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.
7 episodes
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
CultureScienceEnglish male poetsSocial philosophersPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeSonneteersEnlightenment philosophersCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsGerman male non-fiction writers17th-century English male writersPhilosophers of social science19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersChristian humanistsPantheists19th-century English poetsEnglish male dramatists and playwrightsEnglish male novelistsGerman male essayistsGerman philosophers of historyGerman political philosophersHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesNatural philosophersPhilosophers of sexuality17th-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 LondonRomantic poetsVictorian 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 theoristsWriters 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 writers19th-century deaths from tuberculosisAmerican 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 writersAlumni of King's College LondonAnglican 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 linguisticsPoets from LondonSurrealist 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 writers19th-century English male 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 letter writersEnglish 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
CultureHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesUnited States Military Academy alumniAmerican literary critics, American male dramatists and playwrightsAmerican male essayists, American male poetsSurrealist writersRecreational cryptographers, Writers from Boston, Writers from PhiladelphiaAmerican male non-fiction writersEpic poetsAmerican people of English descent19th-century pseudonymous writersRomantic poets19th-century American short story writers, Ghost story writers19th-century American poets19th-century American non-fiction writers19th-century American novelists, Novelists from New York (state)Writers from Baltimore19th-century American male writers19th-century American essayistsAmerican male novelistsWriters of Gothic fiction19th centuryAmericaGoethe
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
18th-century German male writersMembers of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences19th-century German non-fiction writersGerman philosophers of language19th-century travel writersMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesPhilosophers of sexualityLiteracy and society theoristsGerman autobiographersGerman philosophers of historyGerman male non-fiction writersEpigrammatistsJohann Wolfgang von Goethe, Sturm und DrangEpic poetsPhilosophers of linguistics18th-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 WeimarGerman untitled nobilityNatural philosophersWriters about activism and social changeRomantic poetsGerman travel writersGerman librariansPhilosophy writersGerman political philosophersFabulists19th-century German novelistsGerman FreemasonsColor scientistsGerman philosophers of culture18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayistsFreethought writersGerman philosophers of science19th-century German philosophersGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationTheorists on Western civilizationLiterary theoristsUniversity of Strasbourg alumniLeipzig University alumni19th-century German historiansGerman male dramatists and playwrights, German male poetsPhilosophers of social science19th-century German essayists19th-century German male writersGerman male essayistsEnlightenment philosophers18th-century German educators, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 19th-century historiansPantheistsPhilosophers of literatureGerman philosophers of art18th century19th centuryGermanyLanguageGoethe 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
Science18th-century German male writersMembers of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences19th-century German non-fiction writersGerman philosophers of language19th-century travel writersMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesPhilosophers of sexualityLiteracy and society theoristsGerman autobiographersGerman philosophers of historyGerman male non-fiction writersEpigrammatistsJohann Wolfgang von Goethe, Sturm und DrangEpic poetsPhilosophers of linguistics18th-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 WeimarGerman untitled nobilityNatural philosophersWriters about activism and social changeRomantic poetsGerman travel writersGerman librariansPhilosophy writersGerman political philosophersFabulists19th-century German novelistsGerman FreemasonsColor scientistsGerman philosophers of culture18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayistsFreethought writersGerman philosophers of science19th-century German philosophersGerman ethicists, German philosophers of educationTheorists on Western civilizationLiterary theoristsUniversity of Strasbourg alumniLeipzig University alumni19th-century German historiansGerman male dramatists and playwrights, German male poetsPhilosophers of social science19th-century German essayists19th-century German male writersGerman male essayistsEnlightenment philosophers18th-century German educators, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 19th-century historiansPantheistsPhilosophers of literatureGerman philosophers of art18th century19th centuryGermanyLanguageJohn Keats
Misha Glenny and guests discuss the short, brilliant life of one of the most celebrated Romantic poets and the works of his most intensely creative year from autumn 1818.
19 February 2026
Featuring: Fiona Stafford, Nicholas Roe, Meiko O’Halloran
Milton
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
Critics of the Catholic ChurchChristian humanistsBritish free speech activistsNeoclassical writersRhetoricians17th-century writers in Latin17th-century English writersMythopoeic writersRhetoric theoristsEnglish Anglican theologiansLiteracy and society theoristsBlind poetsEnglish political philosophersEnglish essayistsEpic poets17th-century English poetsEnglish male dramatists and playwrightsMetaphor theoristsWriters about activism and social changeChristian poetsSonneteersEnglish male poetsCalvinist and Reformed poetsDeaths from kidney failure in the United KingdomAnglican philosophersAnglican poetsBlind writersAnti-Catholicism in the United KingdomMale essayistsWriters from LondonPeople from the City of London17th-century English male writersEnglish writers with disabilitiesEnglish non-fiction writersLiterary theoristsBritish philosophers of religionEnglish DissentersAlumni of Christ's College, Cambridge17th-century English educatorsEnlightenment philosophersSocial philosophersPamphleteersEnglish educational theorists17th-century English philosophers17th-century English dramatists and playwrightsEnglish theologiansEnglish republicans17th centuryTheologyOvid
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 fantasy writersEnglish male novelistsSocial Democratic Federation membersMythopoeic writersEnglish libertariansVictorian poetsBritish male poetsEpic poetsArtists' Rifles soldiers19th-century English poetsEnglish printers, Translators of VirgilBritish socialistsVictorian novelists19th-century British short story writersBritish botanical illustratorsEnglish short story writersTranslators of HomerEnglish male short story writers19th-century English architectsPeople educated at Marlborough CollegeEnglish atheistsLibertarian socialistsArts and Crafts movement artistsEnglish socialistsArtist authors19th century20th century