Pater Familias
Theories, observations, and articles, by Philip Schaefer ·
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Literature
827 posts
March 2019
A SEQUEL TO THE ONE L LLAMA (COMMENT).
2019-03-03
February 2019
HOW THE ZEBRA GOT ITS STRIPES.
2019-02-23
“I’VE BEEN ROOKED”.
2019-02-15
FOR MARY JANE.
2019-02-14 · 2 comments
THE WOOD IN ATHENS (COMMENT).
2019-02-13
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A WOOD AND A FOREST (COMMENT).
2019-02-12
UNDERSTANDING THE “ROOKY WOOD” (COMMENT).
2019-02-11
January 2019
WHAT “COCKABOODY” MEANS.
2019-01-18
November 2018
THE WEDDINGS IN MEASURE FOR MEASURE.
2018-11-14
OTHER CHANGES TO THE ENDING OF MEASURE FOR MEASURE.
2018-11-13
THE ENDING OF MEASURE FOR MEASURE—THE DIRECTOR’S PREROGATIVE.
2018-11-12
TWO MOSAICS FROM A CLASSICAL LATRINE.
2018-11-07
October 2018
THE MARKETING OF THE FIRST FOLIO A CENTURY AFTER SHAKESPEARE DIED.
2018-10-31
THE COMMERCIAL SUCCESS OF THE FIRST FOLIO IN THE 18TH CENTURY.
2018-10-30
MARK TWAIN’S SENTENCES.
2018-10-29
“LET’S GO TO THE TRANS-LUX AND HISS ROOSEVELT.”
2018-10-28
FAT CATS AND THE NEW YORKER.
2018-10-27
OTHER THINGS CHANGED AND UNCHANGED IN THE EDITING OF GATSBY.
2018-10-23
SOME STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN GATSBY.
2018-10-22
September 2018
TESLA AND TWAIN AND THE PLAYERS.
2018-09-27
TESLA AND TWAIN AND TWAIN’S WHITE SUIT.
2018-09-26
“SHAKESPEARE AND THE HEART’S DESIRE”—THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 27.
2018-09-23
“JUDITH SHAKESPEARE HAS HER SAY”—WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 26.
2018-09-22
“SHAKESPEARE RISING”—TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 25.
2018-09-21
THE LIVES OF SHAKESPEARE, MARY JANE’S TRILOGY, WILL BE PERFORMED TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 25 THROUGH THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 27 AT THE PLAYERS CLUB.
2018-09-20
WOLF TREES AND THE MARKET FOR TIMBER.
2018-09-18
THE ROMANCE OF WOLF TREES.
2018-09-17
August 2018
THE PLAYERS.
2018-08-14
MARY JANE’S TRILOGY: THE LIVES OF SHAKESPEARE—- THIS FALL AT THE PLAYERS CLUB.
2018-08-13
SCOTT FITZGERALD’S MISSING SECOND ACT IN AMERICAN LIVES.
2018-08-09
TOLKIEN—A TRILOGY BASED ON MAPS.
2018-08-01
July 2018
REASONS FOR CHANGING THE ENDINGS OF MEASURE FOR MEASURE AND HAMLET.
2018-07-24
DIRECTORS CHANGING THE ENDINGS OF SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS.
2018-07-23
ENDING HAMLET BY SHOOTING HORATIO.
2018-07-22
February 2018
JAMES JOYCE COMES TO MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL.
2018-02-16
DICK AND JANE AND CERBERUS AND PUFF.
2018-02-10
“THE WALK BY SWANN’S HOUSE”.
2018-02-09
AN INSTANCE WHERE FICTION HAS REPLACED HISTORY.
2018-02-07
PADDINGTON 2.
2018-02-06
HAMLET AND BREAKING BAD (COMMENT).
2018-02-05
TRIVIA QUESTION ABOUT POPULAR MOVIES.
2018-02-04
MAYBE SHAKESPEARE NEEDED A COMPLICATED BLOODBATH AT THE END OF “HAMLET”.
2018-02-01 · 1 comment
January 2018
WHY I REJECT BRECHT’S THEORY.
2018-01-31
BRECHT’S THEORY THAT A LOT OF THE SCENES IN HAMLET ARE OUT TAKES.
2018-01-30
EMMA RICE AND THE GLOBE—-EPILOGUE.
2018-01-15
MY DEFENSE OF EMMA RICE.
2018-01-14
WHO CARES ABOUT SHAKESPEARE’S WORDS?
2018-01-13
EMMA RICE’S PENULTIMATE SHAKESPEARE PRODUCTION AT THE GLOBE.
2018-01-12 · 1 comment
EMMA RICE’S LAST SHAKESPEARE PLAY AT THE GLOBE.
2018-01-11
EQUUS—CHANGES IN WHAT IS SHOCKING IN THE THEATER.
2018-01-01
December 2017
“A FLEA AND A FLY IN A FLUE”.
2017-12-31
“NOBODY, NOT EVEN THE RAIN, HAS SUCH SMALL HANDS”.
2017-12-30 · 1 comment
HOW MARY JANE, ANNALISA, AND I HEAR “WESTRON WYNDE”.
2017-12-29
“WESTRON WYNDE” AND WESTERN LITERATURE.
2017-12-28
“AMID ALL THE POETIC RICHES OF ENGLISH LITERATURE, FOUR SHORT LINES STAND OUT.”
2017-12-27
“WHEN PRETTY GIRLS T-E-A-S-E-D MEN INTO MARRIAGE!”
2017-12-20
JOLABOKAFLOD.
2017-12-15
TRIVIA QUESTION ABOUT AN OLD MOVIE.
2017-12-14
May 2017
VICTOR HUGO AT THE BARRICADES (SPOILER ALERT).
2017-05-03
April 2017
A BASEBALL POEM BY OGDEN NASH.
2017-04-24
SOME OGDEN NASH POEMS.
2017-04-23
THE ONE-L LAMA.
2017-04-22
EATING PEAS WITH HONEY (COMMENT).
2017-04-20
AND JOSEPH LANGLAND.
2017-04-11
AND WALTER DE LA MARE.
2017-04-10
HUNTERS IN THE SNOW—WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS.
2017-04-09
HUNTERS IN THE SNOW—THE POEM.
2017-04-08
A TRADITIONALIST REMAINS UNCONVINCED (COMMENT).
2017-04-05
USING THE SINGULAR “THEY” BECAUSE IT’S TRADITIONAL.
2017-04-04
VINDICATION FOR “THEY” AS A GENDER-NEUTRAL SINGULAR PRONOUN.
2017-04-03
March 2017
STATES WHICH REQUIRE THE OXFORD COMMA IN STATUTES.
2017-03-24
A COURT CASE TURNING ON THE USE—OR NONUSE—OF THE OXFORD COMMA.
2017-03-23
ACTORS INTONING.
2017-03-14
February 2017
HOW I LEARNED THE EXCLAMATION POINT IN HIGH SCHOOL.
2017-02-26
WHY THE HATRED FOR THE EXCLAMATION POINT?
2017-02-25
THE PHILOSOPHICAL REASONING UNDERLYING TOM WOLFE’S USE OF EXCLAMATION POINTS.
2017-02-24
TOM WOLFE AND THE EXCLAMATION POINT.
2017-02-23
WHICH WRITERS USE EXCLAMATION POINTS MOST—THE KEY.
2017-02-22
GUESS WHICH OF THESE WRITERS USE EXCLAMATION POINTS THE MOST?
2017-02-21
A VALENTINE POEM BY JAMES TATE.
2017-02-14
THE HISTORICAL RESEARCH BEHIND MONTY PYTHON’S ATTACK BUNNY.
2017-02-13
GIANT MEDIEVAL ATTACK RABBITS.
2017-02-12
January 2017
“THE TROPE OF THE FALLEN LEAVES”.
2017-01-19
EZRA POUND’S SEMI-COLON.
2017-01-18
POUND’S ACCOUNT OF HOW 30 LINES WERE REDUCED TO TWO (OR 3).
2017-01-15
“IN A STATION OF THE METRO”.
2017-01-14
WHY I MARKED BOOKS.
2017-01-12
THE HAWKING INDEX FOR SOME WELL-KNOWN BOOKS.
2017-01-11
THE HAWKING INDEX.
2017-01-10
December 2016
KNIGHTS FIGHTING SNAILS REVISITED.
2016-12-31
“AGENCY IN CHARACTERS” REVISITED.
2016-12-19
E M FORSTER ON LOVE IN THE NOVEL.
2016-12-18
WRITE ABOUT WORK, NOT SEX.
2016-12-17
AN ALGORITHM WHICH PREDICTS WHETHER A NOVEL WILL BE A BLOCKBUSTER.
2016-12-16
FLYTING.
2016-12-09
“DONALD TRUMP, EPIC HERO”
2016-12-08
SOME RHYMING FLOURISHES IN HAMILTON.
2016-12-03
THE INFLUENCE OF RAP ON BROADWAY MUSICALS.
2016-12-02
AN ABUNDANCE OF INTERNAL RHYMES.
2016-12-01
November 2016
PERFECT RHYME PURISTS.
2016-11-30
ANALYZING THE POETRY OF HAMILTON.
