Secondary Catalogue

'The Tempest', not only Shakespeare’s final play, also his shortest, unfolds before the audience in real time. This video explores a range of dramatic techniques employed, including its structure based around the three unities, exposition, Caliban’s surprising use of verse, soliloquy, Prospero’s frequent asides – even early versions of special effects. An outstanding resource for middle to senior level students of English and Literature. Show Less

Two key characters in 'The Tempest' are Prospero and Caliban. This video explores the relationship between the dominating, magical ruler of the island and his slave, who is dismissed by some as a monster. But both are very complex and conflicted characters, and central to the play’s themes and sub-texts. Middle to senior level students of English and Literature will find this an engaging and informative resource. Show Less

Power is a theme Shakespeare visits throughout 'The Tempest'. This video probes that theme – including Prospero’s supernatural powers and yearning to resume his dukedom, Antonio’s power base in Milan, the murder plot to make Sebastian king of Naples, and more. It also reflects on the personal costs of having power, and surrendering it. Ideal for students of middle to senior level Literature and English. Show Less

Shakespeare was at the height of his success when he wrote The Tempest. This video reveals aspects of the playwright’s life and times that influenced the work, including the ‘discovery’ of new worlds by colonial powers. It also examines the origin and relevance of the masque in Act 4. It is an excellent resource for middle to senior level students of English and Literature. Show Less

A big reason why Pride and Prejudice is considered such an outstanding literary work revolves around the writing style and literary techniques employed by Jane Austen. This programme examines various techniques including her comprehensive use of dialogue, irony and her authorial voice. It gives students of English and Literature a deeper understanding of one of the key literary aspects of this classic novel. Show Less

Jane Austen created a fascinating and engaging range of characters in Pride and Prejudice. This video analyses the character and function of the story’s witty, high-spirited heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, her interactions with the other characters and the complexity of personality traits that make this romantic novel a true classic. It is an engaging and powerful learning resource for students of English and Literature. Show Less

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice carries a number of themes that are just as prevalent in our lives today as they were in Regency era England. This video explores some of those themes, including pride, love, wealth and prejudice, and how they play out in the lives of the novel’s main characters. It is an excellent resource for students of English and Literature. Show Less

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. This informative resource provides students of English and Literature with a useful insight into the life and times of Jane Austen. Show Less

Dubious casting? Methinks not… Portia the witty chameleon, her suitor Bassanio who’s indebted to his besty Antonio, the merchant and debtor of Shylock who is…well…played by the director who’s out to upstage his brother Trevor – what could go wrong? This programme profiles Shakespeare’s complex characters in The Merchant of Venice in a way that students will find quirky and engaging. Show Less

Money, relationships, love, choices, race and isolation… The tangled webs woven in Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice pale into insignificance compared with the director’s relationship with his brother Trevor, Bassanio’s personal struggle with his dating profile, Antonio’s ill-fitting wardrobe and Portia’s blunt assessments of proceedings at rehearsal. This entertaining programme provides students with a comical yet pertinent portrayal of the play’s themes. Show Less

Thanks to a winning scratch card, Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice will open tomorrow night. The director (aka Shylock) bounces back, Portia’s learnt her lines, Antonio’s new shirt is a hit, although Bassanio’s battling with his dating psychometric test – oh the suspense; the dramatic irony…. Show Less

When Victor Frankenstein created his monster he never named it, yet its complex personality and struggle for identity and acceptance provides a profound insight to the human condition. This clip examines the troubled relationship between Frankenstein and the monster, and the role of other characters in the novel, including William, Dr Clerval, Elizabeth, and Captain Walton. It is an ideal resource for English literature students. Show Less

In Frankenstein, Mary Shelley employs writing styles reflective of early 19th century literature. This clip explores a range of those styles, including using a series of letters to develop a narrative, structuring a narrative concentrically, and the inclusion of Gothic elements like horror, suspense, and poetic descriptions of wild, remote settings. It assists students of English literature to gain a fuller appreciation of this important novel. Show Less

Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein delves into a range of themes, which were particularly popular among 19th century Romantics, and which have been perennial favourites of numerous writers since. This clip highlights some of those themes, including the pursuit of knowledge and the responsibility involved with acquiring it, what makes us human, and the power of nature. It is a valuable resource for students of English literature. Show Less

Influenced and educated by her parents, Frankenstein’s author, Mary Shelley, grew up in a world of radical artists and writers. Her immortal novel explores various themes of early 19th century Romanticism. This clip looks at Mary Shelley’s background and major influences on her thinking and writing, giving students of English literature a broader understanding of the nature and significance of this notable work. Show Less

The world over, teachers hear the lament ‘why do we have to study Shakespeare?’ from their students. Here are the answers to that ubiquitous question! This densely packed and student-friendly programme includes well-known examples from his plays and a look at his contribution to the English lexicon to demonstrate Shakespeare’s enduring impact on language and the study of literature. Show Less

Educators looking to introduce students to features of Shakespeare’s plays and the places where they were presented: this is your stop. This concise presentation offers students of all abilities a path to clearly understanding the main features of a Shakespearean play – from the page to the stage – and to put themselves in the picture as audience members. Show Less

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. Show Less

Understanding the context and background of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ is critical to appreciating the techniques Shakespeare employed when creating this comedic literary classic. This programme deconstructs the play in an engaging and playful way, using dialogue between some of its key characters to investigate its context and background. It is an ideal resource for students of English and Literature. Show Less

Shakespeare develops a broad range of memorable and contrasting characters from ancient Athens in ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’: royalty, nobility, lowly craftsmen – and fairies. This programme deconstructs the comedy in an engaging way using dialogue to examine some of its key characters, including Titania, Demetrius, Helena, Puck, Lysander, Hermia, and Bottom. It is an ideal resource for students of English and Literature. Show Less

Shakespeare’s classic, immortal comedy has all the ingredients – love stories, tricks and pranks, disguise and mistaken identity, muddle and misunderstanding. This programme deconstructs ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ in an engaging and playful way, using dialogue between some of its characters to explore its comedic elements. It is an ideal resource for students of English and Literature. Show Less

‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ explores dreams and imagination – the blurred lines between dreams and waking, what is real and what is not, what is reasonable…and what is not. This clip deconstructs ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ in an engaging and playful way, using dialogue between some of its key characters to observe the nature of dreams. It is an ideal resource for students of English and Literature. Show Less

This programme analyses how Golding uses the novel to explore the nature of evil. Making detailed reference to the text, it examines the escalation of evil, how characters embrace or reject evil to different degrees, how evil comes to be symbolised by the beast, and how Simon recognises its source and is destroyed by it. Show Less

This programme provides detailed analyses and examples of Golding’s methods, and the key elements of his writing style. It explains the concepts of fable and allegory, and explores Golding’s complex use of symbolism with particular reference to the conch, the fire, clothing and Piggy’s glasses. The programme also investigates Golding’s use of realistic dialogue, and detailed description, to portray characters and convey ideas. Show Less

These characters like and admire each other at first, but by the end of the novel Jack is hunting Ralph to the death. This programme explores the nature and significance of these two main characters, and how Golding uses the struggle between them to expose opposing values and priorities. It demonstrates how the characters represent completely different notions of leadership and government: democratic versus fascist. Show Less