Born near Colchester, England in 1623, Margaret Cavendish was a writer blazing a trail for women during a time when the world was dominated by men. Her writing ranges from philosophy to poetry, plays and also includes what is now considered to be a proto-science fiction novel, The Blazing World. So why do we rarely hear her name today? Looking to put that ri ... Show More
Oct 18
Archive: Can the Arts Drive Social Change? With Idris Elba, Kwame Kwei-Armah and Yassmin Abdel-Magied
In the summer of 2020, as Black Lives Matter protests swept the world, the arts and creative industries faced urgent questions about racism, representation and their role in driving meaningful change. In this episode from the Intelligence Squared archive, actor Idris Elba and pla ... Show More
1h 2m
Sep 2023
Margaret Cavendish: scandalous 17th-century writer
Margaret Cavendish has been largely forgotten and, when remembered, divides opinion. One of England’s first female philosophers, professional authors and scientists, the 17th-century writer challenged convention throughout her life with her proto-feminist writing and audacious be ... Show More
37m 26s
May 2022
Margaret Lucas Cavendish’s Blazing World
<p>Cavendish was a prolific poet, playwright, and natural philosopher. She published multiple works under her own name before that was common for a woman, and she published at least five major works on natural philosophy.</p> <p><strong>Research:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Boyle, Debo ... Show More
41m 23s
Aug 2021
Margaret Cavendish's "A Lady Dressed by Youth"
<strong>Margaret Lucas Cavendish, Duchess of Newcastle-upon-Tyne</strong> (1623 – 15 December 1673) was an English philosopher, poet, scientist, fiction writer and playwright. She published in her own name at a time when most women writers remained anonymous.<br/><hr><p style="co ... Show More
6m 11s
May 2024
Forgotten women writers of the Renaissance
You've heard of Shakespeare, but have you heard of his contemporary Mary Sidney, the first person to translate the Book of Psalms into English poetry? Or what about Elizabeth Cary, who published the first original play known to be written by a woman in English? In her new book Sh ... Show More
42m 36s
Nov 2025
Margaret Atwood Reads from Her Memoir, Book Of Lives, Reflecting on the Origins of Offred In The Handmaid’s Tale
Dua sits down with literary icon Margaret Atwood to discuss The Handmaid’s Tale – Dua’s Monthly Read for November – alongside Margaret’s new memoir, Book Of Lives. In her deeply personal book, Margaret revisits the people, places, and ideas that have shaped her writing, offering ... Show More
7m 3s
Nov 2021
359 Forgotten Women of Literature 6 - Eliza Haywood and Fantomina | PLUS Keats's Letter on Shakespeare and "Negative Capability"
During her stormy and mysterious life, Eliza Haywood (1693?-1756) was one of the most prolific writers in England. Her "amatory fictions" were unapologetically sensationalistic, earning her the opprobrium of her mostly male critics. But in spite of being described (some might say ... Show More
53m 21s
Mar 2023
Margaret Atwood on Good, Evil and Stupidity
Margaret Atwood, famed author, poet and “dystopia prophet,” joins Offline to talk about fighting tyranny and finding hope. Much like her latest book, Old Babes in the Wood, Atwood’s conversation with Jon sandwiches her thoughts and fears on the present between poignant chapters o ... Show More
45m 43s
Nov 2024
Harriet Constable in “les Rencontres” — CHANEL Literary Rendezvous at Rue Cambon
Listen to author and critic Erica Wagner in conversation with Harriet Constable, writer of “The Instrumentalist”, her first novel published by Bloomsbury in 2024, in which she retraces the story of musical prodigy Anna Maria della Pietà, student of Antonio Vivaldi. Through this c ... Show More
39m 45s