Self Realization Publications: Literature and Language Arts

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Literature and Language Arts

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		The Adventure of English: 500 A.D. to 2000 A.D What started as a minor Germanic dialect spoken by the Saxons became perhaps England’s greatest export. Written and presented by Melvyn Bragg, this eight-part series tells the story of how English became a global language. Along the way, each episode uses location footage, rare manuscripts, linguistic experts, and fascinating etymologies to chart the growth of English, its encounters with other languages, its history, and its far-ranging influence.

		Aeschylus: The Oresteia The Oresteia—the oldest surviving classical trilogy in the world—was the crowning achievement of Aeschylus, the visionary who transformed tragedy from a lyric form with a single actor and little characterization or plot into a riveting combination of language, movement, scenery, music, and light. This classic trilogy, directed by Sir Peter Hall and performed at Britain’s Royal National Theatre, is a theatrical and literary triumph and features a modern poetic translation that feels as timely as it is timeless; masks that fulfill the Greek purpose of projecting character; and a chorus brought to life through extraordinary care and coaching. 3-part series, 70-90 minutes each.

		Agamemnon The Trojan War is finally over, and King Agamemnon returns home victorious after a ten-year absence. His queen, Clytemnestra, welcomes him, but Cassandra, daughter of the vanquished Trojan King Priam and now Agamemnon’s captive mistress, foretells his gruesome murder. A blood feud ensues when Clytemnestra avenges their daughter Iphigenia, sacrificed by Agamemnon to secure a favorable wind toward Troy, and Aegisthus, Clytemnestra’s lover, avenges the murder of his brothers by Agamemnon’s father.

		Alice Walker: "Everyday Use" Maggie sees the old family quilt—an heirloom already promised to her—as something with practical utility as well as tradition. Her educated, social activist sister wants to hang it on the wall as folk art. With whom will their mother side? A study in class differences and the reclamation of Black history, Alice Walker’s short story "Everyday Use" is beautifully realized in this dramatization.

		Anthology of Contemporary Indian Writing This program spotlights a diverse group of Indian writers invited to participate in the Belles Étrangères, a French literary festival. Featured authors include award-winning Bengali novelist and social activist Mahasweta Devi; Kannada novelist U. R. Ananthamurthy, former president of the Sahitya Akademi; Hindi stylist Krishna Baldev Vaid; Malayalam writer M. Mukundan; Marathi Dalit writer Narendra Jadhav; Hindi poet Udayan Vajpeyi; Gujarati memoirist and novelist Esther David; English-language novelists Shashi Tharoor, Anita Rau Badami, Upamanyu Chatterjee, and Shauna Singh Baldwin; and the author-illustrator duo Anushka Ravishankar and Pulak Biswas.

		Arrows of Desire II From original manuscripts and archival materials to stirring readings by leading contemporary poets, this four-part series assembles a dynamic array of resources to capture poetry’s timeless appeal. Discussing and reading these classic selections are Patience Agbabi, Kate Clanchy, Michael Donaghy, W. N. Herbert, John Kinsella, Rod Mengham, Andrew Motion, Paul Muldoon, Ruth Padel, Clare Pollard, Owen Sheers, John Stammers, Greta Stoddart, and Al Young. 4-part series, 25 minutes each.

		Arrows of Desire: Poets on Poems This ambitious series explores English poetry from the age of Chaucer to the present day, providing insight into the poetic craft by looking at classic examples in a number of forms, such as love poems, elegies, nature poems, and comic verse. Leading contemporary poets, including Tom Paulin, Wendy Cope, and England’s poet laureate Andrew Motion, read the selections and discuss core issues. A variety of photos, paintings, archival film footage, and, where possible, original manuscripts complement the presentations.

