How the theme of hero worship grew from tales of King Arthur in Malory's "Le Morte D'Arthur". Included: comments from filmmaker George Lucas on how the "Star Wars" films evolved from the book. Narrated by Donald Sutherland.
How Mary Shelley's novel "Frankenstein" reflects concerns about the consequences of scientific experimentation. Included: a profile of Shelley; comments from authors Anne Rice and Anne K. Mellor. Donald Sutherland narrates.
The scientific and sociological impact of Darwin's "The Origin of Species." Included: comments from Rev. Jerry Falwell; a re-creation of Darwin's voyage on the HMS Beagle. Narrated by Donald Sutherland.
Written in 1949, George Orwell envisioned a grim future. By 1984, he imagined political leaders manipulating the multitudes into placing infinite faith in their power. In Great Books: 1984, revisit Orwell's life and work, and explore his darkest novel which is sometimes difficult to distinguish from today's reality.
An examination of “The Inferno,” the 14th-century work by author Dante Alighieri that details the implications and consequences of life choices.
There is a dark side to each one of us where our forbidden fear, lust and anger lurk. These unconscious desires do not rest quietly in the human psyche. They are in a sense our enemy within. One man believed he could exorcise our demons through the study of dreams. Sigmund Freud took pride in disturbing the sleep of humanity. At the turn of the century in Vienna, Austria, Dr. Sigmund Freud claimed he had discovered a new doorway to the unconscious... So tell me anything that comes into your mind. Perhaps we could begin with your dream last night. Freud's self-proclaimed masterpiece, The Interpretation of Dreams, offered readers a window into our most secret selves. In his revolutionary work, Freud suggested that often the purpose of dreams is to satisfy through fantasy the instinctive urges that society judges unacceptable. The laws of logic that rule our waking world do not apply to the kingdom of sleep where we are free to experience fantastic adventures. For Freud this liberation of fantasy was a path that led to the heart of the unconscious.
It is said that the apple fell on Newton's head, but it was Galileo who planted the tree. This program examines The Dialogue "arguably the most controversial book of its time" and the tumultuous events revolving around Galileo's visionary scientific achievements. The insights of Harvard University's Owen Gingerich, emeritus professor of the history of science; George Coyne, director of the Vatican Observatory; and others, plus dramatizations of scenes from the book and Galileo's trial, capture the intellectual fervor of the Scientific Revolution and the Church's struggle to discourage acceptance of Copernican cosmology.
In the story of Gulliver's Travels a beached sailor takes four voyages to visit creatures large and small, in places far away. It is a dark and comical tale, read on many levels, characterized by a grotesque and deviate view of human kind. Perhaps it's an attempt to answer the question, "Who are we?" or "What is our nature?" At carnivals and amusement parks we can see ourselves and others from different perspectives. Our imagination is engaged as we see mirrors and distortions of ourselves. Long ago, there lived a genius and prolific writer, Jonathan Swift, who wrote a tale on distorted creatures and distorted perspectives. In it, he seemed to ask that question for us all: Who am I?
The most mysterious character in American literature may well be a great white whale. It represents what is at once beautiful, terrifying and incomprehensible in the universe. The story of an obsessed captain and his quest to hunt down and kill the great white whale has become part of our consciousness re-told in everything from comic books to Hollywood movies. It's a tall tale about pursuit into the unknown, a tale encompassing humankind's history on earth, and its struggle between reason and madness, good and evil.
“Alice in Wonderland,” by Lewis Carroll, is examined. Included: state-of-the-art computer animation, reenactments and puppets illustrate the story. Also: interviews.
A look at H.G. Wells' "War of the Worlds." Also: a discussion of the author's life by two of his biographers, David Smith and Michael Coren. Donald Sutherland is the narrator.
Sun-tzu's "The Art of War," a 4th-century treatise on war and strategy, and its impact on contemporary politics and business. Included: comments from Gen. William Westmoreland (USA Ret.). Donald Sutherland narrates.
Examining Twain's portrayal of slavery in "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" (1884). Donald Sutherland is the narrator.
Take a look at the Greek myths and The Odyssey's lessons of morality. Scholars and critics discuss the impact of The Odyssey on Western literature, as well as the now-familiar heroic traits first seen in Homer's characters.
Plato's "Republic," the Greek philosopher's dialogue on government, equality and education. Included: dramatizations of Athenian society and re-creations of scenes from the book.
A look at "The Scarlet Letter," Nathaniel Hawthorne's tale of scandal, morality and hypocrisy in Puritan New England. Included: re-creations of the novel; the author's views on life and relationships; and comments from historians.
A look at "The Prince," Machiavelli's treatise on the inglorious nature of government, which made the author's name synonymous with political manipulation.
Jonathan Swift's satirical masterwork Gulliver's Travels is much more than a children's classic. Seventeenth-century England was a country ripe with social ironies, and Swift plucked them all, placing them in a story alive with narrative drive. Discover the inner and outer worlds of Swift and how his prickly prose remains on target today.
F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby focuses on how the American dream may be unattainable, as seen through Jay Gatsby's desire for Daisy Buchanan. Fitzgerald and his character Gatsby have similar family backgrounds and love lives. The extravagance and imagery portrayed in The Great Gatsby has been the basis for advertising campaigns, and the novel's popularity has inspired several film adaptations.
