What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedPoldark
Debbie Horsfield · Series · 2015
If you loved Poldark, start with Mudbound (Dee Rees, 2017) — a film on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 films and 2 podcasts, each matched to Poldark across media.
If you loved Poldark, you likely crave the way personal longing tangles with the harsh, unforgiving realities of social and economic upheaval.
Books on the same thread
Poor Folk
Fyodor Dostoyevsky · Book · 2013
Shares 2 threads with Poldark: Social Inequality, Class Conflict.
Like Poldark, this epistolary novel centers on the struggle to maintain human dignity and empathy while navigating the crushing weight of poverty and rigid social inequality in a changing world.
Nostromo
Joseph Conrad · Book · 2015
Explores: Political corruption, The corrupting influence of wealth, Imperialism.
If the political corruption and moral ambiguity of Ross Poldark’s Cornwall drew you in, you will find a similar grit in this exploration of wealth and power in Costaguana.
Poland
James Albert Michener · Book · 1984
Explores: National Identity, Intergenerational Trauma, Resilience.
This sweeping saga mirrors the intergenerational resilience and deep attachment to land found in Poldark, tracing how families survive through centuries of national conflict and profound social change.
North and South
Elizabeth Cleghorn Gaskell · Book · 1927
Shares a thread with Poldark: Class Conflict.
Margaret Hale’s journey into a stark industrial town echoes the culture shock and class conflict Ross Poldark faced, highlighting the friction between traditional ways of life and industrial progress.
Films on the same thread
Sense and Sensibility
Film · 1995
Shares 3 threads with Poldark: Class Conflict, Period Drama, Romantic Drama.
Fans of Poldark will recognize the familiar tension between romantic desire and the harsh reality of financial hardship that threatens to destroy a family’s standing and future happiness.
Pride & Prejudice
Film · 2005
Shares 2 threads with Poldark: Class Conflict, Period Drama.
The struggle against rigid social status and family expectations in this film captures the same frustration Ross Poldark felt when navigating the pressures of the landed English gentry.
Mudbound
Dee Rees · Film · 2017
Shares 2 threads with Poldark: Class Conflict, Historical Drama.
This film reflects the post-war trauma and class conflict at the heart of Poldark, showing how families struggle to rebuild their lives against a backdrop of systemic social prejudice.
Titanic
James Cameron · Film · 1997
Shares a thread with Poldark: Social Inequality.
The forbidden love story set against the backdrop of rigid class differences in this film will resonate with anyone who followed the tumultuous romantic entanglements in Poldark.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Archers
Podcast
Explores: family life, community, farming.
This podcast captures the same sense of community and rural life that defines the Cornish setting of Poldark, focusing on the intimate details of family and long-term relationships.
Dan Carlin's Hardcore History
Dan Carlin · Podcast · 2026
Explores: civilizational collapse, human nature, moral ambiguity.
The historical analysis here mirrors the intellectual curiosity found in Poldark, specifically regarding the consequences of power and the cycles of civilizational collapse throughout our shared human history.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Poldark set during the American War of Independence?
The series begins in 1783 as Ross Poldark returns to Cornwall following his service in the American War of Independence. He arrives home to find his father has died, his family mine is closed, and his sweetheart is betrothed to his cousin.
What is the historical backdrop of Poldark?
Poldark is set in 1783 Britain during a period of chilling recession. The story depicts a time of civil unrest, falling wages, and rising prices where the economic burden falls on the public while bankers benefit from the financial climate.
Does Poldark feature Ross Poldark returning to his home?
Yes, the plot of Poldark follows Ross Poldark as he returns to his beloved Cornwall after the American War of Independence. Upon his arrival, he discovers his home is wrecked and his family life has fallen into complete ruin.
What happens to the family mine in Poldark?
In Poldark, Ross Poldark discovers his family mine has long been closed upon his return to Cornwall in 1783. This discovery is part of the broader ruin he finds, alongside his father's death and the loss of his sweetheart to his cousin.