		The Battle for the Language of the Bible In late-medieval England, English quietly ousted French in law and government— but the move to make it God’s language meant bloodshed. This program looks at the battle for a Bible in English, a struggle with huge impact on the language itself. Dramatic readings from successive English Bibles show the language’s evolution. Location footage and original manuscripts illustrate key figures and events, such as John Wycliffe, the Lollards, and the first English Bible; William Langland’s Piers Plowman; Henry V’s official correspondence; the role of the Chancery or English civil service; William Caxton’s printing press; William Tyndale’s translation; and the King James Bible.

		Ben Jonson As arrogant and brash as he was talented and innovative, Ben Jonson lived a life as rife with drama as any of his many plays. He was jailed more than once for staging dramas that satirized the powers that be, and nearly had his ears and nose mutilated after collaborating on a play that lampooned King James I. Friend and colleague of Shakespeare, he is considered by many to have been the first poet laureate of England. This program examines how Jonson’s poetry, masques, and plays brought a level of humor, intellect, and formal discipline to English letters that had rarely been seen before. Excerpts from The Alchemist; Every Man in His Humor; Volpone, or the Fox; and Jonson’s poetry are included.

		Birth of a Language Melvyn Bragg begins the story of English in Holland, finding ancestral echoes in the Frisian dialect. What follows is a chapter on survival as the English language weathers Viking and Norman invasions, vying with and eventually absorbing rival tongues. Lively settings such as village pubs and markets bring home the lasting influence of Anglo-Saxon, Old Norse, and Old French. The connection between Christianity, Latin, and an alphabet is explored, as well as the role of the language’s first champion, King Alfred the Great. Nobel prize-winning poet Seamus Heaney reads from and discusses the first epic in English, Beowulf.

		Catch-22 Catch-22, a classic among antiwar satires, added a dark new term to the English language and became an anti-establishment icon of the Vietnam War generation. This program, filmed in 1995, brings together Joseph Heller, Art Buchwald, Bill Mauldin, Catch-22 director Mike Nichols, Alan "Yossarian" Arkin, members of Heller’s own wartime bomber squadron, and others to unravel the novel’s characters and the attitudes and institutions they represent. With more than 10 million copies sold worldwide, Yossarian unquestionably lives. Some content may be objectionable.

		Causley, Betjeman, Shelley, and Owen This program provides a detailed analysis of four great English poems: "Eden Rock" by Charles Causley, "In Westminster Abbey" by Sir John Betjeman, "Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley, and "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen. Readings, along with critical and historical commentary, are given by poets Kate Clanchy, Wendy Cope, Matthew Sweeney, PJ Kavanagh, Michael Donaghy, Owen Sheers, Jean Binta Breeze, Jamie McKendrick, and English poet laureate Andrew Motion

		Don Quixote In the history of the modern novel, the role of Miguel de Cervantes’ Don Quixote is seminal. This timeless program seeks to understand the monumental satire’s central underlying themes—individualism, idealism, and imagination, on the one hand, and deception, manipulation, and disillusionment, on the other—from the viewpoint of Cervantes’ upbringing and life experiences. Dramatizations deftly capture the story’s transit from comedy to tragedy. Interviews with Carlos Fuentes; Cervantes scholars Diana de Armas Wilson and Henry Sullivan; and John Allen, of The Cervantes Society of America, are featured.

		Dylan Thomas: Portrait of the Artist in a Passing Cloud In hindsight, Dylan Thomas’ precocious use of romantic but morbid imagery—epitaphs, worms, an early death—proved a self-fulfilling prophecy. This program traces the poet’s life and works, artfully blending manuscripts, first editions, family photos, and location footage with interviews and readings of his poems and letters. Highlights include Thomas reading many of his poems, such as "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night"; interviews with actress Nancy Wickwire and childhood friend Daniel Jones; and clips from the film version of Under Milk Wood with Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Peter O’Toole.

		Edgar Allan Poe’s "The Cask of Amontillado "The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as best I could, but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge." So speaks Montresor in this faithful rendition of Edgar Allan Poe’s chilling story of a murderous trap irresistibly baited with fine wine and flattery. Strong performances and outstanding cinematography make this classic program—an object of considerable critical acclaim at film festivals—an excellent introduction to the work of the master of the American gothic genre.

