Tag Archives: Trumpism

Will Trump Turn Us into Goodman Brown?

By Robin Bates | Published: November 4, 2019

The disillusion of Hawthorne’s Young Goodman Brown may prove to be America’s in a post-Trump world.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged American Dream, Disillusion, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Young Goodman Brown | Comments closed

“Rhinoceros” and Trump’s GOP Takeover

By Robin Bates | Published: September 8, 2019

Ionesco’s “Rhinoceros” brilliantly captures how creeping authoritarianism works. It’s only too relevant.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged conformity, Donald Trump, Eugene Ionesco, Fascism, GOP, Rhinoceros | Comments closed

Is Loving Our Neighbor Asking Too Much?

By Robin Bates | Published: June 22, 2019

Spiritual Sunday This past week, I attended a special Bible study session on the Good Samaritan parable where Sewanee’s Rev. Amy Lamborn emphasized just how radical God’s second great commandment is. Jesus tells the story in such a way, she pointed out, that call out his audiences prejudices. At a time when we are turning […]

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged Brothers Karamazov, Donald Trump, Fyodor Dostoevsky, immigrant child separations, Parable of the Good Samaritan | Comments closed

Dryden Had Trump’s Number

By Robin Bates | Published: August 14, 2018

Dryden’s “Absolom and Architophel” describes unscrupulous politicians that we would find familiar today.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged Absolom and Architophel, Donald Trump, John Dryden | Comments closed

How To Find a Paradise Within, Happier Far

By Robin Bates | Published: January 27, 2018

Milton would have called those white evangelicals promoting Trumpism “grievous wolves.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged Donald Trump, John Milton, Paradise Lost, white evangelicals | Comments closed

Gawain, Trump and Shame

By Robin Bates | Published: December 15, 2017

Trump and Sir Gawain respond in opposite ways to shame: Trump counterattacks by acting shamelessly while Gawain lets it tie him into knots.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged chivalric code, chivalry, civility, Donald Trump, Edgar Allan Poe, shame, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight | Comments closed

“Julius Caesar” Is Only Too Relevant

By Robin Bates | Published: March 7, 2017

“Julius Caesar” has been showing up in the news recently, and for good reason. New York leads off with the play this summer in “Shakespeare in the Park” (the political parallels are overwhelming) and there is an “Ides of Trump” postcard writing campaign scheduled for March 15.

Posted in Uncategorized | Also tagged Donald Trump, Julius Caesar, Paul Waldman, Russiagate, Shakespeare in the Park, William Shakespeare | Comments closed