2016-11-29
AN AMERICAN EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE.
2016-11-24
TREEBEARD AND OTHER ENTS.
2016-11-13
I THINK APPOINTING A NEW DIRECTOR OF THE GLOBE IS FOR THE BEST FOR EVERYBODY.
2016-11-06
THE CONTROVERSY AT THE GLOBE—-MAYBE IT WAS REALLY ABOUT THE LIGHTING AFTER ALL.
2016-11-05
THE CONTROVERSY AT THE GLOBE—PRESERVING THE GLOBE EXPERIENCE.
2016-11-04
THE CONTROVERSY AT THE GLOBE—-WAS IT “SNOBBERY” TO CHANGE ARTISTIC DIRECTORS?
2016-11-03
THE DIRECTOR OF THE GLOBE THEATRE, WHO SAID THAT SHAKESPEARE MAKES HER “VERY SLEEPY”, WILL LEAVE HER POSITION.
2016-11-02
October 2016
A UTOPIAN FANTASY.
2016-10-30
THE AMBIGUITY OF THE BUDDHA’S FACES.
2016-10-11
IDENTITY, HUSBANDS AND WIVES, AND DROPS OF WATER.
2016-10-05
IDENTITY, TWINS AND DROPS OF WATER.
2016-10-04
September 2016
HOPE FOR READING THE SCROLLS AT HERCULANEUM.
2016-09-27
NINNYHAMMERS.
2016-09-08
August 2016
ELM SHAKESPEARE’S MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM.
2016-08-27
REVENGE IN SHAKESPEARE’S COMEDIES.
2016-08-26
ARE MOST SHAKESPEARE PLAYS REVENGE PLAYS?
2016-08-25
“BLUE HERON, WALKING”.
2016-08-24
THE ARCHAEOLOGY OF THINGS THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN.
2016-08-19
T S ELIOT’S FIRST WIFE.
2016-08-12
WHO WROTE THIS?
2016-08-11
WHO WROTE EDWARD III?—WHAT’S MY OPINION?
2016-08-02
IS EDWARD III GOOD ENOUGH TO BE BY SHAKESPEARE?
2016-08-01
July 2016
HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHETHER SHAKESPEARE WROTE EDWARD III?
2016-07-31
WHO WROTE EDWARD III?—-SOME CANDIDATES.
2016-07-30
A COMPLETIST GOES FOR EXTRA CREDIT.
2016-07-29
“I SOLD MY FARM TO BUY MY CROWN.”
2016-07-08
SHAKESPEARE FAVORED MULTIPLE MEANINGS EVERY CHANCE HE GOT.
2016-07-06
THINKING IN A WORLD WITHOUT STANDARD SPELLING.
2016-07-05
DISAMBIGUATING SHAKESPEARE.
2016-07-04
THE AIR BITES “SHROUDLY”—DOES SHAKESPEARE’S SPELLING MATTER?
2016-07-03
HAMLET—A YOUNG MAN’S VOICE.
2016-07-02
June 2016
HOW DIFFICULT IS SHAKESPEARE?
2016-06-19
PEOPLE SHOULDN’T BE TOLD THEY WON’T LIKE SHAKESPEARE.
2016-06-18
BLACKADDER’S OPINION OF CUTTING HAMLET.
2016-06-17
IF YOU’RE TRANSLATING SHAKESPEARE INTO CURRENT ENGLISH, WHY NOT GO ALL THE WAY ?—- “I THINK SHAKESPEAR NEEDS TO TALK IN MODERN ENGLISH, INNIT, BRUV?”
2016-06-16
I’M OK WITH CHANGING THE GENDER OF SHAKESPEARE’S CHARACTERS, TRANSLATING SHAKESPEARE, AND CUTTING SHAKESPEARE, IF IT ENLARGES THE AUDIENCE FOR SHAKESPEARE.
2016-06-15
THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE GLOBE DIRECTOR’S LOW OPINION OF SHAKESPEARE.
2016-06-14
THE NEW DIRECTOR OF THE GLOBE THEATRE SAYS SHAKESPEARE MAKES HER “VERY SLEEPY”
2016-06-13
MUHAMMAD ALI—MASTER OF LANGUAGE.
2016-06-05
May 2016
ST. AUGUSTINE—NEWLY FOUND SERMONS FROM OVER 1500 YEARS AGO.
2016-05-31
ELIOT THE EX-MID BANK CLERK.
2016-05-19
ELIOT, THE “MOST BANK-CLERKY OF ALL BANK CLERKS”.
2016-05-18
T.S.ELIOT—AN EX-MID ASPIRES TO BE EUROPEAN.
2016-05-17
THE 23RD PSALM—HOW ENGLISH HAS CHANGED IN THE LAST 1000 YEARS.
2016-05-10
THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD AND ACHILL ISLAND.
2016-05-09
THE PLAYBOY RIOTS.
2016-05-08
THE REMOTE ARAN ISLANDS.
2016-05-07
HOW MANY PLAYS DID SHAKESPEARE WRITE?
2016-05-04
REWRITING SHAKESPEARE’S SONNETS.
2016-05-03
WHAT WAS EZRA POUND UP TO?
2016-05-02
WHAT WAS SANTAYANA UP TO?
2016-05-01
April 2016
A FOLLOWER OF EZRA POUND REWRITES SONNET 30.
2016-04-30
SANTAYANA REWRITES SONNET 29.
2016-04-29
SHAKESPEARE DID NOT WRITE IN OLD ENGLISH.
2016-04-24
A MODERN TRANSLATION OF SONNET 18 INTO OLD ENGLISH.
2016-04-23
LEAR—THE STORM WITHIN AND A STORM WITHOUT.
2016-04-11
March 2016
ALL OF SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS ARE GOOD.
2016-03-25 · 1 comment
WHAT I LEARNED AS A COMPLETIST.
2016-03-24
EXPERIENCING PERICLES.
2016-03-23 · 1 comment
A “LIMPIDLY BEAUTIFUL PLAY”.
2016-03-17
MIXED FEELINGS ABOUT GOING TO SEE PERICLES.
2016-03-17
HOW IS “WONDERFUL” DIFFERENT FROM “MARVELOUS”?
2016-03-16
“THE RUSTLE OF INDEX CARDS”.
2016-03-12
HOW LINNAEUS INVENTED THE INDEX CARD.
2016-03-11
AN ENTRY FOR THE INCOMPREHENSIBILITY PRIZE.
2016-03-09
TREVOR NUNN’S COMPLETIST AGENDA.
2016-03-08
A COMPLETIST PREPARES TO DECLARE VICTORY.
2016-03-07 · 2 comments
WOULD SHAKESPEARE BE WRITING FOR VIDEOGAMES IF HE WERE WRITING TODAY?
2016-03-06 · 1 comment
DO STUDENTS TODAY EXPERIENCE SHAKESPEARE DIFFERENTLY?
2016-03-04
February 2016
ANOTHER HORATIO ALGER HERO WHO IS REALLY A “STRIVER”
2016-02-29
ELECTIONEERING ADVICE IN THE AGE OF CICERO.
2016-02-23
HOW WICKED WERE THE WICKED EMPERORS?
2016-02-20 · 2 comments
“KNEELING UPON THE KNEES OF MY HEART”.
2016-02-07
THE THIRD PLAY OF MARY JANE’S SHAKESPEARE TRILOGY.
2016-02-06
January 2016
REMOVING THE LAUGHS FROM THE FUNNIEST PLAY EVER WRITTEN.
2016-01-13
“THE BOOK OF MY ENEMY HAS BEEN REMAINDERED”—REVISITED.
2016-01-09
A FAREWELL POEM BY CLIVE JAMES.
2016-01-08
“HAIL AND FAREWELL.”
2016-01-07
THE SPARROW.
2016-01-06
“BANTERING CHAPS”.
2016-01-05
LESBIA AND CLODIA.
2016-01-04
“I HATE AND I LOVE.”
2016-01-03
CLIVE JAMES WRITES A POEM BASED ON POEMS OF CATULLUS.
2016-01-02
KNIGHTS FIGHTING SNAILS.
2016-01-01
December 2015
THE SENTIMENTALITY CHALLENGE—-2015.
2015-12-24
POETS HATING POETS.
2015-12-23
APPARENTLY WE STILL DON’T KNOW WHY THE GIRAFFE GOT ITS LONG NECK.
2015-12-04
HOW DID THE GIRAFFE GET ITS LONG NECK?
2015-12-03
November 2015
“RISKY STORIES”.
2015-11-30
THE DESIRE FOR CLOSURE IN STORIES.
2015-11-29
STORIES WITHOUT AN ENDING.
2015-11-28
“SO THE MUSIC OF THE SPHERES TURNS OUT TO BE STATIC.”.
2015-11-21
THE POETRY OF HARRY POTTER (SPOILER ALERT).
2015-11-16
THE TIMIDITY OF THE BRONTE SISTERS.
2015-11-10
EMILY BRONTE PUNCHED THE FAMILY DOG.
2015-11-09
YEATS AND THE POET VOICE.
2015-11-05
AGAINST POETS USING THE “POET VOICE”.
