PBS
A Farewell to Arms: Shaping Fact for Fiction
Clips from the documentary Hemingway by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick reveal how Ernest Hemingway incorporated his own war experiences in A Farewell to Arms. Young writers then take an experience from their own lives and craft it...
PBS
Hemingway’s Influences and Contemporaries
Three clips from the documentary Hemingway by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick explore the events and people who influenced Ernest Hemingway.
PBS
Exploring Hemingway’s Style
The man, the myth, and the reality. Three clips from the documentary Hemingway by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick introduce viewers to the unique features of Ernest Hemingway's writing style and the events in Hemingway's life that...
PBS
Dr. Bledsoe: A Fictional Booker T. Washington
Many critics believe that the character of Dr. Bledsoe in Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man was modeled after Booker T. Washington. After watching a clip from the film Ralph Ellison: An American Journey about the Washington Bledsoe...
PBS
Invisible Man: Battle Royal
A film reenactment of the "Battle Royal" scene in Chapter 1 of Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man offers readers a chance to compare the film version of the scene to the novel's depiction. The discussion questions ask readers to consider the...
TED-Ed
"First Kiss" by Tim Seibles
Viewers have an opportunity to not only hear Tim Seibles read his poem "First Kiss" but to watch animations provided by a team of artists as well.
Crash Course
The Birth of Off Broadway: Crash Course Theater #47
Many Broadway shows, including Hamilton, got their start off the infamous street. Video 47 from the Crash Course Drama and Theater playlist focuses on the creation of Off-Broadway theater. Discussion centers around specific theaters and...
Crash Course
Broadway, Seriously: Crash Course Theater #46
Not all Broadway shows feature exciting kick lines and jaw-dropping ballads. The 46th video from the Crash Course Drama and Theater Playlist talks about the serious side of Broadway. Part of the video covers the work of Tennessee...
Crash Course
Beckett, Ionesco, and the Theater of the Absurd: Crash Course Theater #45
Life doesn't make sense, so theater shouldn't make sense either. A video about the theater of the absurd, the 45th installment of the Crash Course Drama and Theater series, discusses the unique movement in theater history. An overview of...
Crash Course
Bertolt Brecht and Epic Theatre: Crash Course Theater #44
A video, number 44 on the Crash Course Drama and Theater playlist, covers the work of Bertolt Brecht, who believed theater should be more than an escape from reality. Content covers a range of Brecht's styles and includes a summary of...
Crash Course
Antonin Artaud and the Theatre of Cruelty: Crash Course Theater #43
Despite spending many years in a sanatorium, Antonin Artaud became a well-known playwright. Video 43 from the Crash Course Drama and Theater playlist describes the life work of the French playwright with a focus on the theater of...
Crash Course
Federal Theatre and Group Theatre: Crash Course Theater #42
Method acting got its start in the 1930s. A video, the 42nd video in the Crash Course Theater and Drama playlist, describes the theater scene during the 1930s, including the introduction of method acting. Information on Waiting for...
Crash Course
The Harlem Renaissance: Crash Course Theater #41
Artists shattered stereotypes during the Harlem Renaissance. Video 41 on the Crash Course Drama and Theater playlist describes art and theater during the time period with a focus on Broadway plays and musicals written by...
Crash Course
Little Theater and American Avant Garde: Crash Course Theater #40
When it comes to quality theater, Americans were tardy to the party. A video on early American theater, number 40 on the Crash Course Drama and Theater playlist, shares information about plays during the early 20th century. ...
Crash Course
Futurism and Constructivism: Crash Course Theater #39
Politics and theater go hand-in-hand. The 39th video in the Crash Course Theater and Drama series introduces plays from the futurist and constructivist movements, including works from an Italian fascist. A summary of "The Storming of the...
Crash Course
Expressionist Theater: Crash Course Theater #38
Darkness. Murder. Emotion. These traits characterize expressionist theater. A video, number 38 on the Crash Course Drama and Theater playlist, discusses key themes and works from the period. An overview of Spring Awakening, which...
Crash Course
Dada, Surrealism, and Symbolism: Crash Course Theater #37
Video 37 in the Crash Course Drama and Theater playlist discusses surrealism, as well as symbolism and dadaism in the world of theater. Playwrights the narrator discusses include Maurice Maeterlinck, Paul Fort, Lugne Poe, and Andre...
Crash Course
Synge, Wilde, Shaw, and the Irish Renaissance: Crash Course Theater #36
Some of the greatest plays contain only one act. A video, the 36th in the Crash Course Theater and Drama playlist, provides an overview of playwrights connected to the Irish Renaissance, particularly J.M. Synge, who was known for his...
Crash Course
Get Outside and Have a (Mystery) Play: Crash Course Theater #10
In the Middle Ages, theater left the church of moved outside to a secular stage. An interesting video describes the transition from pulpit to public venue, discussing common plot lines and other aspects of medieval drama. Animated...
TED-Ed
Why Should You Read "Waiting for Godot"?
Sometimes life feels like a tragic comedy. A video about the play Waiting for Godot describes the play as a tragic comedy. Viewers see a summary of the famous drama and its history before answering multiple-choice and open-ended...
PBS
An Iconic Character | Little Women
As Amy lament's Jo's decision to rid herself of her singular beauty, Marmee puts a hand to her mouth, awed by her daughter's generosity. Watch the pivotal scene from a Masterpiece production of Little Women, and lead a language arts...
British Council
The Tempest 2: Greed, Wrath and Lust
A magician strands a group of people on a deserted island and The Tempest begins. A video introduces English learners to Shakespeare's dramatic—and final—play. After listening to a summary of the plot and analysis of one of the...
Crash Course
Shakespeare's Tragedies and an Acting Lesson: Crash Course Theater #15
Who doesn't love a play where most of the characters die? Such deaths are a defining characteristic of many of Shakespeare's tragedies, the topic of an informational video on the Bard and his works. Along with outlining the plot elements...
British Council
Much Ado 2: Fun to Play
Audiences around the world love Shakespeare. A video and set of accompanying tasks, part of the Shakespeare English Exercises series, discusses how audiences in Japan react to Shakespearean plays. The exercises after the video help check...