Close Reads Podcast

Here we are at the end of another novel. Join David, Heidi, and Karen as they compare Alec’s love for Tess with Angel’s, contemplate the way justice is explored in Tess’ conclusion, discuss the nature of classical tragedy, and much more! Close Reads is an audience-support endeavor and when you subscribe you gain access to special bonus content while also support a truly independent program. Subscribe now! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

Phase the fifth of Tess of the D’Urbervilles is incredibly sad, but it’s also remarkable in the way that Thomas Hardy manages to reveal the various complexities of his characters. So in this week’s episode David, Heidi, and Karen discuss the villainousness of Angel Clare, the choices of Tess, Hardy’s view of his culture, whether he gets women, and much more. Happy listening! Close Reads HQ is a community-supported endeavor. To receive bonus content, including subscriber-only episodes of the podcast, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

Welp. It’s time for some confession. Here, right in the middle of Thomas Hardy’s masterpiece, we get a marriage followed by revelation. The courtship is over, the wedding day has arrived, and both parties bare their soul. And then we get a cliffhanger, of course. Join David, Heidi, and Karen as they discuss. Happy listening! Close Reads HQ is a community-supported endeavor and when you subscribe you get access to bonus content and you help us cover cost of production. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

As we draw near to the middle of Thomas Hardy’s great tragic novel, join Karen and Heidi (who are holding down the fort while David is sick) as they discuss Angel’s background and family life, Tess’s passivity, Hardy’s perspective on women, and the novel’s first glimpse into Angel’s underlying hypocrisy. Thanks for listening and for supporting Close Reads! Close Readsis made possibly by listeners like you! When you subscribe to Close Reads HQ you get access to bonus episodes, reviews, and more! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

“Phase the Third” of Tess of the D’Urbervilles is called “The Rally” so on this week’s conversation David, Heidi, and Karen discuss why Hardy called it that and what he might be saying about Tess as a character. Plus, discussion touches on what we’re supposed to think about Angel Clare, his budding romance with Tess, and his overly idealistic perception of her. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

Tess has returned home, but now she has baby with her, leading to one of the most beautiful and famous sciences in English literature in which Tess sorrowfully baptizes the poor little one. So this week, David, Heidi, and Karen dig in that scene and contemplate what Thomas Hardy is saying through it. Plus, discussion touches on the role Tess’s mother plays in her daughter’s misfortunes. Thanks for listening! Close Reads is a listener-supported production. So on the one hand, when you subscribe you help us meet our expenses, but you also do yourself a favor because you get access to bonus episode, written content, live episodes, and more. Thank you for your support! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

In this week’s episode on Thomas Hardy’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles, David, Heidi, and special guest Karen Swallow Prior chat about artistic and naturalistic determinism in Hardy’s work, his hatred of Victorian moralism, and whether or not the novel idealizes Tess. And treacle. Definitely treacle. Thanks for listening! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

Once again our friend Karen Swallow Prior is joining us to discuss one of her favorite books! This time it’s Tess of the D’Urbervilles and here on this first episode we discussed the ways this book is a tragedy (in the Aristotelian sense) but not nihilistic, why Karen loves it so much, what makes Hardy a great writer, and why Tess is a memorable character. Happy listening! If you are a fan of Close Reads, please consider supporting our endeavors by subscribing to Close Reads HQ on Substack. When you do get access to bonus episodes, written reviews and conversations, and more. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

This week’s episode is a special one. Our friend, Dr. Annika Prather, came on to chat about Lorraine Hansberry’s play, A Raisin in the Sun. Dr. Prather loves this play and is very knowledgeable about literature and so she seemed like the perfect fit to join Tim, our drama guy, for this conversation. So tune in as Tim and Dr. Prather discuss whether Walter Jr. is a hero or a villain; whether this a play about money, family, or dignity; and whether Hansberry identified especially strongly with any particular character.Thanks for listening! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe

It’s time to answer your questions about Orwell’s 1984, and (as always) you came through with plenty of great ones. Thanks to your curiosity, we discussed what would be in our personal Room 101s, the dystopian stories we would write (if we wrote dystopian stories), Julia’s character and role in the story, 1984 vs. Brave New World, and much more. Happy reading! If you like Close Reads, please consider supporting our work by subscribing to Close Reads HQ or by giving a gift subscription. Thank you! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit closereads.substack.com/subscribe