2015-11-04
THE IMPORTANCE YEATS GAVE TO METER IN READING HIS POETRY.
2015-11-03
HOW POE RECITED THE RAVEN.
2015-11-02
THE INSISTENT METER OF POE’S RAVEN.
2015-11-01
October 2015
CHRISTOPHER WALKEN AND THE METER OF THE RAVEN
2015-10-31
AGINCOURT—600 YEARS AND FOUR DAYS AGO.
2015-10-29
PUNCTUATION AS AN “ORATORICAL STAGE DIRECTION”.
2015-10-20
THE DETECTIVE STORY WRITER AND THE HISTORIANS.
2015-10-18
CURRENT THINKING ON THE DEATHS OF THE PRINCES IN THE TOWER.
2015-10-17
WHAT THE BILL OF ATTAINDER DIDN’T SAY.
2015-10-16
A TRANSLATOR ADDING DETAILS.
2015-10-15
ASSERTIONS THAT HAMLET CAN’T BE FAT.
2015-10-09
IS HAMLET FAT?
2015-10-08
MARY JANE HAS FINISHED THE THIRD PLAY IN HER SHAKESPEARE TRILOGY.
2015-10-07
TURNING POP SONGS INTO SHAKESPEARIAN SONNETS.
2015-10-06 · 1 comment
September 2015
WHY CAN’T ROMANCE NOVELS GET ANY LOVE?
2015-09-29
MY FIRST ROMANCE NOVEL.
2015-09-28
HOW I BECAME A READER OF ROMANCE NOVELS.
2015-09-27
THE IG NOBELS RECOGNIZE THE DISCOVERY THAT “HUH” IS A UNIVERSAL WORD.
2015-09-23
August 2015
FALSTAFF, SNOOPY, DOCTOR WHO, AND SHERLOCK HOLMES.
2015-08-31
SHERLOCK HOLMES AS HAMLET.
2015-08-30
HAMLET, SHERLOCK HOLMES, AND DOCTOR WHO.
2015-08-29
STARTING HAMLET WITH “NATURE BOY”.
2015-08-28
IS IT A MISTAKE TO BEGIN HAMLET WITH “TO BE OR NOT TO BE”?
2015-08-27
STARTING HAMLET WITH “TO BE OR NOT TO BE”….
2015-08-26
WORDS SHAKESPEARE INVENTED THAT DIDN’T CATCH ON.
2015-08-24
ANSWER TO THE SALACIOUS LITERARY TRIVIA QUESTION.
2015-08-23
SOME SALACIOUS LITERARY TRIVIA.
2015-08-15
WAS THE CHOICE FOR ENGLISH LITERATURE BETWEEN SHAKESPEARE AND BEN JONSON?
2015-08-13 · 1 comment
WAS MY PROBLEM WITH ROMULUS THAT IT WAS A EUROPEAN PLAY?
2015-08-12 · 2 comments
ROMULUS—WHAT I HOLD AGAINST GORE VIDAL.
2015-08-11 · 1 comment
ROBERT CONQUEST’S REVISION OF SHAKESPEARE.
2015-08-09
A LIMERICK ABOUT COMMUNISM BY AN HISTORIAN OF COMMUNISM.
2015-08-07 · 1 comment
July 2015
THE TWO ATTICUS FINCHES.
2015-07-14
WHY I THINK SHAKESPEARE SHOULD GET FULL CREDIT FOR HENRY VIII.
2015-07-08
WHAT HENRY VIII LEAVES OUT.
2015-07-07
DID SHAKESPEARE WRITE THE GOOD PARTS OF HENRY VIII AND FLETCHER THE BAD?
2015-07-06
THE POLITICAL DANGERS OF SHAKESPEARE’S HENRY VIII.
2015-07-05
A COMPLETIST ADDS HENRY VIII.
2015-07-04
June 2015
A HAPPY ENDING FOR ALL’S WELL.
2015-06-29
DOES “ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL” END WELL?
2015-06-28
PEOPLE HATE BERTRAM.
2015-06-27
THE NIGHT THEY INVENTED ORIENTALISM.
2015-06-09
ORIENTALISM AND THE KING AND I.
2015-06-08
May 2015
WHAT EFFECT DID THE TWO MURDERS HAVE ON SHAKESPEARE?
2015-05-17
THE TWO MURDERS IN SHAKESPEARE’S HOUSE.
2015-05-16
SHAKESPEARE’S BIRTHPLACE AMERICA.
2015-05-15 · 1 comment
THE IMPORTANCE FOR ME OF FREUD AND MARX.
2015-05-14
“A FREUDIAN FANTASY” (COMMENT).
2015-05-13
April 2015
THE SONNET PROJECT’S INTERPRETATIONS OF SONNETS 116, 117 AND 118.
2015-04-27
SONNETS 117 AND 118 AS PARTS OF A SEQUENCE.
2015-04-26
SONNET 116 (“LET ME NOT TO THE MARRIAGE OF TRUE MINDS”) AS PART OF A SEQUENCE.
2015-04-25
DO SHAKESPEARE’S SONNETS HAVE A PLOT?
2015-04-24
THE SONNET PROJECT OF THE NEW YORK SHAKESPEARE EXCHANGE.
2015-04-23
MARY JANE’S DREAM ABOUT SHAKESPEARE AND TOTO.
2015-04-17
MARY JANE’S 24 HOUR PLAY FESTIVAL.
2015-04-16
MARY JANE’S NEW BLOG ABOUT SHAKESPEARE.
2015-04-15
SYNESTHESIA AND FISHER-PRICE REFRIGERATOR LETTERS.
2015-04-14
YEATS READS THE LAKE ISLE OF INNISFREE.
2015-04-01 · 1 comment
March 2015
THE LAKE ISLE OF INNISFREE.
2015-03-31 · 1 comment
SAMUEL BECKETT—”A KIND OF CONTROLLED, CONSENSUAL CRUELTY”.
2015-03-21
WHAT TODAY’S HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS KNOW.
2015-03-16 · 2 comments
CULTURAL LITERACY REVISITED.
2015-03-15 · 1 comment
LAURA INGALLS WILDER’S BLIZZARD.
2015-03-08
WHERE DID THE WORD “BLIZZARD” COME FROM?
2015-03-07
February 2015
THE BEAUTY OF SNOW.
2015-02-25
RECITING POETRY BY THE FIRE.
2015-02-24
ENJOYING A NEW ENGLAND WINTER BACK IN THE DAY—SNOW-BOUND.
2015-02-23
January 2015
EZRA POUND ON WINTER.
2015-01-31
SNOW POEMS.
2015-01-30
December 2014
THE SENTIMENTALITY CHALLENGE.
2014-12-29
TIME AND A CHRISTMAS CAROL
2014-12-26
CHRISTMAS RITUALS.
2014-12-25
JUDITH SHAKESPEARE HAS HER SAY.
2014-12-18
THE SECOND PLAY IN MARY JANE’S SHAKESPEARE TRILOGY HAS BEEN READ IN NEW YORK.
2014-12-17
November 2014
THE VOICES OF UNDER MILKWOOD.
2014-11-01
October 2014
CHRISTOPHER WALKEN READS THE RAVEN.
2014-10-31
“…WILL THE CLEMATIS STRAY DOWN, BEND TO US….”
2014-10-30
FROST/ELIOT.
2014-10-30
WHEN ELIOT BESTRODE THE WORLD LIKE A COLOSSUS.
2014-10-29
T S ELIOT—THE AGED EAGLE IN THE BOX.
2014-10-28
DYLAN THOMAS—100 YEARS.
2014-10-27
GARDEN PATH SENTENCES IN SHAKESPEARE.
2014-10-25
HOW MACBETH WORKS WITHOUT THE AUDIENCE NOTICING.
2014-10-24
ARGUING THAT SHAKESPEARE CAN’T BE TRANSLATED BECAUSE THERE IS NO SINGLE “MEANING”.
2014-10-23
A SCHOOL PROGRESS REPORT FOR THE YOUNG BRONTE SISTERS.
2014-10-20
ATTACKING AN ACTRESS FOR WHAT HER CHARACTER DOES.
2014-10-14
ATTACKING THE ACTRESS FOR THE FLAWS OF THE CHARACTER.
2014-10-13
A DANISH JOKE ABOUT MIND AND BODY.
2014-10-08 · 1 comment
AN ANCIENT ROMAN JOKE ABOUT MIND AND BODY.
2014-10-07
THE RETURN OF THE REDHEADED LEAGUE.
2014-10-06
THE VOICE OF THE LITTLE HOUSE BOOKS.
2014-10-05
A LETTER SHOWING HOW THE LITTLE HOUSE BOOKS WERE WRITTEN.
2014-10-04
WHO WROTE THE LITTLE HOUSE BOOKS?
2014-10-03
September 2014
THE WISDOM OF SCOTT FITZGERALD.
2014-09-21 · 1 comment
WHAT FITZGERALD MEANT WHEN HE WROTE THAT THERE ARE NO SECOND ACTS IN AMERICAN LIFE.
2014-09-20
A JUSTIFICATION FOR THE MURDER AT THE END OF THE COMEDY.
