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PODCAST

The Classic English Literature Podcast

M. G. McDonough

Where rhyme gets its reason! In a historical survey of English literature, I take a personal and philosophical approach to the major texts of the tradition in order to not only situate the poems, prose, and plays in their own contexts, but also to show their relevance to our own. This show is for the general listener: as a teacher of high school literature and philosophy, I am less than a scholar but more than a buff. I hope to edify and entertain!

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All Episodes

24:51

Nasty, Brutish, and Naturally Free: Thomas Hobbes,...

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2025/04/20

Send us a text The political upheavals of 17th century England demanded new answers for old political questions: what is the purpose of government, how is power legitimated, and who may wield it? Philosophers Thomas Hobbes and John Locke reasoned from the same premises, but arrived at rather different conclusions. Balancing those conclusions is the primary task of liberal democracies to this day. Texts: Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes: https://gutenberg.org/files/3207/3207-h/3207-h.htm...

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33:54

Early Science Fiction: Lunar Geese and Blazing Worlds

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2025/04/02

Send us a text We often think of science fiction as a particularly modern genre of storytelling, born of the science and technology of the electronic and digital age. But speculative fiction goes back centuries, back to the beginning of what we now call the Scientific Revolution of the 1600s. On today's show, we look at two of the foundational books in the genre: Francis Godwin's The Man in the Moon and Margaret Cavendish's The Blazing World. May the Force be with ...

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31:24

A Garden and a Coy Mistress: Andrew Marvell

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2025/03/16

Send us a text Which is better: the life of ascetic contemplation or one of passionate sensuality? Let's see what the last great poet of the Stuart era, Andrew Marvell, has to say about that. Support the show Please like, subscribe, and rate the podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you listen. Thank you! Email: classicenglishliterature@gmail.com Follow me on Instagram, Facebook, Bluesky, and YouTube. If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting it with a small d...

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32:51

The Earliest Tales of Robin Hood (Out of Time Episode 2)

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2025/03/02

Send us a text Here's another episode in our foundling series "Out of Time." Today, I correct an oversight from our 15th century literature discussions and survey the very earliest surviving tales of the outlaw and all-around-swell-guy Robin Hood! Let's jump in the Wayback Machine! Here's a link to the Robin Hood Project at the University of Rochester, where you can find the texts we're discussing today and a wealth of other resources! https://d.lib.rochester.edu/project/robin-hoo...

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42:55

To Justify the Ways of God: John Milton's Paradise...

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2025/02/17

Send us a text We return to Milton's magnificent octopus today with an eye toward evaluating the epic's success according to its own mission statement: "to justify the ways of God to men." How does Milton approach the great theological problems of evil and suffering, divine foreknowledge, and free will? Support the show Please like, subscribe, and rate the podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you listen. Thank you! Email: classicenglishliterature@gmail.com Follow me o...

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41:34

Sexy Satan: John Milton's Paradise Lost (episode 1)

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2025/02/02

Send us a text Sexy Satan, what have you done? You made a fool of every one! On this episode we tackle the rather thorny question of Paradise Lost's charismatic protagonist (?) or antagonist (?) or antihero (?): the hottest guy in Hell. Why does an epic on the cosmic history of Christianity, written by a radical Puritan, present us with so commanding and appealing a character? Additional music: "Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky)" by Bill Conti. https://archive.org/det...

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11:27

A Minor Announcement and a Major Request

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2025/01/19

Send us a textSupport the showPlease like, subscribe, and rate the podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you listen. Thank you!Email: classicenglishliterature@gmail.comFollow me on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, and YouTube.If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting it with a small donation. Click the "Support the Show" button. So grateful!Podcast Theme Music: "Rejoice" by G.F. Handel, perf. The Advent Chamber OrchestraSubcast Theme Music: "Sons of the Brave" by Thomas B...

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35:25

"Pastures New": John Milton's "Lycidas"

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2025/01/12

Send us a textIn 1638, John Milton -- whom many see as perhaps the (second) greatest poet in English -- produced what many think to be his first major poem: the pastoral elegy "Lycidas," written to memorialize the tragic death of a college classmate. Ah! But it's so much more than that!Support the showPlease like, subscribe, and rate the podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you listen. Thank you!Email: classicenglishliterature@gmail.comFollow me on Instagram, Face...

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20:09

Christmas on Trial!

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2024/12/23

Send us a textThe original "War on Christmas"! This year's stocking stuffer looks at England's Christmas ban from 1647 to 1660 and at a rather quirky pamphlet entitled "The Examination and Trial of Old Father Christmas." Season's greetings, Litterbugs!Support the showPlease like, subscribe, and rate the podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you listen. Thank you!Email: classicenglishliterature@gmail.comFollow me on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, and YouTube.If you e...

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40:18

Cavaliers and Roundheads: The English Civil Wars

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2024/12/19

Send us a textToday we have a slightly different kind of show -- literary analysis takes a bit of a back seat to historical context. We'll look at the turbulent period between 1625 and 1660, when England went to war with itself over the roles of the monarchy and of Parliament. We'll look at primary historical documents as well as a little poetry to get a sense of the state of the nation as it begins its rise to a world power.Support the showPlease like, subscribe, and rate the pod...

