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
Episodes in this category also belong to the following categories:
CultureScienceSocial philosophersPhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeEnglish male poetsEnlightenment philosophersSonneteersCritics of the Catholic ChurchEnglish essayistsGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of social science19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersChristian humanistsPantheists17th-century English male writersGerman male essayistsGerman philosophers of historyGerman political philosophersHall of Fame for Great Americans inducteesNatural philosophersPhilosophers of sexuality19th-century English poetsAmerican male non-fiction writersEnglish male dramatists and playwrightsEnglish male novelistsEnglish non-fiction writersGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureLiteracy and society theoristsVictorian novelists17th-century English poets17th-century English writers19th-century German essayists19th-century pseudonymous writersAmerican people of English descentEnglish male short story writersGerman philosophers of education, German ethicistsGolden Age Latin writersLiterary theoristsVictorian poets17th-century English dramatists and playwrights17th-century writers in Latin18th-century German male writers19th-century American poetsAnglican poetsChristian poetsEnglish atheistsEnglish socialistsGerman philosophers of languageGerman philosophers of scienceLeipzig University alumniMale essayistsMembers of the Bavarian Academy of SciencesPeople from the City of LondonRhetoric 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 poetsEnglish fantasy writersEnglish libertariansEnglish political philosophersEnglish republicansEnglish short story writersFabulistsFreethought writersLibertarian socialistsMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesMetaphor theoristsNeoclassical writersWriters from London19th-century American essayists19th-century German historians19th-century German novelists19th-century historians, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 18th-century German educators19th-century travel writersAnglican philosophersArtist authorsArtists' Rifles soldiersBlind writersBritish free speech activistsBritish socialistsCalvinist and Reformed poetsColor scientistsEnglish educational theoristsEnglish writers with disabilitiesEpigrammatistsGerman FreemasonsGerman autobiographersGerman librariansGerman male poets, German male dramatists and playwrightsGerman travel writersGerman untitled nobilityMythopoeic writersNovelists from New York (state), 19th-century American novelistsPamphleteersPhilosophers of linguisticsSturm und Drang, Johann Wolfgang von GoetheSurrealist writersTranslators of HomerUniversity of Strasbourg alumni17th-century English educators19th-century American non-fiction writers19th-century English architects1st-century BC Roman poets, Elegiac poetsAlumni of Christ's College, CambridgeAmerican male dramatists and playwrights, American literary criticsAmerican 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 theologiansGerman bibliophiles, 19th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 18th-century travel writers, Writers from Weimar, 19th-century German diplomats, 18th-century German novelists, German diplomats, 18th-century German historians, German male novelists, 19th-century German poets, People from Weimar, Scientists from Weimar, 18th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 19th-century German civil servants, Writers from Frankfurt, 18th-century German poets, 18th-century German civil servantsGhost story writers, 19th-century American short story writersPeople educated at Marlborough CollegeRhetoriciansSocial Democratic Federation membersUnited States Military Academy alumniWriters from BaltimoreWriters from Philadelphia, Recreational cryptographers, Writers from Boston
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 inducteesAmerican male non-fiction writers19th-century pseudonymous writersAmerican people of English descentEpic poets19th-century American poetsRomantic poetsWriters of Gothic fiction19th-century American male writers19th-century American essayistsSurrealist writers19th-century American non-fiction writersAmerican male novelistsUnited States Military Academy alumniWriters from BaltimoreAmerican male essayists, American male poetsNovelists from New York (state), 19th-century American novelistsGhost story writers, 19th-century American short story writersAmerican male dramatists and playwrights, American literary criticsWriters from Philadelphia, Recreational cryptographers, Writers from BostonGoethe
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
CulturePhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeEnlightenment philosophersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of social sciencePantheists19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersGerman male essayistsGerman political philosophersGerman philosophers of historyNatural philosophersPhilosophers of sexualityLiteracy and society theoristsGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureEpic poetsLiterary theorists19th-century German essayistsRomantic poetsLeipzig University alumni18th-century German male writersGerman philosophers of languageGerman philosophers of scienceMembers of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences19th-century German non-fiction writersMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesFabulistsFreethought writersEpigrammatists19th-century German novelistsGerman FreemasonsUniversity of Strasbourg alumniPhilosophers of linguisticsGerman untitled nobilityGerman librariansGerman travel writers19th-century travel writersColor scientistsGerman autobiographers19th-century German historiansGerman philosophers of education, German ethicists18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayistsGerman male poets, German male dramatists and playwrights19th-century historians, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 18th-century German educatorsSturm und Drang, Johann Wolfgang von GoetheGerman bibliophiles, 19th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 18th-century travel writers, Writers from Weimar, 19th-century German diplomats, 18th-century German novelists, German diplomats, 18th-century German historians, German male novelists, 19th-century German poets, People from Weimar, Scientists from Weimar, 18th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 19th-century German civil servants, Writers from Frankfurt, 18th-century German poets, 18th-century German civil servantsGoethe 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
SciencePhilosophy writersPhilosophers of literatureTheorists on Western civilizationWriters about activism and social changeEnlightenment philosophersGerman male non-fiction writersPhilosophers of social sciencePantheists19th-century German male writers19th-century German philosophersGerman male essayistsGerman political philosophersGerman philosophers of historyNatural philosophersPhilosophers of sexualityLiteracy and society theoristsGerman philosophers of artGerman philosophers of cultureEpic poetsLiterary theorists19th-century German essayistsRomantic poetsLeipzig University alumni18th-century German male writersGerman philosophers of languageGerman philosophers of scienceMembers of the Bavarian Academy of Sciences19th-century German non-fiction writersMembers of the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and HumanitiesFabulistsFreethought writersEpigrammatists19th-century German novelistsGerman FreemasonsUniversity of Strasbourg alumniPhilosophers of linguisticsGerman untitled nobilityGerman librariansGerman travel writers19th-century travel writersColor scientistsGerman autobiographers19th-century German historiansGerman philosophers of education, German ethicists18th-century German philosophers, 18th-century essayistsGerman male poets, German male dramatists and playwrights19th-century historians, 18th-century historians, 19th-century German educators, 18th-century German educatorsSturm und Drang, Johann Wolfgang von GoetheGerman bibliophiles, 19th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 18th-century travel writers, Writers from Weimar, 19th-century German diplomats, 18th-century German novelists, German diplomats, 18th-century German historians, German male novelists, 19th-century German poets, People from Weimar, Scientists from Weimar, 18th-century German dramatists and playwrights, 19th-century German civil servants, Writers from Frankfurt, 18th-century German poets, 18th-century German civil servantsMilton
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 KingdomOvid
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
Culture19th-century English poetsEnglish male novelistsVictorian novelistsEpic poetsEnglish male short story writersVictorian poetsEnglish atheistsEnglish socialists19th-century British short story writersEnglish short story writersEnglish fantasy writersEnglish libertariansLibertarian socialistsArtists' Rifles soldiersBritish socialistsArtist authorsTranslators of HomerMythopoeic writersBritish male poets19th-century English architectsArts and Crafts movement artistsBritish botanical illustratorsPeople educated at Marlborough CollegeSocial Democratic Federation membersEnglish printers, Translators of Virgil