The Moral of the Story
Illustrated picture books in Victorian England reached new aesthetic heights. But was it always for the benefit of the children?
Literature
Catullus and Lesbia’s Sparrow
Roman poet Catullus transformed an unremarkable bird – the sparrow – into a contested symbol of eroticism.
Beowulf the Bro
A new translation finds Beowulf comfortably at home in the 21st century.
The Romantic Reputation of John Keats
On his death two centuries ago, Keats and his work looked sure to be forgotten. Why is he now so well loved?
What’s in a Name?
Erasing women writers in the name of uplifting them.
Angels Ever Bright and Fair
The ‘Angels of Mons’, a short story written in the earliest days of the First World War, became an enduring symbol of British providence.
Frankenstein: Between Two Worlds
Mary Shelley’s great novel is not a commentary on the Industrial Revolution, nor is it a simple retelling of the myth of Prometheus. It is far more original than that.
Chaucer: The Poet in His World
Is a biography of Chaucer impossible?
Don’t Judge a Book by its Cover (Quote)
How does the reader decide if a history book is worth their time?
The Enigma of Emily Brontë
Since the moment Emily Brontë died we have tried – and failed – to understand who she was.