2014-09-08
CHANGING MEASURE FOR MEASURE—A MURDER AT THE END OF THE COMEDY.
2014-09-07
CHANGING MEASURE FOR MEASURE—A TOPLESS SCENE FOR A NUN.
2014-09-06
CHANGING MEASURE FOR MEASURE—ELIMINATING CLAUDIO’S SPEECH.
2014-09-05
THE UTAH SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL—PLAY DEVELOPMENT.
2014-09-01
August 2014
HOTSPUR POINTS OUT THAT CORRELATION DOES NOT IMPLY CAUSATION.
2014-08-28
WHEN RICHARD BURTON CLAIMED TO MAKE UP HIS OWN SHAKESPEARE LINES.
2014-08-27
“REMEMBER, THIS WASN’T OUR IDEA.”
2014-08-26
WANTING TO PLAY ALL THE PARTS—NICOL WILLIAMSON.
2014-08-25
NICOL WILLIAMSON—WHEN STAGE FIGHTS ARE REAL.
2014-08-24
MEDICAL INTERPRETATIONS OF KING LEAR.
2014-08-11
KING LEAR AS A POLITICAL PLAY (COMMENT).
2014-08-10
‘LET US SIT UPON THE GROUND….”
2014-08-09
DO AMERICANS ACT SHAKESPEARE DIFFERENTLY?
2014-08-08
PASCAL: TWINS ARE FUNNY.
2014-08-05
IS THERE A NARRATOR IN “SEPTEMBER 1, 1939″?
2014-08-04
WHEN AUDEN DISAVOWED AN ENTIRE POEM.
2014-08-03
AUDEN’S DISAVOWAL OF HAPPY ACCIDENTS.
2014-08-02
WHY THE PRINTER’S VERSION WAS BETTER.
2014-08-01
July 2014
WHEN AUDEN LET A PRINTER REVISE HIS POEM.
2014-07-31
ADVICE FOR JANE AUSTEN.
2014-07-05
WRITERS CONSULTING FAMILY AND FRIENDS.
2014-07-04
ANNALISA’S INTERPRETATION OF SHAKESPEARE’S “BLUNDER”.
2014-07-03
SHAKESPEARE AND THE LEVITATION MAGIC TRICK.
2014-07-02
SHAKESPEARE’S “BLUNDER” ? (SPOILER ALERT).
2014-07-01
June 2014
CAN SHAKESPEARE BLUNDER?
2014-06-30
DID SHAKESPEARE BLUNDER?
2014-06-29
WALT WHITMAN AND THE LEARNED ASTRONOMER (COMMENT).
2014-06-26
TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA—A TRIUMPH FOR SHAKESPEARE ON THE SOUND.
2014-06-23
TWO GENTLEMEN—THE “LEAST REGARDED OF SHAKESPEARE’S COMEDIES”.
2014-06-23
THE SECOND HALF OF MEASURE FOR MEASURE.
2014-06-22
DOES SHAKESPEARE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE SECOND HALF OF HIS TRAGEDIES?
2014-06-22
HERE IS THE HEAD, I’LL CARRY IT MYSELF.
2014-06-21
STAGE BLOOD AND MOVIE BLOOD.
2014-06-20
IS SHAKESPEARE TOO VIOLENT?
2014-06-19
COULD THE JOURNALIST HAVE BELIEVED THE CON MAN?
2014-06-17
ARE ALL JOURNALISTS CON MEN?
2014-06-16
PUNNING IN SHAKESPEARE.
2014-06-11
A COMPLETIST ANTICIPATES TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.
2014-06-10
THE ORIGIN OF “THE CATBIRD SEAT” (COMMENT).
2014-06-07
May 2014
IT’S HOW THOUGHTS ARE ORGANIZED AND IDEAS ARE EXPRESSED (COMMENT).
2014-05-31
“TRANSLATIONS OF IMPORTANT POETRY AND LITERATURE”.
2014-05-30
THE SPECTRE OF BENJAMIN LEE WHORF.
2014-05-29
IS EVERYTHING TRANSLATABLE?
2014-05-28 · 1 comment
IS BEAUTY TRUTH, TRUTH BEAUTY?
2014-05-23
MARY JANE ON HOW SHAKESPEARE IS MORE HELPFUL TO ACTORS THAN BRECHT AND BECKETT ARE.
2014-05-14
HOW IS SHAKESPEARE MORE HELPFUL TO ACTORS THAN BRECHT OR BECKETT ARE?—FIRST ATTEMPT.
2014-05-13
April 2014
BRAVING CHEKHOV’S STORIES.
2014-04-12
WHY I SHRINK FROM READING NOVELS.
2014-04-11 · 1 comment
A REVIEWER WHO SHRINKS FROM READING MOST NOVELS.
2014-04-10
WHEN THOREAU BURNED DOWN THE WOODS AND DIDN’T REGRET IT.
2014-04-05
JAVERT AND VALJEAN DONE BY ACTORS.
2014-04-04
March 2014
WHEN I HEARD THE LEARNED ASTRONOMER….
2014-03-24
PROUST’S LAST THOUGHTS.
2014-03-13
THE NOVEL THAT WAS NOT FINISHED.
2014-03-12
WHICH PATCH OF YELLOW WALL?
2014-03-11
THE LITTLE PATCH OF YELLOW WALL.
2014-03-10
THE SYMBOLISM OF HOME PLATE.
2014-03-03
February 2014
MUHAMMAD ALI, THE POET.
2014-02-27
MARK RYLANCE’S TWELFTH NIGHT.
2014-02-13
VIOLA—A “STRANGELY, MOVINGLY PASSIVE HEROINE”?
2014-02-12
THE “INCANTATORY” RHETORIC OF RICHARD III.
2014-02-11
RICHARD III AS VICE.
2014-02-10
RYLANCE’S “DEEPLY UNCONVENTIONAL” RICHARD III.
2014-02-09
WHY USE DASHES?
2014-02-05
THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE EM DASH.
2014-02-04
“MARLEY WAS DEAD: TO BEGIN WITH.”
2014-02-03
GEORGE ELIOT’S BRILLIANT PUNCTUATION MARK.
2014-02-02
GEORGE ELIOT CHALLENGES THE GOLDEN RULE.
2014-02-01
January 2014
UTAH SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL!
2014-01-30
THOUGHTS OF JANUARY—WALLACE STEVENS.
2014-01-23
AN ARGUMENT THAT SMAUG COULD HAVE PROVIDED AN ECONOMIC BENEFIT.
2014-01-10
SMAUG AND MACROECONOMICS.
2014-01-09
December 2013
IS THE NEW YORKER MIDDLEBROW?
2013-12-28
VIRGINIA WOOLF SMITES THE MIDDLEBROWS.
2013-12-27
SOME MORE ECONOMICS OF A CHRISTMAS CAROL.
2013-12-26
CHRISTMAS SENTIMENT.
2013-12-25
A CHILD’S CHRISTMAS IN A STRANGE LAND.
2013-12-20
WHY SMAUG IS A BETTER DRAGON THAN GRENDEL.
2013-12-18 · 1 comment
THE LATIN ROOTS OF BELLATRIX LESTRANGE?
2013-12-17
ANOTHER GREAT BEGINNING FOR A BOOK—THE MANTICORE.
2013-12-15
THE MIRACLE THAT ANNIE SULLIVAN AND HELEN KELLER WORKED.
2013-12-13
“AFTER THE LEAVES HAVE FALLEN….”
2013-12-03
November 2013
W.H. AUDEN—MANIPULATING THE OXFORD ENGLISH DICTIONARY.
2013-11-29
MONDEGREENS—”…GENTLY DOWN THE STREET”.
2013-11-11
ANNALS OF TECHNOLOGY—HAMLET IS A VIOLENT PLAY.
2013-11-04
October 2013
A HAPPY ENDING FOR THE GLASS MENAGERIE?
2013-10-03
September 2013
EMPSON AND QUANTUM PHYSICS.
2013-09-30
UNDERSTANDING “THE ROOKY WOOD”.
2013-09-29 · 1 comment
EMPSON—EMBRACING ALL THE MEANINGS.
2013-09-28
ORWELL—AMBIGUITY AND FREEDOM.
2013-09-27
LITERARY CRITICISM AND ESPIONAGE.
2013-09-26
THE CATCHER IN THE RYE AND BIOGRAPHY.
2013-09-25
MARY JANE’S PLAY IS STAGED IN NEW YORK.
2013-09-16 · 3 comments
SEAMUS HEANEY.
2013-09-02
August 2013
HOW JOHN UPDIKE WATCHED BASEBALL.
2013-08-19
DIVINITY, TRINITY—A DOUBLE DACTYL.
2013-08-12
LIGHT VERSE—CLERIHEWS.
2013-08-11
July 2013
JAMES FENTON READS.
2013-07-24
DEPARTED FRIENDS.
2013-07-23
AT LAST, SOME WASHINGTON GOSSIP.
2013-07-12
SOME HISTORY OF NOODLING.
2013-07-04
June 2013
THE POWER OF “THE MAN WITH AN ORANGE FOR A HEAD” (COMMENT).
2013-06-29
PLAYING ROSALIND AS A GIRL.
