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Episodes
- S1 E1 - This EnglandJune 21, 201259minHow many 17th-century English playwrights can you name? Chances are there’s just the one. But why has the work of Shakespeare endured? Historian Simon Schama argues that the England he portrayed is the vision of the nation that we still revel in today. Not just monarchs, but ordinary men and women from all walks of life: royalty rub shoulders with rabble-rousers to create a complete world.Free trial of BBC Select
- S1 E2 - Hollow CrownsJune 28, 201259minThe monarchs of the British Isles were once seen as virtually godlike. But Shakespeare dared to strip away the mask of royalty to reveal the flawed individuals underneath. It was a risky strategy, especially as he drew on the lives of the rulers around him at the time, revealing profound truths not just about royalty but the rest of us, too. Historian Simon Schama explores how he got away with it.Free trial of BBC Select
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- Content advisory
- Violence alcohol use smoking foul language sexual content
- Subtitles
- None available
- Directors
- Ashley Gething
- Producers
- Ashley Gething
- Cast
- Simon Schama
- Studio
- Oxford Film And Television Company
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