Placing the Author: Wordsworth, De Quincey and Dove Cottage/ The Poets of Harlem
- Synopsis
- This video, taken from the Open University’s A230 Reading and Studying module, looks at how landscapes and communities have influenced some of our most famous poetry. From William Wordsworth’s Daffodils of the Lake District to the modern poetry of Harlem’s 1920s writers, the landscape and communities shine through the verses. Nestled in "the loveliest spot that man hath ever found", Wordsworth’s cottage is visited by fans from across the world. Wordsworth and his sister Dorothy retreated to a simple life where he could create the myth of the Romantic poet. His myth drew nervous fan Thomas de Quincey into this idyllic scene. De Quincey’s friendship with the Wordsworths soured as his addiction to opium escalated, yet it was he who took over the cottage when the Wordsworths left.
Described as "a magnet for intellectuals", Harlem was a unique crucible during the 1920s in which black culture could thrive. This Manhattan neighbourhood gained a near mythical status though the artists of the Harlem Renaissance. Two writers in particular, Langston Hughes and Claude McKay, fell in love with Harlem. As Hughes mapped Harlem street by street, he captured the rhythms of blues singers, jazz saxophones and speakeasies in his experimental modern poetry. - Series
- A230, Reading and Studying Literature, Course
- Language
- English
- Country
- Great Britain
- Year of release
- 2012
- Year of production
- 2011
- Subjects
- Geography; Literature
- Keywords
- communities; cultural influences; landscapes; poetry; social geography; Wordsworth, William (1770-1850); de Quincey, Thomas
Distribution Formats
- Type
- DVD
- Format
- Region 2 PAL
- Price
- £12.00
- Availability
- Sale
- Duration/Size
- 60 minutes
- Year
- 2012
Production Company
- Name
Open University
Distributor
- Name
Open University Worldwide
- Web
- http://www.ouw.co.uk External site opens in new window
- Phone
- +44 (0) 1908 274066
- Address
- Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA - Notes
- NB. As of May 2016 Open University Worldwide are no longer distributing DVDs. They have posted this message on their website: ‘Unfortunately Open University Worldwide Limited has decided that product sales are no longer viable given the reduced funding to Higher Education institutions and diminishing demand for the products we have traditionally stocked. At present the Open University Students Association (OUSA) will continue to sell the "Good Study Guide", and we are in discussion with other possible distributors to continue to make The Open University’s products available for purchase. As soon as we have any information on other channels of distribution we will update this notice’. Some products are still available via second hand dealers on Amazon.co.uk
Record Stats
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