Reading The Classics
In Act II scene 7 of Shakespeare's As You Like It, we encounter one of the more fatalistic and artful monologues in all of Shakespearean literature, Jaques's famous "All the world's a stage" soliloquy. Drawing on Ovid, Shakespeare uses the character, Jaques, to compare the totality of human life to the charade of a play, … Continue reading “All The World’s A Stage” Considered
In Book III of Herodotus's Inquiries, we encounter a problem among the Persians. The untimely death of the insane king Cambyses has led to a power vacuum filled by the corrupt Magi. When the Persians finally instill a revolt against the Magi, a conspiracy of seven men decides to storm the palace and regain power. However, … Continue reading Darius and the New Persian Regime
In the Book of Proverbs, we encounter a seemingly contradictory theology that stands in stark contrast to our exegesis of the Book of Job. The Book of Proverbs, predicated on the wisdom literature of the Egyptians, is designed as a letter from an elder Hebrew man to a much younger and inexperienced son. It is … Continue reading Thoughts on the Book of Proverbs
