As I Walked Out One Evening

This poem appears very simple at the start; it isn't! The meanings of the poem are philosophical: time, love and life are explored. They aren't so much defined, as 'explored'. However, the construction of the poem is fascinating, too. Here, the podcast covers the frame narrative and the first change of 'point of view' - Auden's doing very well to include all those in the first few stanzas.

Othello - Othello's Descent into 'Otherness'

This podcast covers Othello's descent from rhetorical master into illogical babbling prose! In many ways, Othello actually BECOMES an 'other' because of the treatment Iago gives him: 'working' (Othello even uses the word 'wrought' int hat sense) Othello into the madman he becomes.

Othello - Introduction to Tragedy

This is a very brief podcast on the features of tragedy: you need to write about these for AO4! This podcast takes you through the plot, and the features of a tragic hero, tragic villain and tragic victim.

Message for Adult Education class

Very quick message for my adult education class: if you can't find the podcasts you're looking for - try the Archive on the right of this screen; podcasts for The Rime of The Ancient Mariner date from September and October 08. Search through the Archive by clicking on the dates shown. Click on the green title of each podcast to launch it - it will launch in whatever media player your computer uses. You can register for podcasts by clicking on the orange icon on the right of this screen and then choosing one of the subscriber options on the white screen that appears.

'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.