The Wade Deacon English Department Podcast

The Character of Banquo

"I fear thou played’st most foully for't" Banquo says of his closest friend Macbeth in Act 3 Scene 1. In this moment, he reveals his suspicion of his friend's treachery and so, seals his own fate. In this podcast, Ms Griffiths tracks the character development of Banquo from Macbeth's right hand man to the ghostly, blood-soaked vision he later becomes. 

Women in Macbeth

Lady Macbeth is one of the most notorious villains in the Shakespearean canon - in part because she is the antithesis to everything women at the time were expected to be! In this podcast, Ms Noone examines our "fiend like queen" and the other vastly varying representations of womanhood in Macbeth. 

Ambition in Macbeth

Ambition is arguably the driving force behind the downfall of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth. In this podcast, Ms Rouski explores how "brave Macbeth" becomes known as a butcher and a traitor when he blindly follows his "vaulting ambition."

Macbeth Plot Summary

Shakespeare's most bloodstained text, Macbeth, tells the tale of a barbaric couple overcome by ambition and an endless desire for power. Ms Bray takes you on a tour through this dark and dastardly story, with references to key scenes, characters and quotations.

Death of a Naturalist by Seamus Heaney

Ms Smith heads down to the flax dam to uncover the details of Seamus Heaney's autobiographical poem about a young boy who loses his fascination of nature as he grows up.

Mametz Wood by Owen Sheers

Can you imagine being told to "walk not run" into a wood full of "nesting machine guns"? This was the brutal reality for the 38th Welsh Division of the British Army during the First Battle of the Somme. In this podcast, Ms Barker discusses the morbid imagery that Owen Sheers uses to bring these soldiers' stories to life.

Living Space by Imtiaz Dharker

For us, the precarious homes built in the 'slums' of Mumbai are something we learn about in Geography - but for the hundreds of thousands of people living there, they are reality. In this podcast, Ms Bray considers Imtiaz Dharker's portrayal of life in these conditions: hazardous, yet hopeful.

To Autumn by John Keats

What is your favourite season? Most people would probably pick summer, with the holidays and hot weather - or maybe winter, a time of celebration and gift giving. In this podcast, Mr Buxton explores why John Keats made the unusual choice of celebrating autumn - and finds out why the poet found such hidden beauty in this season of change. 

She Walks in Beauty by Lord Byron

Mad, bad and dangerous to know - Lord Byron was one of the most notorious and infamous figures of the Romantic era. In this podcast, Ms Carr examines his juxtapositions of dark and light in this celebration of unusual beauty.

As Imperceptibly as Grief by Emily Dickinson

Can you imagine spending most of your life in just one room? For poet and social recluse Emily Dickinson, that was her reality - and one she reflected on in much of her poetry. In this podcast, Ms Jacob explores the isolated and melancholy world of the celebrated poet.