		Emily Dickinson While many of her literary peers achieved notoriety, “the woman in white” remained virtually unknown—by choice. The self-imposed obscurity of Emily Dickinson is just one of many aspects of her life that this program explores. Blending daguerreotypes, paintings, manuscripts, excerpts from Dickinson’s letters, and readings from nearly a dozen of her poems, this program presents the biography of one of America’s most unique and influential voices in poetry.

		English in America When Massasoit hailed the Plymouth settlers in their own language, they might have taken it for a sign that English would dominate the New World. Packed with surprising etymologies and intriguing stories, this program traces the dynamic relationship between English and America, exploring the linguistic influence of westward expansion, cowboy culture, slave culture, and encounters with the French and Spanish languages. Key works examined include The New England Primer and Webster’s The American Spelling Book.


		Ezra Pound Ezra Pound wielded tremendous influence on the 20th century’s literature while he cut a controversial path through its politics. His challenge, “make it new,” became Modernism’s touchstone. This program follows his life’s extraordinary course, from his collaborations with Yeats and Eliot through his years of detention at St. Elizabeths Hospital. A wealth of photographs and manuscripts is blended with readings from his letters, essays, and poems, including “Meditatio,” “In a Station of the Metro,” and selections from his epic work, The Cantos.

		Flannery O’Connor Flannery O’Connor is often likened to Faulkner for her portrayal of the character and lifestyle of the South, Kafka for her fascination with the bizarre, and Beckett for her dark humor—comparisons that underscore the fact that her voice has a unique place in the canon of American literature. This program provides a biographical sketch of O’Connor that illuminates her efforts to come to terms with what she perceived as the fundamental absurdity of the human condition while never shying away from incendiary social issues. Readings from Wise Blood, “The Displaced Person,” “The River,” “The Life You Save May Be Your Own,” and “Revelation” are included.

		George Eliot: A Scandalous Life She disobeyed the social mores of her time, defied the critics bent on her destruction, and maintained her reputation by her brilliant books. Along with Charles Dickens, she was one of the two most successful novelists in Victorian England. This program offers a concise biography of George Eliot, exploring the complexities and contradictions of her personal character and the achievements of her writing career. Dramatizations from some of her greatest works, including Middlemarch and The Mill on the Floss, complement this detailed study.

		German Masters: The Über Series Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Heinrich Heine, and Hermann Hesse—three of Germany’s greatest writers. This classic series offers an in-depth look at their lives and literary legacy. Filmed entirely on location, the programs combine letters, memoirs, rare manuscripts, paintings, and photographs with readings and excerpts from each author’s best-known works. A Deutsche Welle Production.

		Great Expectations Cultural historian Dr. David Parker and Thelma Grove of the International Dickens Fellowship analyze the characters and plot of Dickens’ popular and enduring novel. Using dramatized key scenes from the work, Parker and Grove discuss the behavior of the characters and speculate on Dickens’ intentions when he placed them in the various predicaments depicted. Several of these situations are associated with actual people and events in Dickens’ hometown of Rochester, England. Parker and Grove offer different views on Pip’s unique relationship with each of the characters, including Mrs. Havisham, Estella, Abel, Joe Gargery, and Magwitch. Themes discussed include penal reform, chains of events leading to catastrophic and unforeseen circumstances, unrequited love, and the human tendency of Dickens’ characters to learn things the hard way.

		Haiku: In Basho’s Footsteps More than three centuries ago, the seminal haiku poet Matsuo Basho traveled Japan in a spiritual quest for enlightenment. In this down-to-earth program, haiku enthusiasts from around the world including award-winning haiku poet and English teacher Visnja McMaster and haiku translator Judit Vihar, professor of Japanese studies at Eötvös Loránd University, follow in the master’s footsteps as they open themselves to the haiku moment at the very places where Basho himself found inspiration. Excerpts from Basho’s impressions of his journey, The Narrow Road to the Deep North, are included, as are haiku written by the trip participants. The therapeutic value of haiku-writing for traumatized children and adults is also addressed.

