A Good Death

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

Mary Beard

20090330

20100705 (R3)

Death is the one subject we shy away from, and in our frantic obsession with prolonging our lives, the notion of 'a good death' seems to have lost its relevance. Yet 'the art of dying' has been a defining notion throughout history. Mary Beard, Professor of Classics at Cambridge, explains how the Romans and Greeks approached death and asks whether scenes of showmanship, famous last words, and stoical endings really can help us when we come to face our own inevitable demise.

In these five frank and powerful essays, writers and thinkers ponder the art of dying, and confront taboos around death. They will look at what makes a 'good death' today - is it merely having lived a good life, or is there something intrinsically important in dying well? And, now that our deaths tend to occur in the sterile surroundings of a hospital ward rather than at home surrounded by those we love, they will reflect on how this distancing from death, and loss of control over our demise, has changed our relationship with dying. With references to the portrayal of death in literature, history and religion, as well as personal reflections on hopes and expectations of death, these essays will give five very different perspectives on the art of dying.

Mary Beard asks what the ancient Romans and Greeks can teach us about the art of dying.

Beryl Bainbridge

20090331

20100706 (R3)

The next in our series of essays on the art of dying is by the distinguished novelist Beryl Bainbridge, who has just passed away. Scheduled before news of her death was known, this thought-provoking piece, looks back at how the notion of dying overshadowed Bainbridge's own life, from her wartime childhood to her adult brush with death, and reveals the hopes and expectations she had for her own demise.

Death is the one subject we shy away from, and in our frantic obsession with prolonging our lives, the notion of 'a good death' seems to have lost its relevance. Yet, the art of dying has been a defining notion throughout history. In these five frank and powerful essays, writers and thinkers ponder the art of dying, and confront taboos around death. They will look at what makes a 'good death' today - is it merely having lived a good life, or is there something intrinsically important in dying well? And, now that our own deaths tend to occur in the sterile surroundings of a hospital ward, rather than at home surrounded by those we love, will reflect on how this distancing from death, and loss of control over our demise, has changed our relationship with dying. With references to the portrayal of death in literature, history and religion, as well as personal reflections on hopes and expectations of death, these essays will give five very different perspectives on the art of dying.

A repeat of an essay on the art of dying by Beryl Bainbridge, who has just died.

Julia Neuberger

20090401

20100707 (R3)

Death is the one subject we shy away from, and in our frantic obsession with prolonging our lives, the notion of 'a good death' seems to have lost its relevance. Baroness Mary Warnock looks at what we can learn from the Romantic Poets when it comes to dying well, and warns how our obsession with living, almost at all costs, can have disastrous consequences.

In these five frank and powerful essays, writers and thinkers ponder the art of dying, and confront taboos around death. They will look at what makes a 'good death' today - is it merely having lived a good life, or is there something intrinsically important in dying well? And, now that our own deaths tend to occur in the sterile surroundings of a hospital ward, rather than at home surrounded by those we love, will reflect on how this distancing from death, and loss of control over our demise, has changed our relationship with dying. With references to the portrayal of death in literature, history and religion, as well as personal reflections on hopes and expectations of death, these essays will give five very different perspectives on the art of dying.

Baroness Mary Warnock on what we can learn from the Romantics when it comes to dying well.

Julia Neuberger

20090402
20100708 (R3)

Death is the one subject we shy away from, and in our frantic obsession with prolonging our lives, the notion of 'a good death' seems to have lost its relevance. Yet 'the art of dying' has been a defining notion throughout history. Rabbi Julia Neuberger, reflecting on her own work with the dying, looks as how those of different faiths, or no faith at all, approach death, and at why we should all be planning for the kind of death we want.

In these five frank and powerful essays, writers and thinkers ponder the art of dying, and confront taboos around death. They will look at what makes a 'good death' today - is it merely having lived a good life, or is there something intrinsically important in dying well? And, now that our deaths tend to occur in the sterile surroundings of a hospital ward rather than at home, surrounded by those we love, will reflect on how this distancing from death, and loss of control over our demise, has changed our relationship with dying. With references to the portrayal of death in literature, history and religion, as well as personal reflections on hopes and expectations of death, these essays will give five very different perspectives on the art of dying.

Baroness Julia Neuberger on how attitudes to death vary across faith and culture.

05 LAST

Thomas Lynch

20090403

20100709 (R3)

Death is the one subject we shy away from, and in our frantic obsession with prolonging our lives, the notion of 'a good death' seems to have lost its relevance. Yet 'the art of dying' has been a defining notion throughout history. Thomas Lynch, acclaimed poet and working undertaker, looks at the art of dying through his own poetry, reflecting on the themes of friendship, ageing, sex and death, and on why he sees little reason to fear death itself.

In these five frank and powerful essays, writers and thinkers ponder the art of dying, and confront taboos around death. They will look at what makes a 'good death' today - is it merely having lived a good life, or is there something intrinsically important in dying well? And, now that our deaths tend to occur in the sterile surroundings of a hospital ward rather than at home, surrounded by those we love, will reflect on how this distancing from death, and loss of control over our demise, has changed our relationship with dying. With references to the portrayal of death in literature, history and religion, as well as personal reflections on hopes and expectations of death, these essays will give five very different perspectives on the art of dying.

