Introduction to Literature

This program features poets who turn to the past and to their own cultural heritage to understand the present. They eloquently reflect their own personal journeys through poetry. Garrett Kaoru Hongo's work reflects his Japanese-American heritage. Hongo began to write poetry because he wanted more than anything to belong to the history of Asians in America." Joy Harjo's poetry is influenced by her Native American heritage. Her poetry emphasizes the oral tradition and sacred imagery of her Native American ancestors. Mary TallMountain's work draws on her Native American and Anglo background. Her poetry recalls her childhood memories of life in an Alaskan village and the life she left behind when she was adopted by an Anglo family. (60 minutes)"

This comprehensive series-compiled in part from the extensive archives of the BBC-profiles 13 giants of 20th-century fiction and the influences that shaped their work. Excerpts from personal diaries, footage never before viewed by American audiences, remembrances of contemporaries, and comments by literary experts offer insight into the creative psyche of each writer. 13-part series, 50 minutes each.

From his assault on New Criticism to his salvos against the school of resentment," literary scholar Harold Bloom has fused an eloquent defense of the western canon with insightful analysis and a rebel's penchant for controversy. This imaginative program, the first-ever documentary on Bloom's far-reaching contributions to literary criticism, ushers viewers through the complex world of his writings, ideas, influences, and impact. Presenting extensive commentary from Bloom himself, the film also features detailed interviews with the renowned Sir Frank Kermode, a long-time colleague and sometime rival of Bloom's, and The New School's Dr. Nicholas Birns, literary critic and former student of both Bloom and Kermode. Academics who have studied Bloom's career-including Dr. Xavier Perez Torio of Pompeu Fabra University and Dr. Raffaele Pinto of the University of Barcelona-are also included. A Films for the Humanities & Sciences Production. (60 minutes)"

Just the Facts: Understanding Literature presents an innovative, lively, and contemporary approach to understanding the basic elements of fiction, drama, and poetry and fostering an appreciation of literature. In each program, a young host and hostess guide viewers through the basic elements of each genre with colorful graphics and an informative narrative from English professors. Question-and-answer sections throughout the programs reinforce the concepts presented. Just the Facts: Understanding Literature offers a unique learning experience and an effective teaching tool.

Figurative language, meter and rhyme, simile, and metaphor -- these are a few of the many topics explored in this lively video tour through the genre of poetry. Other elements illustrated in the program include: Oxymoron, assonance, alliteration, imagery, understatement, hyperbole and more...
A young host and hostess guide viewers through the basic elements of poetry with colorful graphics and an informative narrative. In addition, professors of English provide insight to help viewers understand poetry. An interactive component of multiple choice questions reinforces concepts presented in the program and enhances understanding of the basic elements of poetry.

This 3-part series filmed at the Biennial Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival complements the Bill Moyers series The Language of Life. Designed with the classroom in mind, each program includes poems and commentary from several of the 19 contemporary poets featured. The poets represent a wide range of poetic styles. 3-part series, 60 minutes each.

Blending superbly enacted drama with expert commentary and biography, this series spotlights the principal works of T. S. Eliot, James Joyce, Luigi Pirandello, and seven other icons of literary modernism. A separate discussion of their ideas by a panel of eminent contemporary writers and critics rounds out the series, both complementing and unifying it. 11-part series, 53-61 minutes each.