		Heart of Darkness Published in 1902, Heart of Darkness revealed a pattern of exploitation, corruption, and casual brutality that was to occur again and again over the rest of the 20th century. In this program, parallels are drawn between Joseph Conrad’s harrowing novella and the Vietnam War epic Apocalypse Now. Adam Hochschild, author of King Leopold’s Ghost; Norman Sherry, of Trinity University; Laurence Davies, of Dartmouth College; Homi Bhabha, of The University of Chicago; and Apocalypse Now’s Martin Sheen and John Milius shed light on Conrad’s life and a century of geopolitics as they parse out the story’s narrative. Film clips from Apocalypse Now and Turner Network Television’s Heart of Darkness underscore the book’s themes. Some content may be objectionable. A Discovery University Production.

		Henry David Thoreau: In His Own Words Filmed on location in and around Concord, Cambridge, and Cape Cod, this delightful program brings Henry David Thoreau’s Walden and "Civil Disobedience" to life through the captivating delivery of Thoreau impersonator Jeffrey Hyatt. Long passages, as expressed by Hyatt, capture the energy and intensity of Thoreau’s words, while presenter James H. Bride II and Thoreau specialists Lawrence Buell, Robert Richardson, and Joel Myerson provide commentary on the works, Thoreau’s life, and the times in which he lived.

		The Hound of the Baskervilles A century after The Hound of the Baskervilles was written, Sherlock Holmes continues to set the standard for the scientific detective—in fiction and in real life. In this program, Georgetown University’s Maureen Corrigan; Doyle biographer Daniel Stashower; cultural historian Sir Christopher Frayling, editor of the Penguin Classics edition of The Hound; and Sherlockian scholar Peter Blau analyze the plot, setting, characterization, and themes of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most popular Holmes story ever. Holmes as a cultural icon, Doyle’s fascination with spiritualism, and forensic science as it is applied today are also covered, and film clips from The Hound and of an interview with Doyle himself are included. A Discovery University Production.

		Joe Chaikin and American Experimental Theater The story of Joe Chaikin’s professional life is also the story of experimental theater in America. In this intimate program, footage of Chaikin in action as well as interviews with playwrights Edward Albee, Sam Shepard, Jean-Claude van Itallie, and John Belluso; writer Susan Sontag; and many others reveal Chaiken’s devotion to the stage—a love that even severe aphasia, the result of a stroke, could not diminish. A variety of clips spanning Chaikin’s acting/directing career—from his early days, with the Open Theatre and the Living Theatre, to later, post-stroke work, most notably with actors with disabilities—are featured.

		John Donne Synonymous with metaphysical poetry, John Donne combined wit with passion, startling diction with curious contrasts. This program chronicles his extraordinary life as lawyer, lover, sailor, father, preacher, and poet. Manuscripts and paintings are combined with readings from many of Donne’s most famous writings, including “The Flea,” “Elegy XX,” “A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning,” “The Calm,” “Progress of the Soul,”

		Lord of the Flies The Holocaust made an indelible impression on William Golding, leading him to see the world in a new and sinister way. This ageless program examines Sir William’s debut novel, the life of its Nobel Prize-winning author, and the unsettling parallels between the story’s literal jungle and today’s figurative urban jungle. Interviews with Judith Carver, Golding’s daughter; Patrick Reilly, of the University of Glasgow; Martin Sanchez-Jankowski, author of Islands in the Street; director Edward James Olmos; and members of the notorious Lords of Chaos are featured. Clips from the haunting 1963 film and archival news footage are included.

