History of the Eighteenth Century in Ten Poems

Smallpox was rife in the eighteenth century, leaving its mark both on its sufferers, and on the literature of the period. This podcast explores its history in verse. Smallpox was common during the eighteenth-century, and its aftereffects much discussed and lamented in popular literature. This podcast explores its representation in eighteenth-century verse.

Explores the aesthetics and impact of war poetry in the early eighteenth century, focussing on Joseph Addison's poem, The Campaign. Blood, guts and gore all feature heavily in eighteenth century war poems. This podcast explores the popularity of the early eighteenth-century battle poem.

Matthew Prior's The Ladle was one of the most popular poems of the eighteenth century. This podcast explores its appeal. Matthew Prior's The Ladle was hugely popular in the eighteenth century. Based on a story from Ovid, its bawdy tale delighted generations of readers.

Much popular music of the eighteenth century is found in poetic miscellanies. But how was it performed? Giles Lewin explores the popular music of the eighteenth century, and the challenges it provides for a modern performer.

Introduces the poetry of rural life, and its debt to classical sources. Often idealised, the rural and the rustic play an important part in eighteenth-century poetry. This podcast gives a glimpse into the natural world seen through eighteenth-century eyes.

This podcast explores the culture of Jacobitism in the eighteenth century, using a popular ballad. The culture of Jacobite politics took many forms in the eighteenth century. This podcast explores its expression in popular song.

This podcasts introduces the popular eighteenth century epigram. Epigrams were hugely popular in the eighteenth century, and this podcast explores some of their appeal.

An introduction to the world of fashion and the politics of the petticoat, seen through the poetry of the time. This podcast gives a glimpse into the social and cultural history of fashion in the eighteenth century by looking at the representation of petticoats.

This podcast looks at cricket seen through eighteenth-century eyes, focussing on a poem by James Dance, called 'Cricket: An Heroic Poem.'.

This podcast looks at the relationship between tobacco and poetic inspiration, through some popular comic poems.