Celebrated poet and undertaker Thomas Lynch on friendship, ageing and fear of death.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
01	Mary Beard	20090330	20100705 (R3)	Death is the one subject we shy away from, and in our frantic obsession with prolonging our lives, the notion of 'a good death' seems to have lost its relevance. Yet 'the art of dying' has been a defining notion throughout history. Mary Beard, Professor of Classics at Cambridge, explains how the Romans and Greeks approached death and asks whether scenes of showmanship, famous last words, and stoical endings really can help us when we come to face our own inevitable demise. In these five frank and powerful essays, writers and thinkers ponder the art of dying, and confront taboos around death. They will look at what makes a 'good death' today - is it merely having lived a good life, or is there something intrinsically important in dying well? And, now that our deaths tend to occur in the sterile surroundings of a hospital ward rather than at home surrounded by those we love, they will reflect on how this distancing from death, and loss of control over our demise, has changed our relationship with dying. With references to the portrayal of death in literature, history and religion, as well as personal reflections on hopes and expectations of death, these essays will give five very different perspectives on the art of dying. Mary Beard asks what the ancient Romans and Greeks can teach us about the art of dying.
02	Beryl Bainbridge	20090331	20100706 (R3)	The next in our series of essays on the art of dying is by the distinguished novelist Beryl Bainbridge, who has just passed away. Scheduled before news of her death was known, this thought-provoking piece, looks back at how the notion of dying overshadowed Bainbridge's own life, from her wartime childhood to her adult brush with death, and reveals the hopes and expectations she had for her own demise. Death is the one subject we shy away from, and in our frantic obsession with prolonging our lives, the notion of 'a good death' seems to have lost its relevance. Yet, the art of dying has been a defining notion throughout history. In these five frank and powerful essays, writers and thinkers ponder the art of dying, and confront taboos around death. They will look at what makes a 'good death' today - is it merely having lived a good life, or is there something intrinsically important in dying well? And, now that our own deaths tend to occur in the sterile surroundings of a hospital ward, rather than at home surrounded by those we love, will reflect on how this distancing from death, and loss of control over our demise, has changed our relationship with dying. With references to the portrayal of death in literature, history and religion, as well as personal reflections on hopes and expectations of death, these essays will give five very different perspectives on the art of dying. A repeat of an essay on the art of dying by Beryl Bainbridge, who has just died.
03	Julia Neuberger	20090401	20100707 (R3)	Death is the one subject we shy away from, and in our frantic obsession with prolonging our lives, the notion of 'a good death' seems to have lost its relevance. Baroness Mary Warnock looks at what we can learn from the Romantic Poets when it comes to dying well, and warns how our obsession with living, almost at all costs, can have disastrous consequences. In these five frank and powerful essays, writers and thinkers ponder the art of dying, and confront taboos around death. They will look at what makes a 'good death' today - is it merely having lived a good life, or is there something intrinsically important in dying well? And, now that our own deaths tend to occur in the sterile surroundings of a hospital ward, rather than at home surrounded by those we love, will reflect on how this distancing from death, and loss of control over our demise, has changed our relationship with dying. With references to the portrayal of death in literature, history and religion, as well as personal reflections on hopes and expectations of death, these essays will give five very different perspectives on the art of dying. Baroness Mary Warnock on what we can learn from the Romantics when it comes to dying well.
04	Julia Neuberger		20090402 20100708 (R3)	Death is the one subject we shy away from, and in our frantic obsession with prolonging our lives, the notion of 'a good death' seems to have lost its relevance. Yet 'the art of dying' has been a defining notion throughout history. Rabbi Julia Neuberger, reflecting on her own work with the dying, looks as how those of different faiths, or no faith at all, approach death, and at why we should all be planning for the kind of death we want. In these five frank and powerful essays, writers and thinkers ponder the art of dying, and confront taboos around death. They will look at what makes a 'good death' today - is it merely having lived a good life, or is there something intrinsically important in dying well? And, now that our deaths tend to occur in the sterile surroundings of a hospital ward rather than at home, surrounded by those we love, will reflect on how this distancing from death, and loss of control over our demise, has changed our relationship with dying. With references to the portrayal of death in literature, history and religion, as well as personal reflections on hopes and expectations of death, these essays will give five very different perspectives on the art of dying. Baroness Julia Neuberger on how attitudes to death vary across faith and culture.
05 LAST	Thomas Lynch	20090403	20100709 (R3)	Death is the one subject we shy away from, and in our frantic obsession with prolonging our lives, the notion of 'a good death' seems to have lost its relevance. Yet 'the art of dying' has been a defining notion throughout history. Thomas Lynch, acclaimed poet and working undertaker, looks at the art of dying through his own poetry, reflecting on the themes of friendship, ageing, sex and death, and on why he sees little reason to fear death itself. In these five frank and powerful essays, writers and thinkers ponder the art of dying, and confront taboos around death. They will look at what makes a 'good death' today - is it merely having lived a good life, or is there something intrinsically important in dying well? And, now that our deaths tend to occur in the sterile surroundings of a hospital ward rather than at home, surrounded by those we love, will reflect on how this distancing from death, and loss of control over our demise, has changed our relationship with dying. With references to the portrayal of death in literature, history and religion, as well as personal reflections on hopes and expectations of death, these essays will give five very different perspectives on the art of dying. Celebrated poet and undertaker Thomas Lynch on friendship, ageing and fear of death.