Featured Video for English

Jane Austen's World

Pride and Prejudice

When Jane Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice, women authors were frowned upon. So what inspired her to create such a timeless literary masterpiece? This programme explores Austen’s life and the context in which she wrote about social complexities in Regency England.

A Shakespeare's World

The Life and Times of Shakespeare

Positioning Shakespeare historically and geographically is a must if we are to appreciate his works. This study opens in the wider context of Elizabethan and Jacobean England and narrows to Shakespeare’s familial, personal and creative profile. We also nail down the main forms and genres in which he wrote, along with key techniques such as iambic pentameter.

Jane Eyre in Context

Literary Contexts

The lives of women in Victorian Britain were marked by limited opportunities and strict expectations regarding their behaviour. Poor understanding of mental illness and strong beliefs surrounding religious morality influenced society’s perception of women. This programme looks into the real-life background to and Gothic aspects of Charlotte Brontë’s ‘Jane Eyre’.