		Macbeth: Shakespeare for the Modern Age This condensed adaptation of Macbeth, performed by experienced Shakespearean actors of the innovative Big Adventures Theatre Company, uses the Bard’s own immortal words to tell the story of Duncan King, head of King Enterprises, and his scheming employee, Macbeth, recently awarded the coveted Cawdor contract. After Macbeth’s fateful meeting with three saucy witches—not on the heath, but at the Heath Nightclub—the tragedy unfolds, leading to the inevitable showdown in which Macduff shoots Macbeth. E-mail, cell phones, and stretch limos all have their place in this intriguing film. Guaranteed to catch the interest of teenage and adult viewers alike.

		MacNiece, Frost, Lear, and Williams In this program, "Prayer Before Birth" by Louis MacNiece, "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost, "How Pleasant to Know Mr. Lear" by Edward Lear, and "The Red Wheelbarrow" and "To a Poor Old Woman" by William Carlos Williams are read by a group of contemporary poets. Kate Clanchy, Jamie McKendrick, Tom Paulin, Jean Binta Breeze, Jerome Rothenberg, Sophie Hannah, Matthew Sweeney, and Kenneth Koch offer commentary on the themes and images of the selected poems.

		Mary Shelley: The Birth of Frankenstein Her father was philosopher William Godwin. Her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, was feminism’s founder. By pedigree and experience, Mary Shelley was uncannily equipped to write the gothic masterpiece, Frankenstein. This program offers a fresh exploration of her novel, focusing on how Shelley’s personal life influenced the book and mirrored it afterwards. Along with reenactments of scenes from her classic and dramatizations of her life, the program draws from a wealth of primary sources, including readings from her mother’s A Vindication of the Rights of Woman and Mary Shelley’s personal letters, as well as those of her husband, Percy Bysshe Shelley, and Lord Byron.

		Moby Dick Almost forgotten at the time of its author’s death, Moby Dick has risen in stature to become an enduring icon of American literature. This video/CD-ROM combination neatly deconstructs Melville’s profound symbolic study of good and evil.

		NOW with Bill Moyers: Horton Foote on Contemporary Drama One of America’s leading dramatists, Horton Foote has accumulated a wealth of professional honors over his 60-plus-year career—the National Medal of Arts, two Oscars, a Pulitzer Prize, and election to the Theatre Hall of Fame, to name only a few. In this program, Bill Moyers talks with Foote about his new play The Carpetbagger’s Children and three concepts that had a distinct influence on it: family, memory, and home. In the process, they open a window on what it is like to be a writer for stage and screen as they discuss topics ranging from the art of storytelling to the dynamics of the creative process. Biographical background on how Foote got his start as an actor and a dramatist is also included.

		The Odyssey Although written thousands of years ago, the Odyssey has resonated down through the centuries with undiminished power. This video/CD-ROM combination offers a comprehensive analysis of a true classic of Western literature.

		Pride and Prejudice Originally called First Impressions, Pride and Prejudice is Jane Austen’s earliest work, yet in some senses it is also one of her most mature. Set within the context of Austen’s life and times, this program draws on the commentary of writer/director Nora Ephron, authors Helen Fielding and Fay Weldon, Wheelock College’s Marcia Folsom, Austen interpreter Judith French, and others to provide insights into the novel’s numerous themes: pride and prejudice, of course, and gender injustice, social stratification, the concept of virtue, and the institution of marriage as well. Dramatizations and numerous film clips are included.

		The Real Jane Austen llustrated with clips from movie and television adaptations of her novels, this program takes a visually rich approach to understanding the woman behind such classics as Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Emma. An extensive biographical and psychological profile of the author provides insight into what life was like for a woman in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Filmed at key locations, including Bath and Austen’s later home in Chawton, the program also shatters the myth that she lived the elegant Regency life of one of her heroines.

		The Scarlet Letter: A Romance A masterpiece of American literature and a classic moral study, The Scarlet Letter is a work whose intensity remains undiminished by time or changing values. In this timeless program, Nina Baym, of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Lawrence Buell, of Harvard University; Carol Karlsen, of the University of Michigan; and Charles Hambrick-Stowe, of the Lancaster Theological Seminary, explore the secret places of the heart in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s tale of private truths and public appearances. Background on Hawthorne and colonial New England is also included, as are dramatizations of pivotal scenes from the story.

