Maura Binkley was an English major killed by an incel killer in a Tallahassee yoga studio. Her department chair turned to Shakespeare in his grief.
Tag Archives: Othello
An Incel Killer and an English Major
Iago Trump Whispers Poison into Our Ears
Of all Shakespeare characters, Trump, driven by racial resentment and thriving on chaos, may most resemble Iago.
Even Iago Should Not Be Tortured
Examining an upcoming trial by people who were tortured during the George W. Bush administration, Ariel Dorfman examines the face of Iago and the satisfaction we take at the tortures that await him.
A Literary History of the Insult “Cuck”
“Cuck” has become a favorite insult amongst alt-right types. In today’s post I trace literary references to cuckolds going back to Chaucer.
In Defense of The Merchant of Venice
Percy Shelley believes that great art transcends the prejudices of its time, even when it is cloaked in them. If he is right, then “Merchant of Venice” is less of a problem play than many people consider it.
The Complex Inner Life of Teachers
Lily King’s “The English Teacher” is filled with literary lllusions, most of them thematically important.
Robert Durst’s Iago-Like Soliloquy
How to interpret suspected murderer Robert Durst’s enigmatic words on “The Jinx”? Shakespeare’s villains point the way.
The Bard Could Improve Lawyer Behavior
A judge makes his case about how Shakespeare can improve lawyer professionalism.

