Fantasy Literature
Episodes
Prequels and Sequels - Theresa Sprecht
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A look at prequels and sequels in transdmedia fantasy - Theresa Sprecht Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at...
Manga - Minjie Su
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A look at Manga, history, and fantasy Manga stories - MInjie Su Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter ...
Games (short talk) - Stuart Lee
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fantasy gaming - Stuart Lee Short talk (10 minutes) - Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. T...
Game of Thrones - Carolyne Larrington
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The impact of G R R Martin's Game of Thrones and the TV series - Carolyne Larrington Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September ...
Arresting Strangeness and Fan Fiction (short talk) - Megan Laybourn
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Fan fiction and fantasy literature - Megan Laybourn Short talk (10 minutes) - Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) h...
Interview with Samantha Shannon
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Interview with Samantha Shannon Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was ...
Interview with Samantha Shannon
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Interview with Samantha Shannon Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College. This summer school was ...
Publishing Fantasy Panel - Bloomsbury Publishing Team
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A panel discussion, with introduction by Sir Nigel Newton (founder of Bloomsbury Publishing Ltd) A lengthy discussion by commissioning editors on what...
Jinn, Faith, and Oral Folklore (short talk) - Sarah Mughal Rana
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A look at non-western fantasy literature and influences by the writer Sarah Mughal Rana. Short talk (10 minutes) - Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summe...
After Tolkien (short talk) - Felix Taylor
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Susan Cooper, Diana Wynne Jones, and Alana Garner by Felix Taylor Short talk (10 minutes) - Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th Sep...
J. R. R. Tolkien - Stuart Lee
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Applying the DISCWORLD framework to Tolkien - Stuart Lee Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exeter College...
Norse Myths and E. R. Eddison (short talk) - Grace Khuri
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A look at he influences of Norse Myths on E. R. Addison - Grace Khuri Short talk (10 minutes) - Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th...
Weird Fiction (short talk) - Felix Taylor
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An introduction to weird fiction and the key writers - Felix Taylor Short talk (10 minutes) - Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th S...
C. S. Lewis and the Origins of Narnia - Simon Horobin
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An introduction to C. S. Lewis and his Narnia novels - Simon Horobin Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Ex...
The Oxford School of Fantasy (short talk) - Carolyne Larrington
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A short exploration of the 'Oxford School' of fantasy - Carolyne Larrington Short talk (10 minutes) - Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23r...
19thc Fantasy - Morris and Macdonald - Katie Harling Lee
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
they influences and writings of William Morris and George MacDonald - Katie Harling Lee Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th Septemb...
Fairy Tale and Fantasy - Ros Ballaster
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The influences and history of fairy and folk tales - Rod Ballaster Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at Exet...
Modern Re-enchantment and the Medieval Fantastic - Bond West
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Medieval literature and the influences on modern fantasy literature Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) held at E...
Arthurian Literature (short talk) - Gabriel Schenk
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Arthurian influences on fantasy literature especially T. H. White - Gabriel Schenk Short talk (10 minutes) - Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer Scho...
Myths and Legends (short talk) - Carolyne Larrington
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
The early history of fantasy - myths and legends - by Carolyne Larrington Short talk (10 minutes) - Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd...
Classics and Fantasy - Beppe Pezzini
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
An exploration of the use of classical literature in Tolkien by Beppe Pezzini Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) h...
Critical Approaches to Fantasy (short talk) - Stuart Lee
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
A short-talk (10 minutes) on critical approaches to fantasy using a DISCWORLD framework by Stuart Lee Short talk (10 minutes) - Part of the Bloomsbury...
Introduction to Fantasy - Adam Roberts
01 Dec 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Introduction to the genre and history of fantasy Literature by Adam Roberts. Part of the Bloomsbury-Oxford Summer School (23rd-25th September 2025) he...
The ‘Key-spring’ of The Lord of the Rings?
01 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Stuart Lee talks on 'The ‘Key-spring’ of The Lord of the Rings?' Stuart Lee talks on 'The ‘Key-spring’ of The Lord of the Rings?'. Part of the...
C.S. Lewis’s Influence on The Lord of the Rings
01 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Michael Ward talks on 'C.S. Lewis’s Influence on The Lord of the Rings' Michael Ward talks on 'C.S. Lewis’s Influence on The Lord of the Rings'. P...
Medievalism in the Margins: Echoes of Anglo-Saxon England in Appendix A of The Lord of the Rings – From Page to Screen
01 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Grace Khuri talks on 'Medievalism in the Margins: Echoes of Anglo-Saxon England in Appendix A of 'The Lord of the Rings' – From Page to Screen' Grac...
A Harmless Vice: Tolkien’s Invented Languages
01 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Mark Williams talks on 'A Harmless Vice: Tolkien’s Invented Languages' Mark Williams talks on 'A Harmless Vice: Tolkien’s Invented Languages'. Par...
The authors and styles of 'The Lord of the Rings'
01 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Giuseppe Pezzini talks on 'The authors and styles of The Lord of the Rings' Giuseppe Pezzini talks on 'The authors and styles of The Lord of the Rings...
J. R. R. Tolkien and G. B. Smith: Two Forgotten War Poets?
01 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Stuart Lee talks about Tolkien's recently published war poetry in the context of G. B. Smith. Stuart Lee on 'J. R. R. Tolkien and G. B. Smith: Two For...
