Music
On Anna Maria della Pietà, a Violin Virtuoso of the 18th Century
For many centuries, opportunities for women to live their lives as professional musicians were scarce. There were, however, exceptions –...
Driven into Paradise: Some Notes on Kurt Weill’s Exile in America
After escaping Nazism, the much-acclaimed composer moved away from his German roots to make his mark in a very American field – New...
Literature
Is Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” a Colonialist Novel?
Post-colonial writer Chinua Achebe eviscerated the story, interpreting it as a racist contrast between “civilized” Europe and “savage”...
Some Thoughts on Caryl Churchill’s “Cloud 9” and Sexual Politics
Men playing women, women playing men, and Victorian repressions galore – playwright Churchill tackled Millet’s feminist theories to...
Visual Arts
Painting, Sex, and Politics; or, the Armada Portrait of Elizabeth I
The Tudor monarch wielded an arsenal of tools and stratagems to navigate the perils of female statehood. Her most famous portrait, as...
Some Thoughts on Gustav Klimt’s Beethoven Frieze and National Pride
Already embroiled in controversy, Klimt sparked outrage when he unveiled his monumental painting. It divided opinion, and revealed the...
Society & Politics
“Why War?”: Rereading a Famous Letter from Freud to Einstein
With violent conflict raging around the globe, a look at the renowned psychoanalyst’s thoughts seems warranted. Although decidedly dated...
What is Hatred, and Is There Something We Can Do About It?
The powerful and dangerous sentiment may spring from many sources, from fear to former love. In light of all the threats it poses to our...
