William Shakespeare

William Shakespeare (1564-1616) was an English playwright and poet born in Stratford-upon-Avon. Shakespeare worked as an actor in London, where he began to compose sonnets. With the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, a company of players to become known as the King’s … Continue reading →

Pericles – A king without a crown

Pericles (ca. 495-429 BCE) was an Athenian general and statesman born in the wealthy and powerful Alcmaeonid family during Athens‘ so-called Golden Age. He had an unusually large head and legend has it that before his birth, his mother dreamed … Continue reading →

Romeo and Juliet – Not my fav but respected

Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy by William Shakespeare (1595-6). It portrays the brief lives of two “star crossed lovers” who come from feuding families, the Capulets and the Montagues. In Shakespeare’s time it was one of his most popular … Continue reading →

The Belief in Reincarnation – Man-Made Theory or Sacred Truth?

Also called metempsychosis and transmigration, reincarnation is a man-made theory usually presented as fact or sacred law by believers. Elements of the theory can be found in diverse religions and philosophies, including ancient Greek, Egyptian, Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist, Jain, African … Continue reading →

Radha – From milkmaid to goddess

Radha Krishna by Balaji Photography via Flickr In Hinduism Radha (Sanskrit = fortunate or successful) is an incarnation of the goddess Lakshmi. She appears on Earth as the female ghopi (cowherdess and milkmaid) who leaves her husband to become the playmate … Continue reading →

Ophelia – Victim of a twisted parent

Ophelia is a tragic Shakespearian character whose twisted father asks her to reject her lover, Hamlet. Ophelia’s father exploits her misguided loyalty to him and manipulates her into agreeing to reject Hamlet. Ophelia’s father also had been spying on her … Continue reading →

Othello – remembering Iago, a captivating psychopath

Othello, The Moor of Venice (1604) is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The plot is quite straightforward¹ but the emotions are complex: The good but overly trusting man, Othello, is tricked into murdering his wife, Desdemona, and is eventually brought … Continue reading →

Shylock

Shylock is a Jewish money-lender in William Shakespeare‘s play The Merchant of Venice. Shylock ruthlessly insists on receiving a previously agreed on “pound of flesh” from the character Antonio, whose expected fortunes have vanished. This forced Antonio to default on … Continue reading →

Percy Bysshe Shelley

View image | gettyimages.com Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) was a romantic poet, writer and man of letters best known for works such as Prometheus Unbound and Ozymandias. Although Shelley bristled at the thought of organized religion, he nonetheless envisioned a … Continue reading →

Star Trek : The Next Generation

Star Trek : The Next Generation is the first and highly successful remake of the original Star Trek TV show. The Next Generation ran for seven seasons from 1987-94. The captain of the new, beefed up United Federation of Planets … Continue reading →