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20:47

Thanksgiving in Plain Style

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2024/11/27

Send us a textThis Subcast episode marks the American Thanksgiving holiday by looking at two early accounts of the celebration by Pilgrims William Bradford and Edward Winslow and then turns to that great hymn of thanksgiving -- Psalm 107 -- from The Bay Psalm Book, the first book published in what would become the United States. We'll also look at what's called the "Puritan Plain Style" of composition, a marked departure from the ornate literature of its Anglican contemporaries.Support ...

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32:59

Carpe Diem!: The Cavalier Poets

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2024/11/17

Send us a textToday we look at the love children of John Donne and Ben Jonson, a group of monarchist soldiers during the English Civil War. Collectively known as the Cavalier Poets, they are numerous. We'll look at some representative poems today by Robert Herrick, Thomas Carew, Richard Lovelace, and the ill-fated and unfortunately named Sir John Suckling.Additional music:"Consort for Brass" by Kevin MacLeod"La Violetta" by Claudio Monteverdi; perf. The Boston Camerata, dir. Joel ...

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10:27

"Death the Leveller" by James Shirley

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2024/10/30

Send us a textThis year's Halloween Subcast episode looks at James Shirley's meditation on Death. I hope you love it!Support the showPlease like, subscribe, and rate the podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you listen. Thank you!Email: classicenglishliterature@gmail.comFollow me on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, and YouTube.If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting it with a small donation. Click the "Support the Show" button. So grateful!Podcast Theme Music: "Re...

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34:07

Cant, Costume, and Cutpurses: Dekker and Middleton's...

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2024/10/26

Send us a textLet's head into the Fortune Theatre for a performance of one of the most innovative and deceptively complex comedies of the English Renaissance. The Roaring Girl, or Moll Cutpurse explores the fluidity of social identity by the protagonist's use of clothing and language.Support the showPlease like, subscribe, and rate the podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you listen. Thank you!Email: classicenglishliterature@gmail.comFollow me on Instagram, Faceboo...

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36:10

"The test of experience": The Philosophy of Sir...

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2024/10/06

Send us a textWe'll get a bit philosophical today and look at the English language's greatest influence on the scientific revolution: politician, philosopher, and scientist Sir Francis Bacon. His Essays and "The Four Idols" from Novum Organon are our focus.Blue Grit Podcast: The Voice of Texas Law EnforcementHost: Clint McNear and Tyler Owen discussing topics, issues, and stories within the...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the showPlease like, subscribe, ...

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18:43

Vikings Are A Thing! The Scandinavian Influence on...

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2024/09/22

Send us a textThis is the first of what I'm calling the "Out of Time" episodes, an embedded series of Subcast shows that fill in gaps I may have missed along the way. Today, we fly our Out-of-Time-Machine all the way back to the 8th-century to see how the Danish invasions left an indelible mark upon English language and literature. Pack your battle-axe!Support the showPlease like, subscribe, and rate the podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you listen. Thank you!E...

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13:27

Will the Real Hamlet Please Stand Up

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2024/09/15

Send us a textHere's a short episode to answer a special request by a loyal listener! Let's dive a little deeper into the various versions of Shakespeare's Hamlet that have come down to us!Support the showPlease like, subscribe, and rate the podcast on Apple, Spotify, YouTube Music, or wherever you listen. Thank you!Email: classicenglishliterature@gmail.comFollow me on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, and YouTube.If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting it with a small d...

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24:49

An Unintended Episode: English Country House Poems

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2024/09/02

Send us a textI had not thought to do an episode on the English country house poetry of the 17th century, but was recently reminded of their place in the survey of early modern literature, so here's a look at that peculiar subgenre.In this show, we'll look at Aemilia Lanyer's "A Description of Cooke-ham" and Ben Jonson's "To Penshurst."Support the showPlease like, subscribe, and rate the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you listen. Thank you!Email: classicenglishliterature@gmail...

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39:33

John Webster's Sensational The Duchess of Malfi

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2024/08/20

Send us a Text Message.Let's head back to the theatre for a really blood-soaked tragedy! And while we're at it, let's think about the intersection between art and social criticism.Support the Show.Please like, subscribe, and rate the podcast on Apple, Spotify, Google, or wherever you listen. Thank you!Email: classicenglishliterature@gmail.comFollow me on Instagram, Facebook, Tik Tok, and YouTube.If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting it with a small donation. Click the "Suppo...

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40:49

Flesh and Spirit: The Writing of John Donne

The Classic English Literature Podcast ·

2024/08/05

Send us a Text Message.Poet and priest John Donne's work seems to transcend its early 17th century moment and feels as fresh and alive to us as anything written today. In this episode, we look at the following texts:"The Bait""Elegy 19: To His Mistress Going To Bed""Batter my heart""Death, be not proud""The Flea""A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning""Meditation 17" from Devotions Upon Emergent OccasionsAdditional music: "You Can Leave Your Hat On" by Randy Newman. Sail Away.&nb...

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