'Oh, Mephistopilis...'

1, 2, 3... take it away...

Now I’m the king of the sinners, the Wittenberg V.I.P./ I reached the top and had to stop and that’s what’s bothering me./ Got me a pliant demon, called Mephistopheles./ I’m glutted with conceit of this, such rare delicacies.// CHORUS: Oh Mephistopheles, I wanna be evil please./ I wanna rend the clouds and gain a deity./ For 24 years I’ll trade my soul./ consummatum est! Oh Faustus, you’re a fool!// Now the devil can’t get me a wife, so here’s Helen of Troy./ My powers amount to conjuring tricks; I’m a lucky little boy./ I’ll leap up to my God, repenting of my sins,/ But Lucifer, or Mephistopheles threaten to tear me into bits.// (CHORUS) // Now take a look at Faustus, with one bare hour to live:/ Being damned perpetually, and nothing good to give./ Mountains come and fall on me, hide me from the wrath of God/ The devil will come, this power’s a sham, and Faustus must be damned.// (CHROUS)// (CHORUS)

Faustus Podcast One

This podcast gives you some background to Dr Faustus. Enjoy!

Faustus Podcast Two

This podcast gives some more background on Dr Faustus and morality plays.

Small Island - Chpater 2

Poor old Gilbert! We surely feel some sympathy with this rather useless man in Chapter Two. Also, find out about interogatives, imperatives and declaratives and language gender theory! Is the fact that Hortense asks so many questions important? Is the fact that she wears white gloves important? Of course they are. You're a click away from finding out why.

Small Island - Chapter 1

Poor old Hortense! Find out about chapter one here. What are we supposed to think about her; how is Levy setting up her character?

Small Island - The Prologue

Overlook the prologue at your peril! The prologue of Andrea Levy's book foregrounds all the themes of the novel (that's what it's there for). Look carefully, or step right this way...

Coleridge and Philosophy

Coleridge was influenced greatly by the philosophers of his age, particularly Hume, Kant and Rousseau. His poetry is a reaction against the Utilitarian argument and the Enlightenment project. Find out more here.