Monthly Archives: July 2016

Chelsea’s Books and Female Ambition

By Robin Bates | Published: July 31, 2016

Chelsea Clinton revealed that she talked to her parents about Madeleine L’Engle’s “Wrinkle in Time” and watched the mini-series of “Pride and Prejudice” with her mother. Both feature strong heroines but also show these heroines to be confined to traditionally female roles.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2016 presidential election, Chelsea Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Jane Austen, Madeleine L'Engle, Pride and Prejudice, Wrinkle in Time | Comments closed

Implore His Aid, in His Decisions Rest

By Robin Bates | Published: July 30, 2016

The famous passage from Ecclesiastes–“All is vanity”–inspired a great poem by Samuel Johnson. Johnson’s final conclusion is that we can find happiness only in prayer.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged "Vanity of Human Wishes", death and dying, greed, Prayer, Samuel Johnson, Suffering | Comments closed

Wishing Hillary Godspeed

By Robin Bates | Published: July 28, 2016

What are we to make of these charismatic men like Bill Clinton and Barack Obama supporting Hillary? I offer up Thomas Hardy and James Baldwin references to advance different interpretations.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged 2016 presidential race, Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, James Baldwin, Jude the Obscure, Sonny's Blues, Thomas Hardy | Comments closed

We Shall Not Look Upon His Like Again

By Robin Bates | Published: July 27, 2016

Obama’s speech passing the baton to Hillary Clinton last night brings to mind a passage from “Hamlet.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Barack Obama, William Shakespeare | Comments closed

Like Citizen Kane, Trump Lacks Substance

By Robin Bates | Published: July 26, 2016

Why is “Citizen Kane” Donald Trump’s favorite film? Perhaps because he likes the way that the film glamorizes a narcissist like himself. We need to be careful about falling into this fascination, however. Such people make neither good journalists nor good presidents.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Citizen Kane, Donald Trump, Orson Welles | Comments closed

Donald Trump as Citizen Kane

By Robin Bates | Published: July 25, 2016

Donald Trump’s favorite film is “Citizen Kane.” Is he drawing on Kane’s campaign for governor in his demonization of Hillary Clinton?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Citizen Kane, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Hillary hatred, Orson Welles | Comments closed

Stephen Gosson: Unhinged by Lit

By Robin Bates | Published: July 24, 2016

Stephen Gosson, a 17th century Puritan and failed playwright, unloads virtually every poet revered in the 17th century. Though we dismiss his words today, they anticipated contemporary attacks on literature/

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged attacks on literature, censorship, Defense of Poesy, ephuistic style, Invective against Poets etc, John Lyly, Sir Philip Sidney, Stephen Gosson | Comments closed

Emily Dickinson’s “Smart Misery” of Doubt

By Robin Bates | Published: July 23, 2016

Emily Dickinson struggled with religious doubt all of her life. Because she desperately wanted to belief, some of her poems show her faith being tested.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged "Of Course I Prayed", "The World is not Conclusion", belief, Bible, Christianity, Doubt, Emily Dickinson, Faith, Jesus, John Calvin | Comments closed

The Mental Benefits of Forest Walking

By Robin Bates | Published: July 21, 2016

Recent brain research notes that walking amongst trees is a powerful antidote to depression. Wordsworth knew this long ago.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Lyrical Ballads, Tintern Abbey, Walking, walking in nature, William Wordsworth | Comments closed