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Literature and History

With millions of downloads, hundreds of hours of soundtracked content, and an overall emphasis on the cultural history behind famous works of literature, Literature and History is one of the most popular independent podcasts on its subject. Starting with Sumerian cuneiform in 3,100 BCE, Literature and History moves forward in chronological order through Assyriology, Egyptology, the Old Testament, Ancient Greece and Rome, and the birth of Christianity. The show's current season is on Late Antiquity (or 200-700 CE) and the dawn of the Middle Ages. A typical episode (they average about two hours) features a general introduction to a work of literature, then a full summary of that work that expects no prior knowledge, and finally, an analysis of the cultural, biographical, and historical forces that gave rise to the work in question. Original symphonic and ambient background music is woven throughout each show, and all episodes offer free full, illustrated, footnoted transcriptions as well as quizzes for purposes of review. The show has no advertisements, and its host takes pride in a professional approach that avoids chitchat and ephemera and gets straight to the educational content. You can listen to the episodes in any order, although most listeners begin at the beginning and proceed from there, as the podcast itself is chronologically organized. Doug Metzger finished his Ph.D. in literature in 2011. His chief scholarly interest, following his dissertation work, continues to be 19th-century realism and postbellum American philosophy.
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Now displaying: 2016
Dec 21, 2016

Sophocles’ Theban Plays, 3 of 3. Antigone is a timeless and dark story about a clash of wills. But it’s also fascinating snapshot of the philosophical brawls of 5th-century BCE Athens.

Episode 32 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-032

Episode 32 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-032-trees-bending-to-the-torrent

Episode 32 Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwFjCe1JkVk

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Dec 7, 2016

Sophocles’ Theban Plays, 2 of 3. Oedipus at Colonus, out of the ashes of the Peloponnesian War, is a story about a man who has lost everything but his own dignity.

Episode 31 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-031

Episode 31 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-031-the-requiem-at-athens

Episode 31 Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z388AMTL9bE

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Nov 23, 2016

Sophocles’ Theban Plays, 1 of 3. Oedipus the King is one of literature’s great stories. It’s also a haunting window into the fears of war torn Athens in 429 BCE.

Episode 30 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-030

Episode 30 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-030-two-legs-in-the-afternoon

Episode 30 Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MroDLpX9Osg&t=257s

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Nov 11, 2016

Aeschylus’ Oresteian Trilogy, 3 of 3. Pursued all the away to Athens by the monstrous Furies, will Orestes prevail, or be torn apart?

Episode 29 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-029

Episode 29 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-029-the-mound-and-the-furies

Episode 29 Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1lNfUyKceE

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Oct 27, 2016

Aeschylus’ Oresteian Trilogy, 2 of 3. The infernal House of Atreus had witnessed almost every imaginable act of depravity. Except for one.

Episode 28 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-028

Episode 28 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-028-a-mothers-curse

Episode 28 Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3i2bnVuvks

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Oct 14, 2016

Aeschylus’ Oresteian Trilogy, 1 of 3. A terrible family curse. A wronged queen. The Trojan War was only the start of the bloodshed.

Episode 27 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-027

Episode 27 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-027-the-bloody-king

Episode 27 Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJwm-oSAVdo

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Sep 30, 2016

Masks. Choruses. Huge prosthetic penises. Before you read Sophocles, Euripides, and company, it’s a good idea to know a bit about Ancient Greek theater.

Episode 26 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-026

Episode 26 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-026-ancient-greek-theater

Episode 26 Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IPMk-r9QEw

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Sep 15, 2016

The work of Sappho, Pindar, and other remarkable Greek lyric poets makes us question everything we think we know about poetry, what it is, and what it does.

Episode 25 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-025

Episode 25 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-025-lyrical-ballistics

Episode 25 Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hO7YW3l7I8g

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Sep 1, 2016

The Old Testament, Part 10 of 10. The seventeen Prophetic Books, produced during war and diaspora, are both despairingly bleak and searingly hopeful.

Episode 24 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-024

Episode 24 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-024-god-may-relent

Episode 24 Song:
https://youtu.be/uSNJJuH7J5Y

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Aug 25, 2016

The Old Testament, Part 9 of 10. What’s the Song of Songs doing in the Bible? Is it a pious hymn to God, or just a couple of horny lovers talking to each other?

Episode 23 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-023

Episode 23 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-023-love-desire-exegesis

Episode 23 Song:
https://youtu.be/F3GTebN2ANU

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Aug 16, 2016

The Old Testament, Part 8 of 10. If there is one Biblical book that explains all of life, thick and thin, love and anguish, that book is probably Ecclesiastes.

