Category Archives: Philosophical, Psychological & Historical Considerations

Bertrand Russell complained about one of his grandmother’s preferred puns, “What is mind? Doesn’s matter. What is matter? Never mind.” And yet we, as a species, continuously attempt to fathom the mystery of the mind, with the help of philosophy, psychology and history. Shakespeare has given us much food for thought on all three, as well as music for those who love the music of words.

Shakespeare, French Revolution and World War One

Posted on July 15, 2014 by jimmie

“The cannons have their bowels full of wrath, And ready mounted are they to spit forth Their iron indignation ‘gainst your walls” King John, act 2, sc. 1 This year’s July features two important anniversaries. On July 14th, 1789, the people of Paris stormed the prison of the Bastille, triggering the start of the French Read More

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Shakespeare and Selective Media Silence

Posted on July 7, 2014 by jimmie

 “… lend me ten thousand eyes, And I will fill them with prophetic tears” Troilus and Cressida, act 2, sc. 2 The migration of unaccompanied children from Guatemala, Honduras and San Salvador to the United States has caught for an instant the eye of the regime media. For reference, there are 1600 miles from Guatemala Read More

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Shakespeare & Independence Day

Posted on June 30, 2014 by jimmie

“…Believe my words, For they are certain and unfallible.” (King Henry VI part 1, act 1, sc. 2) So says the Duke of Orleans after explaining to the King of France that Joan of Arc is really endowed with supernatural powers. In a somewhat similar vein, the opening words of the American Declaration of Independence Read More

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Shakespeare, Inequality and Society

Posted on June 23, 2014 by jimmie

ARVIRAGUS Are we not brothers? IMOGEN So man and man should be; But clay and clay differs in dignity, Whose dust is both alike.” (Cymbeline, act 4, sc. 1) “…Methinks I see my father”, says Hamlet. “Where my lord?” asks Horatio. “In my mind’s eye”, replies Hamlet. And it is in our minds’ eye that, Read More

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Shakespeare, Obedience, Bees and Society

Posted on June 17, 2014 by jimmie

“Obedience: for so work the honey bees, Creatures that, by rule in nature, teach The act of order to a peopled kingdom. They have a king, and officers of sorts.” (King Henry V, act 1, sc. 2) At the end of the 19th century Leo Tolstoy directly observed instances of sheer (Russian) state brutality. He Read More

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Shakespeare and the Exchanged Prisoner Bergdahl

Posted on June 8, 2014 by jimmie

“Thus may poor fools Believe false teachers: though those that are betray’d Do feel the treason sharply, yet the traitor Stands in worse case of woe” Cymbeline, act 3, sc. 4 Sometimes an episode, like a good novel, sheds more light on the history of the times than academic essays written by experts. Such is Read More

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Shakespeare and the Mass Killing at Santa Barbara

Posted on May 27, 2014 by jimmie

“… hie thee from this slaughter-house, Lest thou increase the number of the dead” King Richard III, act 4, sc. 1 Mass killings have become almost habitual news. To the point that if the slaughter affects less than five people, it barely reaches the pages of the corporate media.

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Shakespeare, Religion, Tolstoy and Martin Luther King

Posted on May 19, 2014 by jimmie

“…and sweet religion makes A rhapsody of words.” Hamlet, act 3, scene 4   Say “Tolstoy” and most of us think of “War and Peace”, “Anna Karenina” and maybe of some of his short stories. Few, however, would associate Tolstoy with the philosophy of a Christian-anarchist. Though “anarchist”, given the usually negative connotation associated with Read More

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Shakespeare on Antiseptic and Anesthetic Words

Posted on May 5, 2014 by jimmie

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, By any other name would smell as sweet.” Romeo and Juliet, act 2, sc. 2 So says Juliet, thinking that, yes, Romeo is a Montague by last name, and as such an enemy of her family. But she does not care – so much so Read More

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Shakespeare and Gender Ideology

Posted on April 21, 2014 by jimmie

God! that one might read the book of fate, And see the revolution of the times… … how chances mock, And changes fill the cup of alteration With divers liquors! King Henry IV, part 2, act 3, sc. 1) After the veil of oblivion has been cast on individual events, historians can draw their conclusions Read More

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