The History of English Podcast

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Episodes

Date Title & Description Contributors
2024-11-13

  Episode 180: English on the Move

In the first decade of the 1600s, English speakers were on the move as they established the first permanent English settlement in North America. They also began a steady a migration to northern Ireland after an event known to history … Continue reading...
  Kevin Stroud author
2024-09-24

  Episode 179: Defining Moments

In the early 1600s, several landmark events shaped the history of England and determined how and where the English language would be spoken in the centuries that followed. The period from 1602-1605 saw the end of the Elizabethan era, the … Continue rea...
  Kevin Stroud author
2024-08-07

  Episode 178: Much Ado About Hamlet

In the first couple of years of the 1600s, several new Shakespeare plays appeared. ‘Much Ado About Nothing’ and ‘As You Like It’ were recorded in the Stationer’s Register, and a third play called ‘The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of … Continue reading →
  Kevin Stroud author
2024-06-26

  Episode 177: Dressed for Success

In this episode, we look at clothing and fashion in the Elizabethan era, and we examine the connection between clothing, custom and language. We also examine Shakespeare’s plays about the lives of Julius Caesar and Henry V of England. Along … Continue ...
  Kevin Stroud author
2024-05-09

  Episode 176: All the World’s a Playhouse

Theaters were an important part of cultural life in Elizabethan England, and they contributed many words to the English language. Those words joined thousands of other words that were pouring into English from around the world. In this episode, we … Co...
  Kevin Stroud author
2024-03-25

  Episode 175: The English of Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet is one of William Shakespeare’s most popular plays and one of the most popular plays ever written. In this episode, we examine the language of the play to see how it reflects the English of Elizabethan England, … Continue reading →
  Kevin Stroud author
2024-02-08

  Episode 174: Speak and Spell

English spelling largely reflects the state of the language in the late 1500s. In this episode, we look at one of the first English spelling books, and we explore several plays by William Shakespeare to examine the way he rhymed … Continue reading →
  Kevin Stroud author
2024-01-02

  Episode 173: Fooling Around

In this episode, we look at the development of English comedy in the early modern era. We examine some of William Shakespeare’s early comedies, and we also distinguish Shakespearean comedy from other types of comedic performances which had been popular...
  Kevin Stroud author
2023-11-20

  Episode 172: Succession

In this episode, we explore the concept of a successful succession. During the early 1590s, France was divided by a bitter conflict over the succession of Henry of Navarre to the French throne. Meanwhile, William Shakespeare wrote a couple of … Continu...
  Kevin Stroud author
2023-10-09

  Episode 171: Shakespeare’s English (featuring Ben Crystal)

In this episode, we turn our attention to the wordcraft of William Shakespeare. Today, many people have mixed opinions about his plays and poems. They know that he is widely regarded as the greatest English writer of all time, but … Continue reading →
  Kevin Stroud author