logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2012
51s

Sonnet 18 - William Shakespeare

National Theatre
About this episode
Sonnet 18 is possibly the most famous of Shakespeare's sonnets. The sonnet (meaning ‘little song’) originated in Italy in the 13th century and became fashionable in England in the early 16th century. English sonnets of the period usually treated on the poet’s love for a woman, although not exclusively. 
Up next
Feb 2012
How Do I Love Thee (Sonnet 43) - Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Sonnets from the Portuguese was first published in 1850. It is a collection of forty-four love sonnets written by Elizabeth Barrett Browning. The poems largely chronicle the period leading up to her 1846 marriage to Robert Browning. 
57s
Feb 2012
Love and Life - John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester
John Wilmot, 2nd Earl of Rochester was an English Libertine poet, a friend of King Charles II, and the writer of much satirical and bawdy poetry. He was the toast of the Restoration court and a patron of the arts. He married an heiress, Elizabeth Malet, and had many mistresses, i ... Show More
40s
Recommended Episodes
Jun 2021
Shakespeare's Sonnets
To celebrate Melvyn Bragg’s 27 years presenting In Our Time, some well-known fans of the programme have chosen their favourite episodes. Historian and broadcaster Simon Schama has selected the episode on Shakespeare’s Sonnets and recorded an introduction to it. (This introduction ... Show More
52m 25s
Aug 2020
Shakespeare's Best | Sonnet 116 ("Let me not to the marriage of true minds")
Continuing the "Shakespeare on Thursdays" theme for August, Jacke takes a look at Sonnet 116 ("Let me not to the marriage of true minds"), another one of Shakespeare's most beloved and well known sonnets. What does the poem say about love? How does it fit into the world of weddin ... Show More
54m 52s
Jun 2024
EP20 - Star and Star Lover | Sidney, Astrophil and Stella
Sir Philip Sidney, Astrophil and Stella. Over the course of the sixteenth century English poets experimented with the sonnet form invented by their Italian neighbours, and the Petrarchan conventions that came with it. The goal was a long sequence of many short poems which chronic ... Show More
1h 21m
Aug 2018
179 - Eight English idioms from Shakespeare
<p>William Shakespeare was a poet and playwright who lived in the 16th century. He is regarded as one of the greatest writers in the history of the English language. You might know him as the author of the famous "Romeo and Juliet."</p> <p>Many of the English idioms we use to thi ... Show More
5m 14s
Mar 2014
British Accent Podcast 7: "Sonnet 18" by William Shakespeare
Please listen to and download British Accent Podcast 7 completely free. It is a reading of "Sonnet 18" by William Shakespeare, read by Chris from England. Please find much more at: http://www.learnbritishenglish.co.uk/ 
1m 43s
Feb 2025
A Midsummer Night's Dream - William Shakespeare
Experience the legendary works of the Bard with William Shakespeare Collection, featuring masterful narrations of his most famous plays and sonnets. From the tragic love of Romeo and Juliet to the political intrigue of Julius Caesar, these works showcase the depth and brilliance ... Show More
1h 59m