators of VirgilVictorian poetsBritish botanical illustratorsEnglish male novelistsLibertarian socialistsEnglish short story writers19th-century English poets19th-century British short story writersTranslators of HomerSocial Democratic Federation members19th-century English architects