The Poet Who Lost His Head

Episodes

First
Broadcast
Comments
20040711Introduced by KEVIN JACKSON with readings by DEREK JACOBI.

Francis Petrarch, first of the modern poets laureate, established the language for European love poetry with his sonnets to Laura.

He has also been dubbed the first Humanist, the first mountaineer and a Romantic ahead of his time.

To mark the 700th anniversary of his death, GERMAINE GREER, CLIVE JAMES, Nicholas Mann and others reflect on his enduring influence, while the pathologist in charge of the recent exhumation of Petrarch's bones reveals some bizarre findings.

20060806Introduced by KEVIN JACKSON, with readings by DEREK JACOBI.

Francis Petrarch - first of the modern poets laureate - established the language for European love poetry with his sonnets to Laura.

He has also been dubbed the first Humanist, the first mountaineer and a Romantic ahead of his time.

GERMAINE GREER, CLIVE JAMES, Nicholas Mann and others reflect on his enduring influence, while the pathologist in charge of the recent exhumation of Petrarch's bones reveals some bizarre findings.