Study Poetry

Published to great acclaim in 1873, Walter Pater’s compendium of idiosyncratic, impressionistic essays on the Renaissance gained him a reputation as a daring modern philosopher. Oscar Wilde called it the “holy writ of beauty.” It was Pater’s cry of “art for art’s sake” that became the manifesto for the aesthetic movement. He believed that art should be sensual and that beauty should rank as the highest ideal. Marked by elegant fluency, Pater’s essays discuss Botticelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and other artists who, for him, embodied the spirit of the Renaissance.

This educational drama captures the experiences of a young World War I soldier who was touched, inspired, and changed forever by war poetry. Through vivid readings and recollections, we examine the work of 16 poets.

Walt Whitman explores the freedom of the wanderer, the sorrow of the pallbearer, and the spirit of the adventurer in his remarkable collection of poems, Leaves Of Grass. Both an explorer of cultural thought and a lover of sensual pleasure, Whitman champions the cause of common men, and revels in emotional and physical love. In plain and beautiful language, Whitman redefined the world of poetry.

Beautifully performed poetry enhanced with music. Detailed commentary and analysis from experts. A fantastic introduction to classic poetry, allowing listeners to begin to appreciate and criticise form and content themselves.