		The Shakespeare Enigma Long considered the world’s greatest writer, Shakespeare the man all but eludes biographers—leading some scholars to doubt they are one and the same. Filmed at salient locations around England, this program explores the four main theories of the Bard’s true identity. Professor Stanley Wells of the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust defends Shakespeare’s authorship. Francis Carr and Mark Rylance, artistic director of The Globe Theatre, argue for Francis Bacon. A. D. Wraight of the Marlowe Society proposes that poet and playwright Christopher Marlowe is the real author, while Elizabeth Imlay champions Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford. Manuscripts, excerpts, and scenes from the plays are used to support each theory.

		She Stoops to Conquer An ambitious stepmother, a pragmatic father, impassioned sweethearts, and starry-eyed suitors are all sent spinning in Oliver Goldsmith’s classic comedy of manners—and errors. Directed by Max Stafford-Clark and recorded at The Theatre Royal in Bath, this production of She Stoops to Conquer played to rave reviews. Staged with authentic costumes and sets, the commonly anthologized play makes an excellent introduction to 18th-century theater.

		Six Poets: Searching for Rhyme and Reason Providing extensive biographical profiles and readings from each writer’s most famous works, this series explores the lives and literary legacies of six major poets: John Donne, Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Ezra Pound, T. S. Eliot, and W. H. Auden. 6-part series, 20 minutes each.

		"Superman and Paula Brown’s New Snowsuit" by Sylvia Plath When the innocence of childhood is confronted with the harsh world of reality, only an uncle’s trust and love can assuage the betrayal experienced by a disillusioned narrator. In this program, Emmy Award-winning actress Edie Falco narrates Sylvia Plath’s largely autobiographical tale of adolescence set at the start of World War II. Insightful commentary by poet Claire Pollard complements dramatic reenactments of scenes from the story.

		“This Earth, This Realm, This England” Has any single person shaped English more than William Shakespeare? This program uses unparalleled access to some of the greatest English texts, including the first English dictionary and a rare first folio of Shakespeare’s plays, to illustrate the great Bard’s influence. John Barton, honorary associate director of the Royal Shakespeare Company, discusses the sound and accessibility of Shakespeare’s words. His impact is also examined in the larger context of Elizabethan England and the Renaissance.

		Thomas, Larkin, Auden, and Dickinson This program combines evocative readings and cinematic interpretations of "Do not go gentle into that good night" by Dylan Thomas, "At Grass" by Philip Larkin, "Musée des Beaux Arts" by W. H. Auden, and Emily Dickinson’s "I heard a fly buzz when I died." Critical analysis of the poems and commentary on the creative process are offered by Wendy Cope, Andrew Motion, Kate Clanchy, Roger McGough, Michael Donaghy, PJ Kavanagh, Matthew Sweeney, and Tom Paulin.

		T. S. Eliot As a poet, T. S. Eliot did not just modernize, he revolutionized. As critic and publisher, he informed literary theory and promoted a generation of major young writers. This richly resourced program provides a concise biography of Eliot, tracing the key events of his life and highlighting his many contributions to English literature. The program features readings and excerpts from his major poems and critical work, including “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock,” “Sweeney among the Nightingales,” “Gerontion,” “The Hollow Men,” “Ash Wednesday,” The Wasteland, Four Quartets, and The Sacred Wood.

		Virginia Woolf: "A Room of One’s Own" "A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction." So spoke Virginia Woolf in 1929 as she discussed the problems of the writer and of women in general. Woolf’s talk represents perhaps the most persuasive of all her writings on liberty, literature, and the role of women in her society. Woolf spoke not only about writing, but about writing as a woman—speaking in an age when women were deprived of virtually every possibility of earning their own living. In this program, the actress Eileen Atkins re-creates her acclaimed one-woman stage show based on Woolf’s talk, in the original lecture hall at Girton College, Cambridge, where Woolf spoke and amidst the background of Cambridge, with its distinguished colleges and elegant riverbanks that were the original inspiration for Woolf’s noble and exhilarating talk.