2013-06-28
SHAKESPEARE ON THE SOUND DOES A WONDERFUL “AS YOU LIKE IT”.
2013-06-28
JANE AUSTEN’S FAMILY SCANDAL.
2013-06-15
FRENCH PHILOSOPHERS AND A CHICAGO WRITER.
2013-06-01
May 2013
NELSON ALGREN AND THE MURDERER.
2013-05-31
HOW THE WHITE SOX-CUB RIVALRY CHANGED NELSON ALGREN’S LIFE.
2013-05-30
IS “WHOM” DOOMED?
2013-05-13
TWITTER MESSAGES AS AN AMERICAN ART FORM.
2013-05-07
ORWELL—WRITING SHOULD BE LIKE SPOKEN LANGUAGE.
2013-05-06 · 1 comment
“LOL” FULFILLS AN HISTORIC NEED.
2013-05-05
“INNIT, BRUV” AS GRAMMAR.
2013-05-04
DOES “LOL” HAVE A MEANING?
2013-05-03
GATSBY GOES TO A BASEBALL GAME.
2013-05-02
April 2013
MARSHALL MCLUHAN AND THE INTERNET.
2013-04-28 · 2 comments
IS THIS “THE MOST LITERATE AGE IN HISTORY”?
2013-04-27
WILL YOUTUBE REPLACE WRITING?
2013-04-26
IS WRITING LIKE LATIN ON THE EVE OF THE RENAISSANCE?
2013-04-25
A SOLDIER POET LOOKS AT LANDSCAPES.
2013-04-12
MY REACTIONS TO THE HAMLET COMIC STRIP—HAMLET’S POWERFUL MOTIVATION.
2013-04-10
MY REACTIONS TO THE HAMLET COMIC STRIP—CONTEMPORARY HAMLETS.
2013-04-09 · 1 comment
HAMLET AS AN ANTISOCIAL GEEK.
2013-04-08
UNUSUAL CASTING—ULYSSES S. GRANT AS DESDEMONA.
2013-04-02
HAMLET AS A FAT MAN—JACKIE GLEASON.
2013-04-01
March 2013
HAMLET AS EVERYMAN—PAUL GIAMATTI.
2013-03-31
AN O HENRY STORY IN 2013.
2013-03-08
SOME DOUBLE DACTYLS.
2013-03-04
ANTHONY HECHT—INVENTOR OF THE DOUBLE DACTYL.
2013-03-03
THE RULES FOR A SESTINA.
2013-03-02
February 2013
LONGING FOR A PARENT.
2013-02-25
LUCKY ME.
2013-02-25
TOXIC PARENTS.
2013-02-23
CATS AND MANUSCRIPTS—PANGUR BAN.
2013-02-21
ANTHONY HECHT—”PERIPETEIA”
2013-02-14
THE EARL OF OXFORD AND HIS FART.
2013-02-02
January 2013
DOCTOR WHO AS HAMLET.
2013-01-31
“IT’S BRILLIANT, INNIT, BLUD?” (COMMENT).
2013-01-30
TOLKIEN’S VIEW OF TOM BOMBADIL.
2013-01-19
A DARK VIEW OF TOM BOMBADIL
2013-01-18
THE MYSTERY OF TOM BOMBADIL.
2013-01-17 · 2 comments
“THE VALUE OF DOOMED RESISTANCE”.
2013-01-15
TENNESSEE WILLIAMS AND THE FIG TREE.
2013-01-03
COMING TO AMERICA.
2013-01-01
December 2012
SARTRE OR CAMUS—WHO IS COOLER?
2012-12-30
OTHER THAN THAT, HOW DID YOU LIKE THE BOOK?
2012-12-29
A CLASSIC JAIL BREAK.
2012-12-27
THE BISHOP OF DIGNE.
2012-12-25
COOL.
2012-12-24
LES MIS—CRITICS VERSUS AUDIENCE.
2012-12-23 · 1 comment
“INNIT” AND “BRUV”.
2012-12-21
“I THINK SHAKESPEAR NEEDS TO TALK IN MODERN ENGLISH, INNIT, BRUV?” (COMMENT).
2012-12-20 · 1 comment
EVERYBODY WANTS TO REWRITE.
2012-12-14
PREPARING STUDENTS FOR THE WORKPLACE.
2012-12-11
November 2012
THE COLORS OF GREEK STATUES—LITERARY EVIDENCE.
2012-11-14
HOUDINI TRICKS TSAR NICHOLAS II.
2012-11-01
October 2012
NOVELISTS CONDESCENDING TO THEIR CHARACTERS.
2012-10-12
August 2012
MARTIN AMIS ON PRETTY NEW YORK CITY SKIES.
2012-08-02
July 2012
SHAKESPEARE ON THE SOUND—ROMEO AND JULIET.
2012-07-25
A SOLIPSISTIC INTERPRETATION OF MACBETH.
2012-07-24
FINDING THE SADNESS IN COMIC STRIPS (COMMENT).
2012-07-21 · 1 comment
AN ALL-PURPOSE SENTENCE.
2012-07-14
June 2012
MANYPEEPLIA UPSIDOWNIA.
2012-06-30
ENDURING LOVE.
2012-06-29
THE SHAGGY ORANGE STORY (COMMENT).
2012-06-25
IS THIS ONE REASON FOR THE PROLOGUE TO ROMEO AND JULIET?
2012-06-24
SHAKESPEARE ON THE SOUND 1999—ROMEO AND JULIET.
2012-06-23
SHAKESPEARE ON THE SOUND 2012: ROMEO AND JULIET.
2012-06-23
WHY DID NOBODY LAUGH?
2012-06-22 · 1 comment
THE MAN WITH AN ORANGE FOR A HEAD.
2012-06-21 · 2 comments
FINDING THE THEATER WHERE ROMEO AND JULIET WAS FIRST STAGED.
2012-06-07
SEAMUS HEANEY’S POEM ABOUT BOG BUTTER.
2012-06-02
May 2012
ADAPTING GATSBY.
2012-05-15 · 1 comment
April 2012
DID SHAKESPEARE KNOW THE WRITINGS OF HEGEL, MARX, NIETZSCHE, FREUD, WITTGENSTEIN AND DERRIDA?
2012-04-21
JOYCE AND VIRGINIA WOOLF (COMMENT).
2012-04-18
ULYSSES—VIRGINIA WOOLF LIKED THE BOOK, DESPISED THE AUTHOR.
2012-04-10 · 2 comments
“IN THE COUNTRY OF THE BLIND….”
2012-04-03
March 2012
ANOTHER VOTE ON UMBRIDGE.
2012-03-29 · 1 comment
THE SCARIEST VILLAIN IN HARRY POTTER?
2012-03-29 · 1 comment
OLIVIER’S INSIGHT ON IAGO’S MOTIVATION.
2012-03-27
IAGO AS A COURTIER.
2012-03-26
IAGO AS A SEDUCER.
2012-03-26 · 1 comment
“THE JOKER IN THE PACK”.
2012-03-25
OTHELLO’S COMIC FOUNDATION.
2012-03-24
CHEKHOV’S HOPES.
2012-03-23
WHAT DOES THE WIFE OF BATH WANT?
2012-03-12
THE GREAT VOWEL SHIFT—CHAUCER’S PRONUNCIATION.
2012-03-06 · 1 comment
February 2012
SHAKESPEARE AND ULYSSES GRANT.
2012-02-26
GRANT’S WRITINGS—THE ORDERS.
2012-02-25
PRESIDENT GRANT, THE WRITER.
2012-02-24
FROM THE SEA AND THE MIRROR.
2012-02-14
LEARNING FROM COMIC STRIPS—CALVIN AND HOBBES.
2012-02-09 · 1 comment
RESEARCH ON SYNESTHESIA.
2012-02-08 · 1 comment
January 2012
A KIPLING LIMERICK.
2012-01-15 · 1 comment
VICTORIAN HARPOONS IN TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY WHALES.
2012-01-14 · 1 comment
December 2011
REFLECTING ON THE PAST (COMMENT).
2011-12-31
TO BE REMEMBERED FOREVER—WRONGLY—FOR BEING MEAN.
2011-12-29
EBENEZER SCROGGIE—ADAM SMITH’S GREAT NEPHEW.
2011-12-28
GATSBY’S LAST SENTENCE.
2011-12-26 · 1 comment
MAKING CHRISTMAS MEMORIES.
2011-12-25
November 2011
MIDDLEMARCH.
2011-11-24
October 2011
SIMENON THE TECHNICIAN.
2011-10-30
A NOBEL PRIZE FOR DETECTIVE STORIES?
2011-10-29
SHAKESPEARE’S EDUCATION (COMMENT).
2011-10-26
ANONYMOUS—ONLY ARISTOCRATS CAN CREATE LITERATURE.
2011-10-25
CAMUS AND SIMENON AND THE NOBEL PRIZE.
2011-10-22
STEALING A BRIDGE; STEALING A FERRIS WHEEL.
2011-10-21
A SIMPLE REACTION TO ULYSSES.
2011-10-14 · 1 comment
ON COPIA—IS THIS HOW SHAKESPEARE, DONNE AND MILTON LEARNED TO WRITE?
