The plot of Great Expectations | The Secret Life of Books

''Pig-Heart Boy'' | imagine...

Malorie Blackman tells of her brush with death and love of sci-fi that fed into her writing ''Pig-Heart Boy''.

''To a Mouse'' contextualised | Inside the Mind of Robert Burns

A performance of "To a Mouse" by Robert Burns, followed by an analysis by Professor Gerad Carruthers.

'Animal Farm' historical context | In Context

A discussion of the historical context of George Orwell's 'Animal Farm', including the influence of the British attitude to Sta...

'Birthday Letters' | Close Up

A discussion of the book Ted Hughes wrote about his relationship with Slyvia Plath.

'Journey's End' - Life in the trenches | In Context

An exploration of life in the trenches through R. C. Sherriff's writing in his diary entries and in 'Journey's End'.

'Kill the pig'' | Lord of the Flies

From the 1963 adaptation of William Golding's 'Lord of the Flies': the fire goes out when Jack and his group prioritise hunting, and they...

'St Botolphs' | Close Up

The poem that Ted Hughes wrote about his first meeting with Slyvia Plath.

'The Lady of the Lake'' and tourism | In Search of Sir Walter Scott

Scott's "The Lady of the Lake" was very popular for its quality of nature writing and sparked a wave of l...

'The Thought Fox' | Close Up

A reading of Ted Hughes' poem 'The Thought Fox'.

'You're late'' | Dickensian

Bob Cratchit is late to work, much to Scrooge's disapproval. Bob tries to explain that he was looking after Tiny Tim, but to Scrooge this is no e...

A Game of Chess from The Waste Land | Six Centuries of Verse

Dramatic interpretation and reading of T S Eliot's A Game of Chess from 'The Waste Land.'

A Reading of 'Anthem for Doomed Youth' | Songs of Praise

Dame Patricia Routledge discusses how Wilfred Owen captured the horror of war in his poetry before reading Anthem fo...

A View of Scotland/ Love Poem' by Liz Lochhead | Intermediate English: Poetry

Liz Lochhead reads her poem 'A View of Scotland/ Love Poem'.

Ace: the cast of Inua Ellams' Barber Shop Chronicles (1)

Hammed Animashaun and Fiasyo Akinade talk to Ace about the Inua Ellams' play Barber Shop Chronicles, which is a set ...

Ace: the cast of Inua Ellams' Barber Shop Chronicles (2)

Hammed Animashaun and Fiasyo Akinade talk to Ace about the Inua Ellams' play Barber Shop Chronicles, which is a set ...

Act 1 Scene 1 - Antonio becomes Bassanio's guarantor | Culture in Quarantine: Shakespeare

In Polly Findlay's Royal Shakespeare Company production 'The Merchant of Venice', A...

Act 1 Scene 1 - Beatrice and Benedick meet again | Culture in Quarantine: Shakespeare

In an adaption of 'Much Ado About Nothing' set in 1918, soldiers return from war and Be...

Act 1 Scene 1 - Lear divides his kingdom | King Lear

King Lear asks his daughter's to express their love for him.

Act 1 Scene 1 - Opening to Iago and Roderigo | Culture in Quarantine: Shakespeare

From Iqbal Khan’s ground breaking 2015 production, the opening scene between Iago and Roder...

Act 1 Scene 1 - Orsino declares his love for Olivia | Twelfth Night

From the 1996 film adaptation of 'Twelfth Night' by Trevor Nunn, Orsino declares his love for Olivia.