Donald Trump’s self-admitted sexual assaults resemble those of the university student in Chaucer’s “Miller’s Tales.” Hende Nicholas, however, is far more respectful of his lady love.
Monthly Archives: October 2016
We Mooste Calle Him “Hende Donald”
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Donald Trump, Geoffrey Chaucer, Miller's Tale, sexual assault Comments closed
A Pure Heart To Speak without Fear
Spiritual Sunday, Anticipating Yom Kippur I have been reading up on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement when Jews gather to confess their sins and ask for forgiveness. Yesterday I came across Avodah: Ancient Poems for Yom Kippur. “Avodah” is the name of the Yom Kippur service. According to editors and translators Michael D. Swartz […]
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Bring the Liberal Arts to West Point
A military man argues that the military academies have been emphasizing the STEM disciplines while overlooking the traditional liberal arts. This is a mistake, he argues, and mentions the Agincourt speech in “Henry V.” Sir Philip Sidney, another warrior, would agree and would add Pindar’s Olympian odes.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Henry V, Liberal Arts, military academies, Olympics, Pindar. "Olympian Ode 1", STEM disciplines, William Shakespeare Comments closed
The Liberal Arts Will Not Die
Thursday My colleague Jeff Hammond, a national authority on Puritan poetry and a much lauded writer of reflective essays, recently gave a stirring defense of the liberal arts for our parents-alumni weekend. Jeff’s observations dovetail very nicely with Percy Shelley’s Defence of Poetry, which I happen to be teaching at the moment. Watching poetry getting […]
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Defence of Poetry, Henry V, Iliad, Jeffrey Hammond, Liberal Arts, Odyssey, William Shakespeare Comments closed
Defending Homer against Plato
Plato’s attacks on Homer have to do with the bard’s focus earthly concerns rather than higher ones. Following Plato’s prescriptions, however, will not produce very interesting poetry.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Henry Fielding, Homer, Odyssey, philosophy, Plato, Republic, Tom Jones Comments closed
Childhood, Space of Terror & Enchantment
Norman Finkelstein’s wondrous poem “Children’s Realm” (in “The Ratio of Reason to Magic”) examines child’s play spaces and says that the poet also needs play spaces within.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Children's Realm", Childhood, Norman Finkelstein, William Wordsworth, wonder Comments closed
Butler & Grappling with White Privilege
The figure of the white husband in Octavia Butler’s “Kindred” captures many of the blind spots of white privilege. Examining him led me to examine how I myself have benefitted from America’s slave past.
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Kindred, Octavia Butler, race relations, reparations, slavery, white privilege Comments closed
Rosh Hashanah – A Stirring of Wonder
Two poems, by Muriel Rukeyser and Denise Levertov, to celebrate Rosh Hashanah by
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged "Thread", "To the Front", Denise Levertov, Muriel Rukeyser, Rosh Hashanah, Spirituality Comments closed