		Walt Whitman A self-styled sketch runs, “Walt Whitman, an American, one of the roughs, a kosmos.” He could have added journalist, carpenter, nurse, and one of the greatest poets in English. This program presents a unique literary biography, tracing Whitman’s childhood, various careers, and the evolution of the masterpiece that proved his lifelong work, Leaves of Grass. A collage of photos, paintings, and manuscripts accompanies excerpts of letters from Whitman and Ralph Waldo Emerson, as well as readings from sections of Leaves of Grass, such as “Song of Myself,” “I Sing the Body Electric,” and “Native Moments.”

		W. H. Auden A prolific virtuoso of poetic forms and techniques, W. H. Auden achieved literary fame on both sides of the Atlantic. This program traces his life’s story and provides a sampling of his very best works, including “Musée des Beaux Arts,” “In Memory of W. B. Yeats,” “Epitaph on a Tyrant,” “Leap Before You Look,” and “The Shield of Achilles.”

		William Blake: Singing for England Simply stated, William Blake "regarded himself as marked out by fate," says Blake biographer Peter Ackroyd. In this outstanding program, Ackroyd, art historian William Vaughan, Tate Britain’s Michael Phillips, and poets Tom Paulin, Kathleen Raine, and Adrian Mitchell discuss Blake’s works and examine the events and attitudes that shaped the self-styled prophet of Albion. Excerpts from Blake’s writings and images of his paintings and etchings, along with dramatizations of the visionary poet and artist at key moments of his life, underscore his enduring appeal. Though scorned in his own times, today he is hailed as a pillar of Romanticism.

		The Winter’s Tale Half a tragedy centered on the mad jealousy of King Leontes and half a romance of young love triumphant and old love restored, The Winter’s Tale is arguably one of Shakespeare’s most captivating dramas. This highly acclaimed production by The Royal Shakespeare Company was performed at the Barbican Theatre in London. Interviews with key members of both the cast and the RSC production team offer insights into the play and its staging.
		The Wonderful Wizard of Oz As a film, it became a beloved classic overnight. As a book, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz has generated controversy for a century, being deemed irreligious by some and banned by schools as subversive. With readings, movie clips, and dramatizations of many scenes, this program explores the enduring attraction of L. Frank Baum’s masterpiece for children, its innovative illustration by W. W. Denslow, and the key differences between the book and the film adaptation. Oz scholar Michael Patrick Hearn and celebrated science fiction author Ray Bradbury are some of the featured commentators. A Discovery University Production.

		World of Ideas: Alice Walker A leading voice among American writers, Alice Walker has published books of influential poetry, novels, short stories, essays, and criticism. In this program, Ms. Walker talks with Bill Moyers about a range of subjects, including The Color Purple, whose themes are as relevant today as they were when she wrote the book in 1982; the way in which her life experiences and ancestry are reflected in her writing; and her latest collection of poems, Absolute Trust in the Goodness of the Earth.

		World of Ideas: Doris Lessing Born in Iran when it was still Persia and raised in colonial Zimbabwe, Doris Lessing has transformed her remarkable life into a literary tour de force. Her oeuvre comprises novels, poetry, short stories, plays, essays, a two-volume autobiography, and even a couple of operas—testimony to a drive that she herself calls compulsive. In this program, Ms. Lessing talks with Bill Moyers about her life and work, including her new novel, The Sweetest Dream.

		World of Ideas: Susan Sontag The late Susan Sontag was not a photographer, yet her famous book On Photography is required reading in almost every serious photography course in the world. Her novels and nonfiction books such as Illness as a Metaphor have been translated into a score of languages. And she also wrote and directed films and plays. In this program, the renowned writer and human rights activist talks with Bill Moyers about Regarding the Pain of Others, her book on war and how the images of war affect people’s perception of reality, and other aspects of her life and career.