Skip to main content.

The Borough

Gelesen von David Wales

English village life and villagers in the east of England in the late 1700’s and early 1800s—is the subject of The Borough. George Crabbe was an English poet, surgeon, and clergyman. He is best known for his early use of the realistic narrative form and his descriptions of middle and working-class life and people. Lord Byron, an avowed admirer of Crabbe's poetry, described him as "nature's sternest painter, yet the best." Crabbe's poetry was predominantly in the form of heroic couplets, and has been described as unsentimental in its depiction of provincial life and society. Modern critic Frank Whitehead has said that "Crabbe, in his verse tales in particular, is an important–indeed, a major–poet whose work has been and still is seriously undervalued." A borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely. Benjamin Britten took the story of Peter Grimes (Letter 22) for his opera of the same name, though Britten changed the import of the story. - Summary by Wikipedia and david wales (8 hr 34 min)

Chapters

Letter 1 General Description

20:22

Read by David Wales

Letter 2 The Church

17:48

Read by David Wales

Letter 3 The Vicar, The Curate, &c;

22:19

Read by David Wales

Letter 4 Introduction and Sects And Professions In Religion

35:46

Read by David Wales

Letter 5 The Election

14:04

Read by David Wales

Letter 6 Professions--Law

22:52

Read by David Wales

Letter 7 Professions--Physic

18:58

Read by David Wales

Letter 8 Trades

15:39

Read by David Wales

Letter 9 Amusements

19:21

Read by David Wales

Letter 10 Clubs And Social Meetings

24:44

Read by David Wales

Letter 11 Inns

20:56

Read by David Wales

Letter 12 Players

25:05

Read by David Wales

Letter 13 The Almshouse And Trustees

22:38

Read by David Wales

Letter 14 Inhabitants Of The Almshouse: Life Of Blaney

14:07

Read by David Wales

Letter 15 Inhabitants Of The Almshouse: Clelia

14:04

Read by David Wales

Letter 16 Inhabitants Of The Almshouse: Benbow

14:21

Read by David Wales

Letter 17 The Hospital And Governors

18:28

Read by David Wales

Letter 18 The Poor And Their Dwellings

28:00

Read by David Wales

Letter 19 The Poor Of The Borough: The Parish Clerk

19:32

Read by David Wales

Letter 20 The Poor Of The Borough: Ellen Orford

22:07

Read by David Wales

Letter 21 The Poor Of The Borough: Abel Keene

21:46

Read by David Wales

Letter 22 The Poor Of The Borough: Peter Grimes

24:51

Read by David Wales

Letter 23 Prisons

23:28

Read by David Wales

Letter 24 Schools

33:33

Read by David Wales