The White Queen’s Burden
H. Rider Haggard seemed quite fond of his immortal sorceress Ayesha, the titular antagonist of She, and featured her in three sequels to the 1887 novel. But Haggard does not simply explore and exploit the… Continue reading
Author Archive
0 Comments
Victor Frankenstein — Reanimator
Victor Frankenstein and his monstrous progeny have hugely impacted horror and science fiction. However, much of contemporary cultural knowledge of the Frankenstein story has more in common with its subsequent adaptations than the… Continue reading
Death and the Sublime in “Tintern Abbey”
Keats famously called Wordsworth’s approach to nature and the sublime egotistical. Indeed, most Wordsworthian poems are chiefly concerned with his metacognition — memory, personal loss, and nature are filtered through Wordsworth’s self-concept. But… Continue reading
Not Ceasing From Mental Fight — William Blake’s Mystic Vision
William Blake’s strange collection of poetry and polemic is a striking juxtaposition of form and function. Many of his poems, seen on their own, appear much like the didactic and socially-minded religious pop-poetry… Continue reading
Privy to the Privy — Political Intimacy in the Monarch’s Dressing Room
There is little doubt that Jonathan Swift meant to disgust his readership with the intense scatology of “The Lady’s Dressing Room.” The secrets of dear Celia’s morning routine might have traumatized the poor… Continue reading
My Theologian Friday
After several years of isolation, our survivalist-turned-king Robinson Crusoe is provided a chance to add a human to his growing band of subjects. The “savage” Friday, joining the ranks of Crusoe’s domesticated goats… Continue reading