2011-10-13 · 1 comment
September 2011
IS SHAKESPEARE UNIVERSAL? —THE CASE OF FRANCE.
2011-09-30
FINDING THE SYMBOL.
2011-09-28 · 1 comment
WAS OUR FAMILY MIDDLE BROW?
2011-09-17
“AVANT-GARDE AND KITSCH”.
2011-09-15
“…SHE CRISPED AWAY.”
2011-09-08
PICKPOCKETS AT AIRPORTS.
2011-09-05 · 1 comment
LEDA AND THE SWAN—YEATS.
2011-09-04
JOYCE ON WHETHER SHAKESPEARE WROTE FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
2011-09-02
August 2011
YOU KNEW WHAT I MEANT—A NEW BLOG.
2011-08-31 · 1 comment
CORK.
2011-08-22
POETRY AND BASEBALL.
2011-08-14 · 2 comments
POETRY AND BASEBALL.
2011-08-13 · 2 comments
THE LADY OR THE TIGER?—AN ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION.
2011-08-09
July 2011
THE WEST OF IRELAND AND “THE DEAD”.
2011-07-28
June 2011
JUMPING FROGS.
2011-06-07
FAVORITE PUNCTUATION MARKS (COMMENT).
2011-06-02
May 2011
STEAMPUNKING.
2011-05-29
HOW WOULD SHAKESPEARE FEEL ABOUT CUTTING HIS PLAYS?
2011-05-25 · 1 comment
HOW DO I FEEL ABOUT ABRIDGING SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS?
2011-05-25
DO CRITICS KNOW BETTER THAN PLAYWRIGHTS?
2011-05-24
IS WRITING A PLAY LIKE MAKING LASAGNA?
2011-05-23
SHOULD SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS BE CUT FOR MODERN AUDIENCES?
2011-05-22
IS 1700 THE CUTOFF DATE FOR UNDERSTANDING THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE?
2011-05-04
MY VOTE FOR TRANSLATING SHAKESPEARE (COMMENT).
2011-05-01
April 2011
SHOULD SHAKESPEARE BE TRANSLATED INTO MODERN ENGLISH?
2011-04-30 · 1 comment
A POSITIVE VOTE FOR REPRODUCTIONS—HENRY FORD.
2011-04-15
LES MIS AND THE CRITICS.
2011-04-02
March 2011
“AMN’T” AND “AIN’T” (COMMENT).
2011-03-20
EDGELANDS AND POETRY.
2011-03-18
THE KING JAMES BIBLE AND ENGLISH STYLE.
2011-03-13
LEARNING HOW TO WRITE COMPLEX SENTENCES.
2011-03-12
ACHILL—DEREK MAHON.
2011-03-11
EAVAN BOLAND’S ACHILL ISLAND.
2011-03-10
ACHILL WOMAN—EAVAN BOLAND.
2011-03-08 · 1 comment
MODERNISM—DETACHED AND RESTRAINED AND UPPER-CLASS.
2011-03-02 · 1 comment
EATING PEAS WITH A KNIFE.
2011-03-01 · 1 comment
February 2011
SERVANTS WRITING POETRY.
2011-02-28
GOOD BYE, MR. CHIPS.
2011-02-23
FLIGHTS TO HONG KONG.
2011-02-12
LIFE COPYING ART—”INFORMATION RICOCHET.”
2011-02-04
January 2011
WHY TODAY’S SENTENCES ARE SHORT.
2011-01-29
A “GAMBOLING” OR “BRAVURA” FIRST SENTENCE.
2011-01-28
“THE FIRST TIME I’VE BEEN WARM.”
2011-01-25 · 2 comments
MARY JANE’S FULL-LENGTH PLAY ABOUT SHAKESPEARE.
2011-01-24 · 1 comment
WHY DO WE LIVE IN NEW ENGLAND?
2011-01-20 · 1 comment
BITTER CHILL.
2011-01-20
December 2010
“CAN TOLSTOY SAVE YOUR MARRIAGE?”
2010-12-30
CHIASMUS AND TRAVEL.
2010-12-23 · 1 comment
MARK TWAIN, ASYNDETON, AND POLYSYNDETON.
2010-12-22
MORE WEIGHTINESS FOR A CONNECTICUT YANKEE.
2010-12-08
November 2010
WHY I CAN ENJOY A PLAY MORE THAN SOME GOOD DIRECTORS CAN.
2010-11-08
“AH, SOLDIER!” IN PERFORMANCE.
2010-11-07
October 2010
DID A WRITER GIVE AWAY THE PLOT OF THE PERFECT CRIME HE WAS PLANNING?
2010-10-30
THE PERPETUAL ORGY (COMMENT).
2010-10-18
DESPISING HUMANITY AND NOT JUST THE BOURGEOIS.
2010-10-17
DEFENDING THE BOURGEOIS.
2010-10-17
“WE” IN MADAME BOVARY (COMMENT).
2010-10-16 · 3 comments
THE “MYSTERY AND SADNESS” OF THE IMPERFECT TENSE.
2010-10-14 · 1 comment
“LIKE A LAMP WHICH HAS BEEN MOVED.” (COMMENT).
2010-10-14 · 1 comment
KITSCH—THE EVILS OF BAD ART.
2010-10-13
IS A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM “NOT A VERY GOOD PLAY”?
2010-10-10 · 2 comments
DOES IT MATTER THAT ENGLISH DOESN’T HAVE AN IMPERFECT TENSE?
2010-10-07 · 1 comment
FLAUBERT AND THE IMPERFECT TENSE.
2010-10-07
ADDING WORDS TO FLAUBERT.
2010-10-06
WHEN (AND WHERE) DR. SEUSS WAS VULGAR.
2010-10-01
September 2010
ARE ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA OVERRATED?
2010-09-02
August 2010
EMPSON ON THE TWO TYPES OF CRITICS.
2010-08-09
“…BARE RUINED CHOIRS…”
2010-08-08
THE AMBIGUITY OF “AH, SOLDIER!”
2010-08-08
“AH, SOLDIER!”
2010-08-06 · 2 comments
WERE THE HOMERIC GREEKS COLOR-BLIND?
2010-08-01 · 1 comment
July 2010
SEAM AND GREASE (COMMENT).
2010-07-25
SEAMS AND SEWING (COMMENT).
2010-07-25
“THE SEAMY SIDE” IN SHAKESPEARE.
2010-07-22
UNSEAMING IN SHAKESPEARE.
2010-07-22 · 1 comment
SHAKESPEARE’S INVENTED WORDS.
2010-07-21 · 3 comments
THE BEST COLLEGE HOUR I EVER SPENT.
2010-07-17
MY VOTE ON THE SOCRATIC METHOD.
2010-07-16
A DOSTOYEVSKY COMIC NOVEL—THE DEMONS.
2010-07-07
“THIS IS THE WAY OLD ‘CASEY’ STENGEL RAN….”
2010-07-02
June 2010
PLAYWRIGHTS AND STATISTICS.
2010-06-29
WHO WROTE THE HENRY VI PLAYS?
2010-06-29
FIGURING OUT WHO SHAKESPEARE’S COLLABORATORS WERE.
2010-06-28
HOW RAFFISH WAS SHAKESPEARE?
2010-06-27
SHAKESPEARE’S LOW-LIFE COLLABORATOR.
2010-06-27
DOMED STADIUMS AND PINBALL MACHINES.
2010-06-23 · 1 comment
A HORSE ON A TREADMILL.
2010-06-21
AN O. HENRY CENTENARY.
2010-06-16
A LIMERICK ABOUT FREE WILL.
2010-06-14
ANALYZING THE LIMERICK.
2010-06-14
“THE BOOK OF MY ENEMY HAS BEEN REMAINDERED.”
2010-06-12
LIGHT VERSE AND HIGH SERIOUSNESS.
2010-06-11
May 2010
SEEING KING JOHN VERSUS READING IT.
2010-05-31 · 1 comment
KING JOHN IS A GOOD PLAY.
2010-05-30
A COMPLETIST GOES TO SEE KING JOHN.
2010-05-29
KAFKA AND JOYCE ON WORDS.
2010-05-27 · 1 comment
WHAT WAS SHAKESPEARE LIKE?—THE OXFORDIAN VIEW.
2010-05-21 · 1 comment
THE BEST AMERICAN PLAY—DAVID MAMET’S CHOICE.
2010-05-17
DOING ADMIN.
2010-05-12 · 1 comment
ALAN SILLITOE AND THE BRITISH CLASS SYSTEM.
2010-05-10 · 1 comment
MEL GIBSON—THE BEST HAMLET PERFORMANCE?
2010-05-03
HAMLET AND DOCTOR WHO.
2010-05-02 · 2 comments
IS THIS THE BEST HAMLET?
2010-05-01 · 1 comment
April 2010
RIP VAN WINKLE AND HISTORY.
2010-04-26
WEIGHING HISTORICAL FICTION.
2010-04-26 · 3 comments
THE WEIGHTINESS OF A CONNECTICUT YANKEE.
2010-04-25
DISMISSING TOM SAWYER.
2010-04-24 · 2 comments
MARK TWAIN’S GREAT SUBJECT.
