British Universities Film & Video Council

moving image and sound, knowledge and access

Discovery of England’s Past, The

Synopsis
Three-part radio series presented by Jonathan Bate. In the first episode Bate shows how Elizabethans under Queen Elizabeth presided over a flowering of literature and maps and ‘discovered England’. Bate opens an original copy of Holinshed’s Chronicles, which proved so influential for Elizabethan poets and playwrights. Includes extracts from the Marlowe Society’s recording of King John (V vii ‘This England never did, nor never shall/Lie at the proud foot of a conqueror’), Laurence Olivier in HENRY V (1944) giving the St Crispin’s Day speech (IV iii), John Gielgud reciting from John of Gaunt’s speech in Richard II (II i ‘This Royal throne’). Extracts from Holinshed’s Chronicles are read by Peter Wickham and Annabel Patterson.
Series
Discovery of England, The
Language
English
Country
Great Britain
Medium
Radio
Transmission details
27 Mar 2003 at 11:30
Duration
34 mins

Credits

Producer
Matthew Dodd
Contributor
Annabel Patterson; Jonathan Bate
Cast
John Gielgud 
Peter Wickham 

Additional Details

Production type
Documentary/Educational/News
Subjects
Drama; English language and literature; History
Keywords
history of the 16th century; Shakespeare, William (1564-1616); national identity; Literary Sources

Production Company

Name

BBC

Notes
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Archive

Name

British Library Sound Archive

Email
listening@bl.uk
Web
http://www.bl.uk/nsa External site opens in new window
Phone
020 7412 7676
Fax
020 7412 7441
Address
96 Euston Road
London
NW1 2DB

Record Stats

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