Tag Archives: Hamlet

A McEwan Passage to Raise Your Spirits

By Robin Bates | Published: June 8, 2023

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The Bard Fails to Prevent Genocidal Horror

By Robin Bates | Published: May 23, 2023

Can Shakespeare break through to genocidal maniacs. O’Brien wrestles with this question in “Little Red Chairs.”

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Hamlet: Shakespeare Grieving His Son?

By Robin Bates | Published: March 5, 2023

In which I explore why O’Farrell’s “Hamnet” opened up wellsprings of grief I didn’t realize were there.

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Why Conspiracy Theories Beat Logic

By Robin Bates | Published: November 14, 2022

Philosopher Mladen Dolar cites Socrates and Hamlet to explain why conspiracy theories are so resistant to logic.

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Alas, Poor Twitter–I Knew Him, Ho-Ratio

By Robin Bates | Published: October 30, 2022

Literary allusions have been flying, many with a sense of doom, since Elon Musk purchased Twitter.

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Good Night, Sweet Lady

By Robin Bates | Published: July 21, 2022

Tomorrow I will recite internally recite a passage from “Hamlet” when I pour my mother’s ashes into the ground.

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Hamlet and a Teen Suicide Outbreak

By Robin Bates | Published: October 25, 2021

Hamlet may give us some insight into adolescent suicides, which are on the rise.

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Comparing Claudius’ and Trump’s Coups

By Robin Bates | Published: October 24, 2021

The GOP desire to move on from Trump’s coup attempt is like Claudius wanting to move on from his successful one against Hamlet’s father.

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Trump & Covid: Tragedy or Farce?

By Robin Bates | Published: October 4, 2020

Was the Rose Garden event for Trump’s new SCOTUS pick–which became a Covid superspreader event–a Shakespearean tragedy? How about a farce?

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