2010-04-23
DICKENS—ARE GREAT BOOKS ENOUGH?
2010-04-22 · 1 comment
STUDYING BUREAUCRACY.
2010-04-17
THE NEED FOR CLASSICAL SCHOLARS.
2010-04-03
ORWELL AND SCREEVERS.
2010-04-01
March 2010
THE COMPENSATORY ETHICS THEORY EXPLAINS A LOT.
2010-03-29
“HER HUSBAND—I MEAN HER BROTHER.”
2010-03-17
IMPLAUSIBLE HISTORICAL EVENTS—CLODIUS PULCHER.
2010-03-16
CONSPIRATA.
2010-03-15
February 2010
A PSYCHIATRIST AND AN ECONOMIST LOOK AT GOLLUM.
2010-02-23 · 1 comment
HEARTS PHYSICALLY BROKEN BY LOVE.
2010-02-15
VALENTINE’S DAY THOUGHT.
2010-02-14
MARRIED LOVE AND WESTERN LITERATURE.
2010-02-13
UPDIKE AND LOVE IN THE WESTERN WORLD.
2010-02-12
LOVE IN THE WESTERN WORLD.
2010-02-12
MOUNT TESTACCIO.
2010-02-11
January 2010
HOLDEN CAULFIELD RECONSIDERED.
2010-01-31
ZOMBIES.
2010-01-29 · 1 comment
KINGSLEY AMIS, CURMUDGEON.
2010-01-27
A NIGHTINGALE’S SONG.
2010-01-21
DOES CAMPION’S BRIGHT STAR SHOW TOO MUCH?
2010-01-21
KEATS’S BRIGHT STAR.
2010-01-21
CAMPION’S BRIGHT STAR.
2010-01-20
SCIENCE FICTION… THAT…EXPLORES OUR UNDERSTANDING OF GENDER.
2010-01-14 · 1 comment
COMING IN IN THE MIDDLE.
2010-01-04 · 1 comment
December 2009
CHRISTMAS ON THE PRAIRIE.
2009-12-25
IF METHOD ACTING IS DEAD, WHAT KILLED IT?
2009-12-21
SENTIMENT AND THE MIRROR OF REALISM.
2009-12-17
THE SHAKESPEARE PLAY THE SCHOLARS IGNORE.
2009-12-16
ARE AMERICANS NOT SERIOUS ENOUGH?
2009-12-12 · 2 comments
CHEKHOV AND LOADED GUNS.
2009-12-08 · 2 comments
November 2009
UTOPIA AND PRACTICALITY.
2009-11-19
THE ANTI-CANON—O.HENRY.
2009-11-07 · 1 comment
THE ANTI-CANON—CYRANO.
2009-11-06 · 2 comments
October 2009
ARE TWINS DIFFERENT FROM “NORMAL PEOPLE”?
2009-10-10 · 3 comments
September 2009
FINDING UNITY IN THE FUNNY PAPERS.
2009-09-08
WHAT IS THE UNITY OF THIS WORK?
2009-09-07
“GOOD TASTE IS THE RESIDUE OF SOMEONE ELSE’S PRIVILEGE….”
2009-09-06 · 2 comments
WAS IT A MISTAKE TO WRITE HAMLET?
2009-09-05 · 3 comments
WAS THERE ADEQUATE MOTIVATION FOR HAMLET?
2009-09-04
WHAT SHAKESPEARE PLAY WOULD YOU ASSIGN?
2009-09-03 · 2 comments
NOVELISTS AS SNOBS.
2009-09-02 · 2 comments
TWO BOOKS THAT EVERY STUDENT LIKED.
2009-09-02
August 2009
FLAUBERT’S CONTEMPT.
2009-08-23
HOLDEN CAULFIELD’S CONTEMPT.
2009-08-22 · 1 comment
THE CATCHER IN THE RYE—THE PASSAGE OF TIME (COMMENT).
2009-08-22
THE CATCHER IN THE RYE—A GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCE? (COMMENT).
2009-08-21 · 2 comments
ARTHUR MILLER—ELITIST.
2009-08-18
HOW SALINGER AND HEMINGWAY ARE ELITISTS.
2009-08-18 · 5 comments
TARANTULAS AND ANGEL FOOD CAKES REVISITED.
2009-08-17
THE GUILTY VICARAGE.
2009-08-17 · 1 comment
SCANDINAVIAN CRIME NOVELS—TRANQUILITY OR BLEAKNESS?
2009-08-16
CULTURAL LITERACY—MOVIES.
2009-08-09 · 1 comment
July 2009
AN ANDROGYNOUS SUN ALSO RISES
2009-07-19
AN ANDROGYNOUS HEMINGWAY.
2009-07-18
CHIMNEY-SWEEPERS—ANOTHER NAME FOR DANDELIONS.
2009-07-06 · 1 comment
FIREFLIES AND ROMANCE.
2009-07-03
MEMORIES AND MARSHMALLOWS.
2009-07-02
June 2009
“THERE IS NO GREATER PAIN….” (COMMENT).
2009-06-30 · 2 comments
AGREEING TO MY EXPERIENCE.
2009-06-26 · 1 comment
“GREAT MEN ARE ALMOST ALWAYS BAD MEN….”
2009-06-14 · 1 comment
ESCAPING WITH THE CONFEDERATE TREASURY (COMMENT).
2009-06-10
PROTECTIVE DELUSIONS.
2009-06-07
“AN AREA OF CONSIDERABLE PSYCHIC MURKINESS AND ODDITY.”
2009-06-01
WISCONSIN 1900–WISCONSIN DEATH TRIP.
2009-06-01 · 2 comments
May 2009
ANOTHER RHETT BUTLER (COMMENT).
2009-05-31
LUCKY PUBLICATION—MARGARET MITCHELL.
2009-05-31
A BIRD ON THE WING.
2009-05-30 · 1 comment
LUCKY PUBLICATION–HOPKINS.
2009-05-30
THE END OF GONE WITH THE WIND (SPOILER ALERT).
2009-05-27
WHO WAS RHETT BUTLER?
2009-05-26
VALUING AMBIGUITY.
2009-05-21
TALES TOLD BY A DOG.
2009-05-16 · 2 comments
April 2009
REWRITING AFTERWARD–A TEST FROM HENRY JAMES.
2009-04-29
CAN A COMMONER BE A BRILLIANT WRITER?
2009-04-20
NOT WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE—BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT?
2009-04-19
ARTISTS AND WRITERS USING OLD FORMS.
2009-04-16
ACTS OF KINDNESS.
2009-04-13
THE PURPLE COW.
2009-04-01 · 2 comments
March 2009
‘THE WORLD IS SO FULL OF A NUMBER OF THINGS….”
2009-03-31
CRICKET WASN’T ENOUGH TO MAKE LIFE WORTH LIVING.
2009-03-30
SCAMS: FLOOD PREPARATION.
2009-03-28
A POEM FOR THE EQUINOX.
2009-03-21
February 2009
BENJAMIN BUTTON—THE MOVIE.
2009-02-22 · 2 comments
“WHAT DO THE SIMPLE FOLK DO?”—REVOLUTIONARY ROAD.
2009-02-21
“THE REFUSAL TO BE PLEASED” (COMMENT).
2009-02-16
PICKING UP NICKELS IN FRONT OF A STEAMROLLER.
2009-02-11
January 2009
SAMUEL JOHNSON’S SENTENCES.
2009-01-31
WALTER JACKSON BATE AND SAMUEL JOHNSON.
2009-01-30
CARLYLE AND JOHNSON AND THE CASH NEXUS.
2009-01-29 · 2 comments
SAMUEL JOHNSON ON TAVERNS.
2009-01-29
PHILOSOPHERS WHO ARE BAD PEOPLE.
2009-01-22
VICTORIAN NOVELISTS AND THE ECONOMY.
2009-01-15
SADNESS—CHARLIE BROWN AND JON ARBUCKLE.
2009-01-02 · 2 comments
December 2008
GARFIELD AS AN EXISTENTIAL STATEMENT.
2008-12-31 · 2 comments
PEANUTS AND THE NEW GENERATION.
2008-12-31
A SUDDEN STROKE OF KINDNESS.
2008-12-25
HOUSMAN, WILDE AND CAVAFY.
2008-12-17
November 2008
HOW NEUROSCIENCE SUPPORTS VIRGINIA WOOLF.
2008-11-30 · 1 comment
THE SELF EMERGES BY PAYING ATTENTION.
2008-11-30 · 1 comment
COMPETING SELVES OR SIMPLY A MYRIAD OF IMPRESSSIONS?
2008-11-29
MODERNISM AND THE MIND—AND A BOOK RECOMMENDATON.
2008-11-29
THE WILL POWER OF A TRUE STOIC.
2008-11-25
DO I HAVE A FIXED SELF?
2008-11-21 · 1 comment
ANNALISA’S RETELLING OF “SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT.”
2008-11-20
THE WODWO AND “SIR GAWAIN AND THE GREEN KNIGHT” (COMMENT).
2008-11-19 · 3 comments
A MICROACCENT FROM 600 YEARS AGO.
2008-11-18
HUGHES—STRANGE STATES OF BEING.