Tolkien as Interpreter and Transformer of Culture: The Making of 'The Lord of the Rings' as a Modern Book
01 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Holly Ordway presents on 'Tolkien as Interpreter and Transformer of Culture'. Holly Ordway presents on 'Tolkien as Interpreter and Transformer of Cult...
Tolkien as Interpreter and Transformer of Culture: The Making of 'The Lord of the Rings' as a Modern Book
01 Mar 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Holly Ordway presents on 'Tolkien as Interpreter and Transformer of Culture'. Holly Ordway presents on 'Tolkien as Interpreter and Transformer of Cult...
J.R.R. Tolkien: The Making of a Philologist
11 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A talk by Professor Simon Horobin on Tolkien's long-standing career and interest in philology as part of the Tolkien 50th Commemoration seminar series...
Tolkien and Beowulf
11 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A talk by Dr Laura Varnam on Tolkien's long engagement with the Old English poem 'Beowulf' as part of the Tolkien 50th Commemoration seminar series. A...
A Heroic History of the Elves: Tolkien’s “lost” Mythology of England?
11 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A talk by PhD candidate Grace Khuri, University of Oxford, on Tolkien's Elvish history and English 'mythology', as part of the Tolkien 50th Commemorat...
How to write 'The Lord of the Rings'
08 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A lecture by Dr S Lee as part of the Tolkien 50th Commemoration seminar series. A look at how Tolkien wrote 'The Lord of the Rings' and what lessons c...
Is Jin Yong 'China's Tolkien'?
06 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A comparison of the Hong Kong author Jin Yong and J. R. R. Tolkien A comparison of the Hong Kong author Jin Yong and J. R. R. Tolkien by Jonathan Hui,...
Arthur Rackham at Trinity College
30 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Emma Sillett, Trinity College Librarian, and Dr Caroline Batten explore the Danson Library's collection of rare Arthur Rackham fantasy illustrations. ...
The Last of the Titans
27 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This talk explores the myth underlying the action in John Wyndham's `The Kraken Wakes'. This talk discusses the fantasy novel The Kraken Wakes by John...
The Saga of Eric the Unlucky
20 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The Saga of Eric the Unlucky examines Rider Haggard's use of medieval narrative techniques in his novel Eric Brighteyes. In The Saga of Eric the Unluc...
Edward Lear and Fantasy
18 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jasmine Jagger provides a short introduction to Edward Lear. Jasmine Jagger provides a short introduction to Edward Lear, a literary nonsense author w...
Werewolves in Medieval Literature vs Modern TV
06 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A discussion of werewolves in medieval and modern representations. A discussion of werewolves in medieval and modern representations by Dr Minjie Su.
Morte D'Arthur Murals in the Oxford Union
28 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A visual discussion of the Morte D'Arthur murals in the library of the Oxford Union. A visual discussion of the Morte D'Arthur murals in the library o...
Violet Needham
22 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Jane Bliss introduces listeners to the work of Violet Needham, a prolific but little-remembered children’s fantasy author, whose book 'The Woods of ...
What is the 'Silmarillion'?
19 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This lecture is an introduction to J.R.R. Tolkien's third major work, 'The Silmarillion' (1977), and considers its lengthy development in numerous pro...
Verse and Prose in Fantasy Literature
24 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
An analysis of two forms that dominate fantasy literature. Prosimetrum, the alternation between verse and prose as a narrative form, was an extremely ...
Guy Gavriel Kay
24 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A short introduction to the writer Guy Gavriel Kay. An introduction to the novels of Guy Gavriel Kay, examining his development as a writer from his e...
Sylvia Townsend Warner
26 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Carolyne Larrington introduces the writing of Sylvia Townsend Warner. Carolyne Larrington introduces the writing of Sylvia Townsend Warner whose first...
Ursula K. Le Guin
13 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A brief introduction to the writer Ursula K. Le Guin. Caroline Batten offers a basic introduction to author Ursula K. Le Guin's life, work, and lastin...
T. H. White
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A brief introduction to the writer T. H. White. This short lecture introduces T.H.White, focusing on his Arthurian epic 'The Once and Future King' and...
Diana Wynne Jones
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A brief introduction to the writer Diana Wynne Jones. This short lecture outlines Diana Wynne Jones’s early life, her major works, and a core elemen...
Why 'Game of Thrones' Matters
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
'Game of Thrones' and storytelling. In 'Why Game of Thrones Matters', Carolyne Larrington discusses some reasons for the popularity of the HBO series,...
Re-Enchanted: The Rise of Children’s Fantasy Literature in the Twentieth Century
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A guest lecture by Dr Maria Cecire (Bard College) discussing children's fantasy literature. Maria Sachiko Cecire introduces the idea of an Oxford Scho...
Approaching Fantasy Literature
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A short introduction to reading and studying fantasy literature. This shortened version of a lecture seeks to introduce the listener to the concept of...
H. P. Lovecraft
12 May 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A brief introduction to the writer, H. P. Lovecraft. A brief introduction to the American writer H. P. Lovecraft, the master of 'weird fiction'. The t...