Wilfred Owen, War Poet

When Madame Bovary was written in the 1850s, it fell under the accusing eye of the French government for its perceived immorality. Flaubert recognized that the trial would only stoke interest, and that it would set the tone for his career. Research: Barzun, Jacques. “Gustave Flau ...  Show more

Journalist and writer Elizabeth Bisland was sent on a trip around the world in 1889, in a sort of race against Nellie Bly. But that was not something she wanted to be known for. Research: Bisland, Elisabeth. “At the Sign of the Hobby Horse.” Houghton, Mifflin and Co. Riverside Pr ...  Show more

Dr Mark Rawlinson explores the relationship between War and War Poetry using Owen's famous 'Preface' as the starting point. Dr Mark Rawlinson is a Reader in English Literature at the University of Leicester, working on nineteenth- and twentieth century literature, especially narr ...  Show more

Mes chers camarades, bien le bonjour ! Bienvenue dans la série des morts insolites de l’histoire ! En principe la Guerre de Sécession américaine, c’est pas Joe l’rigolo : en 4 ans de conflits, il y a eu 800 000 morts. Et pourtant, il y a deux officiers, j’ai pas pu m’empêcher de ...  Show more

Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the poet George Herbert (1593-1633) who, according to the French philosopher Simone Weil, wrote ‘the most beautiful poem in the world’. Herbert gave his poems on his relationship with God to a friend, to be published after his death if they offered ...  Show more

Poetry! Poetry! Poetry! After taking a look at Emily Dickinson's Poem #1 94 ("Title divine - is mine!"), Jacke talks to Cambridge University's Jess Cotton, whose biography of John Ashbery (John Ashbery: A Critical Life) charts Ashbery's rise from a minor avant-garde figure to the ...  Show more