Monthly Archives: February 2021

“Clarissa” Taught the Age Empathy

By Robin Bates | Published: February 28, 2021

A new book argues that epistolary novels, especially “Clarissa,” taught the 18th century empathy.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Clarissa, Daniel Defoe, Denise Diderot, empathy, Enlightenment, Humphrey Clinker, Moll Flanders, Roxana, Samuel Richardson | Comments closed

Get Thee Behind Me, Power and Wealth

By Robin Bates | Published: February 27, 2021

In “Paradise Regained,” Jesus instructs Satan, as he instructs Peter in Matthew’s gospel, to get behind him.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged John Milton, Paradise Regained, Trump evangelicals | Comments closed

My White Queen Injury Experience

By Robin Bates | Published: February 25, 2021

My recent axe injury resembled the “Alice through the Looking Glass” scene where the White Queen cuts herself with a brooch.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Alice through the Looking Glass, injury, Lewis Carroll | Comments closed

Cruz Is No Willie Stark or Richard III

By Robin Bates | Published: February 24, 2021

Ted Cruz? More Willie Stark crossed with Chevy Chase or Richard III played by Mr. Bean?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged All the King's Men, E. L. James, Fifty Shades of Grey, Richard III, Robert Penn Warren, Ted Cruz, William Shakespeare | Comments closed

Looking Back at a Year of Covid

By Robin Bates | Published: February 23, 2021

Wednesday Last July I collected all the essays I had written on Covid into a single post, with the first appearing almost exactly a year ago. This week, as we mark the once-inconceivable 500,000th official Covid death, I update that list. It has all been too tragic for words, but words are what we have. […]

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