2008-11-17 · 1 comment
TED HUGHES AND SEAMUS HEANEY (COMMENT).
2008-11-13
October 2008
LEVERAGE–HOW BIG AN ISLAND WOULD YOU BUY?
2008-10-26
“THE RACE IS NOT ALWAYS TO THE SWIFT….”
2008-10-23
MANDY PATINKIN’S PROSPERO.
2008-10-16
IS THERE AN HOMAGE TO FORGIVENESS IN THE TEMPEST? (AUDEN’S VIEW).
2008-10-16
ANTONIO’S LONELINESS (AUDEN’S VIEW).
2008-10-15
MIRANDA’S LONELINESS (AUDEN’S VIEW).
2008-10-15
DOES THE TEMPEST DISAVOW LONELINESS?
2008-10-15
PROSPERO’S LONELINESS.
2008-10-14
MANDY PATINKIN IN THE TEMPEST–A BRIEF RECOMMENDATION.
2008-10-14
EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY AND NARRATIVE.
2008-10-01 · 3 comments
EMPATHY AND NARRATIVE.
2008-10-01 · 1 comment
September 2008
TOM WOLFE ON THE NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE, BROADWAY AND DISNEYLAND.
2008-09-29
A NOTE ON FOX HUNTING.
2008-09-26 · 2 comments
HEMINGWAY ON BANK RUNS.
2008-09-25
BENJAMIN BUTTON–THE IMPOSSIBLE PLOT.
2008-09-16
STENDHAL ON THE PROCESS OF TRAVELING.
2008-09-04
August 2008
NOSTALGIA FOR THE IRON CURTAIN.
2008-08-31
RATS BEHIND THE WAINSCOTING.
2008-08-30
FAULKNER AND RAYMOND CHANDLER.
2008-08-30
A TARANTULA ON A PIECE OF ANGEL FOOD CAKE.
2008-08-30 · 1 comment
THE BIG SLEEP–DOES CRAFTMANSHIP MATTER?
2008-08-27
WHO IS SLEEPING THE BIG SLEEP?
2008-08-26
WANTING TO BE A CHAMELEON.
2008-08-10
July 2008
WERE THERE REASONABLE MEN IN SHAKESPEARE’S TIME?
2008-07-30
WHY IS O. HENRY OUT OF FASHION?
2008-07-08 · 2 comments
June 2008
TRAVELING WITHOUT GUIDEBOOKS.
2008-06-30
PUNCTUATION AND A SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY.
2008-06-29
May 2008
POETRY AT THE BREAKFAST OR DINNER TABLE.
2008-05-04
THE AUTOCRAT AND BLOGS.
2008-05-03
THE BLOG AND DINNERTABLE CONVERSATION.
2008-05-02
TREES IN MAY.
2008-05-01
April 2008
SAUL BELLOW AND NORTHWESTERN.
2008-04-23
March 2008
IS GENDER SIMPLY PLAYING A ROLE?
2008-03-30
DO WE CHOOSE OUR PERSONALITIES?
2008-03-29
CAN CASSIUS BE A WOMAN?
2008-03-28 · 3 comments
TELLER AND THE JELLY DOUGHNUT.
2008-03-20 · 3 comments
FRANK RAMSEY ON MAN.
2008-03-10
SAMUEL BECKETT ON MAN.
2008-03-09
FRANK RAMSEY ON SILENCE AND WORDS (COMMENT).
2008-03-08
A SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF BLOOD.
2008-03-07
BLOOD AND SHAKESPEARE.
2008-03-06
THE PROBLEM OF BLOOD (COMMENT).
2008-03-05
February 2008
THE GREAT GATSBY AND THE AMERICAN DREAM.
2008-02-26 · 2 comments
MEANINGLESS DRAMA.
2008-02-23
IS ALBEE AN ABSURDIST? SHOULD HE BE?
2008-02-22
CHOOSING WORDS–STOPPARD AND THE CRICKET BAT.
2008-02-21
LEARNING SHAKESPEARE’S LINES.
2008-02-19 · 2 comments
CAN PROUST BE ABRIDGED?
2008-02-19 · 2 comments
DID PROUST CHANGE MY LIFE?
2008-02-18
WHY DO YOU LIKE YOUR FAVORITE PAINTINGS?
2008-02-16
TOLKIEN AS AUDEN’S TOUCHSTONE.
2008-02-16
COMPARING DOCTOROW’S WAKEFIELD TO HAWTHORNE’S WAKEFIELD (SPOILER ALERT).
2008-02-11 · 1 comment
“NEVER EAT AT A PLACE CALLED MOM’S…”
2008-02-02
January 2008
WIDE SARGASSO SEA.
2008-01-28
JEAN RHYS.
2008-01-28 · 1 comment
ON NOT READING KING LEAR.
2008-01-27
WHY GARFUNKEL IS RIGHT TO READ THE CLASSICS.
2008-01-27 · 3 comments
HAWTHORNE’S “WAKEFIELD”—THE MORAL.
2008-01-19
HAWTHORNE’S WAKEFIELD.
2008-01-19
“WAKEFIELD”– DOCTOROW AND HAWTHORNE.
2008-01-18
A FAIRY TALE AND A NEW YORK AUDIENCE.
2008-01-07
“SHAKESPEAREAN, BUT ONLY INTERMITTENTLY HUMAN.”
2008-01-07
CYMBELINE AND ITS ENEMIES.
2008-01-06
A FRIEND FOR CYMBELINE.
2008-01-06
CHECKING OFF SHAKESPEARE PLAYS.
2008-01-05 · 11 comments
December 2007
STOPPARD AND THE FALL OF THE IRON CURTAIN.
2007-12-28
SHAKESPEARE AND NEUROSCIENCE.
2007-12-27
IN PRAISE OF SCROOGE.
2007-12-26
BASEBALL AND FICTION WRITERS.
2007-12-09
MOBY-DICK AND CAREFUL EDITING.
2007-12-04 · 2 comments
TOLSTOY AND GOOD WRITING.
2007-12-03 · 1 comment
THE NEW YORKER AND CAREFUL EDITING.
2007-12-03
November 2007
NANOWRIMO.
2007-11-30
STANDUP, PUSH-PIN AND ART–THE MORE THE MERRIER.
2007-11-26
CLASSIC, ROMANTIC AND STANDUP.
2007-11-26 · 1 comment
REBELLIOUS STANDUP COMEDIANS.
2007-11-25
October 2007
ALICE BRADLEY AND GENDER.
2007-10-16
September 2007
TWO WAYS OF THINKING ABOUT SHAKESPEARE AS A BLACK SWAN (COMMENT).
2007-09-28
LOOKING AT WHERE WRITERS WRITE.
2007-09-24
WHERE WRITERS WRITE.
2007-09-23 · 1 comment
AN ADDITIONAL EPILOGUE TO THE LORD OF THE RINGS? (POSSIBLE SPOILER).
2007-09-20
THE LAST LINE OF THE LORD OF THE RINGS (POSSIBLE SPOILER).
2007-09-19
SHAKESPEARE WAS A BLACK SWAN (COMMENT).
2007-09-16 · 7 comments
August 2007
LOVE-STRUCK SHEPHERDS.
2007-08-29
THE SECOND FAVORITE SHORT STORY.
2007-08-27
SCOTT FITZGERALD’S LIFE.
2007-08-27
July 2007
A RAISIN IN THE SUN—ALMOST FIFTY YEARS LATER.
2007-07-30
ROWLING FOR NOBEL PRIZE?
2007-07-24 · 2 comments
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS– “TWINS, MARRIAGE AND IDENTITY.”
2007-07-06 · 2 comments
SHOULD THERE BE A DANCE AT THE END OF MERCHANT OF VENICE?
2007-07-02
June 2007
A JIG AT THE END OF THE TRAGEDY.
2007-06-15
THE CLOCK IS UP.
2007-06-14
DID SHAKESPEARE LOVE HIS WIFE?
2007-06-10 · 3 comments
SHAKESPEARE SEASON.
2007-06-09 · 2 comments
PHIL RIZZUTO.
2007-06-04
May 2007
ALL LIFE STORIES ARE INTERESTING.
2007-05-23 · 2 comments
THE NEW YORK SOCIAL HIERARCHY.
2007-05-12 · 3 comments
April 2007
BITTEROSITY REVISITED.
2007-04-07 · 2 comments
February 2007
MENTAL ILLNESS OR PHYSICAL ILLNESS?
2007-02-28 · 1 comment
CRITICS AND BITTEROSITY.
2007-02-27
HOMAGE TO CATALONIA REVISITED.
2007-02-25
SNARKY POEMS (COMMENT).
2007-02-23
TEARS ARE ROUND, THE SEA IS DEEP.
2007-02-22 · 3 comments
T.S. ELIOT— EX-MID
2007-02-08
January 2007
PROUST AND NEUROSCIENCE BY AN EXPERT.
2007-01-26
BERTRAND RUSSELL WAS A BAD MAN.
2007-01-20
December 2006
HEMINGWAY AND FEMINISM.
2006-12-28 · 1 comment
November 2006
CONTEMPT FOR THE BOURGEOIS
2006-11-27