Mr Hopkins' Podcasting

O Where Are You Going?

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 19:06:00 +0000

This podcast is on the W H Auden poem 'O Where Are You Going?' - a question we could well ask Mr Auden: 'Where are you going with this poem?' Perhaps we should listen to this podcast to find out!

Form, structure and language in Auden's 'Ode'

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 10:02:00 +0000

Are you brave enough to tackle 'Ode'? No? Well then: listen to this.

Introduction to the Auden's 'Ode'

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:52:00 +0000

Try this introduction to Auden's poem 'Ode'.

The Road - 1

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:59:00 +0000

This is the first podcast on Cormac McCarthy's The Road. The podcast covers some of the more basic pointers of AO2 that you definitely need to understand.

As I Walked Out One Evening

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:58:00 +0000

This is the second podcast on 'As I Walked Out One Evening'. MAke sure you listen to the other on first; this podcast talks about the moment that the 'clocks' start speaking right the way through to the end of the poem.

O What is that Sound?

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:57:00 +0000

'O WHat is that Sound' is a ballad; or rather, Auden (like Coleridge) uses the conventions of a ballad in order to create interesting meanings. Although there is FAR more to say about this poem than can be expressed in a few minutes, this podcast is a good place to start.

As I Walked Out One Evening

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:50:00 +0000

This poem appears very simple at the start; it isn't! The meanings of the poem are philosophical: time, love and life are explored. They aren't so much defined, as 'explored'. However, the construction of the poem is fascinating, too. Here, the podcast covers the frame narrative and the first change of 'point of view' - Auden's doing very well to include all those in the first few stanzas.

Othello - Othello's Descent into 'Otherness'

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 12:27:00 +0000

This podcast covers Othello's descent from rhetorical master into illogical babbling prose! In many ways, Othello actually BECOMES an 'other' because of the treatment Iago gives him: 'working' (Othello even uses the word 'wrought' int hat sense) Othello into the madman he becomes.

Othello - Introduction to Tragedy

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 12:23:00 +0000

This is a very brief podcast on the features of tragedy: you need to write about these for AO4! This podcast takes you through the plot, and the features of a tragic hero, tragic villain and tragic victim.

Message for Adult Education class

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 11:51:00 +0000

Very quick message for my adult education class: if you can't find the podcasts you're looking for - try the Archive on the right of this screen; podcasts for The Rime of The Ancient Mariner date from September and October 08. Search through the Archive by clicking on the dates shown. Click on the green title of each podcast to launch it - it will launch in whatever media player your computer uses. You can register for podcasts by clicking on the orange icon on the right of this screen and then choosing one of the subscriber options on the white screen that appears.

'Oh, Mephistopilis...'

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:54:00 +0000

1, 2, 3... take it away...

Now I’m the king of the sinners, the Wittenberg V.I.P./ I reached the top and had to stop and that’s what’s bothering me./ Got me a pliant demon, called Mephistopheles./ I’m glutted with conceit of this, such rare delicacies.// CHORUS: Oh Mephistopheles, I wanna be evil please./ I wanna rend the clouds and gain a deity./ For 24 years I’ll trade my soul./ consummatum est! Oh Faustus, you’re a fool!// Now the devil can’t get me a wife, so here’s Helen of Troy./ My powers amount to conjuring tricks; I’m a lucky little boy./ I’ll leap up to my God, repenting of my sins,/ But Lucifer, or Mephistopheles threaten to tear me into bits.// (CHORUS) // Now take a look at Faustus, with one bare hour to live:/ Being damned perpetually, and nothing good to give./ Mountains come and fall on me, hide me from the wrath of God/ The devil will come, this power’s a sham, and Faustus must be damned.// (CHROUS)// (CHORUS)

Faustus Podcast One

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:49:00 +0000

This podcast gives you some background to Dr Faustus. Enjoy!

Faustus Podcast Two

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 20:47:00 +0000

This podcast gives some more background on Dr Faustus and morality plays.

Small Island - Chpater 2

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:42:00 +0000

Poor old Gilbert! We surely feel some sympathy with this rather useless man in Chapter Two. Also, find out about interogatives, imperatives and declaratives and language gender theory! Is the fact that Hortense asks so many questions important? Is the fact that she wears white gloves important? Of course they are. You're a click away from finding out why.

Small Island - Chapter 1

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:40:00 +0000

Poor old Hortense! Find out about chapter one here. What are we supposed to think about her; how is Levy setting up her character?

Small Island - The Prologue

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:33:00 +0000

Overlook the prologue at your peril! The prologue of Andrea Levy's book foregrounds all the themes of the novel (that's what it's there for). Look carefully, or step right this way...

Coleridge and Philosophy

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 21:06:00 +0000

Coleridge was influenced greatly by the philosophers of his age, particularly Hume, Kant and Rousseau. His poetry is a reaction against the Utilitarian argument and the Enlightenment project. Find out more here.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner - part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 19:29:00 +0000

Part 3: Death and Life in Death play dice in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner's most unusual and gothic section. This is intended as a revision of lesson 3 of our term: simply a rundown of the events in part 3.

The Rime of The Ancient Mariner - Part 2 (ctd)

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:21:00 +0000

This is the second part of the podcast on Part Two.

The Rime of The Ancient Mariner - Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:19:00 +0000

This is the first part of the podcast on Part Two of the poem.

The Rime of The Ancient Mariner - Part 1 (ctd)

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 17:18:00 +0000

The second part of the podcast on the first part of the poem.

The Rime of The Ancient Mariner - Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 16:40:00 +0000

Hear about Part One here. This is a two part podcast. Consult your glossary if you come across any terms that you don't understand.

The Rime of The Ancient Mariner - Intro

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 17:11:00 +0000

This short intro is designed as a basic introduction to the text, along with some sketching in of the context of the masterpiece. Remember, though, that biography is unwanted in your exam responses. Use the glossary that I have given you, if you are unsure about of any of the terms used. Use the school's Moodle if you want to post me any questions.

Appologies for the delay in getting this posted - there have been a lot of boring technical difficulties.

Regeneration - Chapters 3 & 4

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 14:22:00 +0000

Here's a rundown of some of the important points in Chapters 3 and 4. Many of the things that are discussed by the characters, or described by Pat Barker recur throughout the novel, so be on the lookout for motifs and themes.

Regeneration - Ideological State Apparatus

noreply@blogger.com (Mr Hopkins says:) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 09:29:00 +0000

We've talked about 'Homosocial' relations in the novel, however there is another major strand that we needs to talk about: the way that 'duty' and 'free will' are in conflict all the way through. What makes this interesting is that ALL the characters internalise this conflict and it affects them all differently. There's an essay title in that, someome! Anyway, here's some terminology we can use from axe-wielding madman (no. really) and social theorist Louis Althusser. He described two forces that affect the way way act and think - these are (1) Represive State Apparatus: the things that FORCE us to do what the government says and (2) Ideological State Apparatus: the things that make us THINK/act/desire what the government wants us to think/act/desire. All the characters in Regeneration have internal conflicts between what they want to do and what the state is telling them they should want to do. Great stuff, this novel.