Episode 22 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-022

Episode 22 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-022-fatalism

Episode 22 Song:
https://youtu.be/Ay1d0QTLVbM

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Jul 27, 2016

The Old Testament, Part 7 of 10. In the Book of Psalms, a single, fascinating, familiar linguistic device propels the world’s most famous poems.

Episode 21 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-021

Episode 21 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-021-the-bibles-magic-trick

Episode 21 Song:
https://youtu.be/kstguwXR1Ao

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Jul 15, 2016

The Old Testament, Part 6 of 10. If God is so good, then why do the good and innocent suffer? The Book of Job’s aim is to answer this question.

Episode 20 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-020

Episode 20 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-020-the-problem-of-evil

Episode 20 Song:
https://youtu.be/h9603n09bug

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Jun 29, 2016

The Old Testament, Part 5 of 10. The Historical Books tell of Israel’s conflicts with Syria, Assyria, Egypt, and finally, exile to the corridors of Babylon.

Episode 19 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-019

Episode 19 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-019-the-one-who-struggles-with-god

Episode 19 Song:
https://youtu.be/4QWkszvhg6g

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Jun 15, 2016

The Old Testament, Part 4 of 10. Eden, the Flood, the Commandments– all fine. But what’s with all the stuff about tents, sacrifices, and – uh – testicles?

Episode 18 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-018

Episode 18 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-018-the-613-commandments

Episode 18 Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_Rh2OONnxM

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Jun 1, 2016

The Old Testament, Part 3 of 10. Hear the Biblical story of creation and the first founders of Israel, and the texts that may have influenced this story.

Episode 17 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-017

Episode 17 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-017-roots-of-the-pentateuch

Episode 17 Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1uBUw1jEnw

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

May 25, 2016

The Old Testament, Part 2 of 10. There are tons of books, thousands of proper nouns, and many versions of the Old Testament. But all of it fits into four main parts.

Episode 16 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-016

Episode 16 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-016-four-main-parts

Episode 16 Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jTOi9p0NkO4

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

May 13, 2016

The Old Testament, Part 1 of 10. 1207 BCE. Two world empires. And between them, an unassuming strip of seacoast land that has been at the center of history, ever since.

Episode 15 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-015

Episode 15 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-015-canaan

Episode 15 Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsd53FrHRPY

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Apr 27, 2016

The Odyssey, Books 17-24. As we reach the violent climax of Odysseus’ great adventures, it’s time to spend some time considering Homer’s worldview.

Episode 14 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-014

Episode 14 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-014-the-autumn-leaves

Episode 14 Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBnFA5pOAcc

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Apr 19, 2016

The Odyssey, Books 9-16. The most famous part of Homer’s Odyssey sees Odysseus through perilous adventures and begins to give us a sense of who he is.

Episode 13 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-013

Episode 13 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-013-his-mind-teeming

Episode 13 Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t37bGTVsyQk

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Apr 13, 2016

The Odyssey, Books 1-8. Adventure, monsters, temptresses, and a whole lot of wine-dark Aegean. Learn all about the world of Homer’s Odyssey.

Episode 12 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-012

Episode 12 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-012-kleos-and-nostos

Episode 12 Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gJifP09BwU0

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Mar 27, 2016

The Iliad, Books 17-24. As the Iliad reaches its spectacular climax, it’s time to ask a big question. Who wrote it?

Episode 11 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-011

Episode 11 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-011-who-was-homer

Episode 11 Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX29MfZlMlU

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Mar 27, 2016

The Iliad, Books 9-16. The violent and spellbinding middle books of the Iliad leave us with questions about Homer’s theology.

Episode 10 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-010

Episode 10 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-010-homers-gods

Episode 10 Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkHXYs8Irl8

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Mar 27, 2016

The Iliad, Books 1-8. Homer’s Iliad is the Tyrannosaurus Rex of ancient epics. And at the core of its 24 books is one shiny metal.

Episode 9 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-009

Episode 9 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-009-glittering-bronze-men

Episode 9 Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP6JmLa7hck

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

Feb 12, 2016

Elementals, giants, titans and gods! Hesiod’s Theogony chronicles a great war – one which would leave a single entity sovereign over the cosmos.

Episode 8 Quiz:
https://literatureandhistory.com/quiz-008

Episode 8 Transcription:
https://literatureandhistory.com/episode-008-before-orthodoxy

Episode 8 Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tC91eGoigNg

Bonus Content:
https://literatureandhistory.com/bonus-content

Patreon:
https://www.patreon.com/literatureandhistory

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