The standard reading of Macbeth is that it is a tribute to King James I, Shakespeare's patron. As a relatively new king to the throne of England, James was fascinated with two chief themes found in Macbeth: witchcraft and regicide. James was a prolific writer and he wrote a book on the subject of witchcraft … Continue reading A Classical Hero in the Modern World: A Reading of Macbeth
Tag: art
Anglo-Saxon England, Part II
With the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons a panoply of changes took effect across Britain. Old English replaced Latin as the lingua franca, the island of Britannia was renamed Aengla Land after the Angles, and perhaps most significantly, there was a political shift. The Saxons brought with them the idea of kingship by consent. That is, … Continue reading Anglo-Saxon England, Part II
An Appeal to Common Wisdom in the Final Tale: The Parson’s Tale
The "Parson's Tale" is the final story of The Canterbury Tales. In the "General Prologue," the Parson is described as a 'good man of religion.' He is erudite, scholarly, devout, and forgiving. The Parson believes that in order to be a good priest he must be perfect, because sheep follow their shepherd, but only if … Continue reading An Appeal to Common Wisdom in the Final Tale: The Parson’s Tale
Gone With The Wind: An American Epic of Nostalgia and Survivalism
"...tomorrow is another day." In a rare interview with the Atlanta Journal in 1936, Margaret "Peggy" Mitchell described her debut (and only) novel, Gone With The Wind, as follows: "...the story of a girl named Scarlett O’Hara, who lived in Atlanta during the Civil War and the days of Reconstruction. The book isn’t strictly a … Continue reading Gone With The Wind: An American Epic of Nostalgia and Survivalism
Deprivation and Excess in The Tale of Sir Thopas and The Tale of Melibee
Chaucer, the pilgrim, is the only member of the group who is allowed to present a second tale on the way to Canterbury. He delivers his second tale following the failure of his minstrel song, "The Tale of Sir Thopas." The second tale is told in prose form. It is about a rich man named … Continue reading Deprivation and Excess in The Tale of Sir Thopas and The Tale of Melibee
On Chaucerian Irony in the Tale of Sir Thopas
Chaucer describes the whole group as "sobre" after the previous tale, a story of martyrdom told by the Prioress. Then the Host starts joking and for the first time he looks down at the narrator -the fictional character of Chaucer, who is an unusually quiet and observant person. He is an intellectual: maladroit, moody, somber, … Continue reading On Chaucerian Irony in the Tale of Sir Thopas
