Katha Pollitt: “It is easy to see Byron as a cad, a narcissist and, at bottom, a misogynist. But that would be unfair. Byron’s great insight, in an era where women were expected to be placid and insipid (not that they were!), was to see that women were much like men: They wanted sex and went after it eagerly, if secretly. … He understood, too, how limited was women’s scope for action.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
What Do You Get When A Literary Theorist Reads The US Constitution?
You get, for instance, a “focus on the connotations of what Hamilton in 1788, now thinking of ‘politics by analogy to architecture,’ called the ‘erection of a new government.’ This is a pity, but for a literary scholar … the image of ‘erection’ is too tempting to resist.” Or you get the suggestion that the issue of slavery and human rights is “more legible and meaningful when seen in the context of aesthetic disputes over neoclassicism.”
Oh God, Not Another Argument About When (Not) To Clap During Classical Concerts
“Jonathan Lennie, the classical editor of [London’s] Time Out magazine, attacked those who try to impress others by racing to be first to applaud as they recognise the closing bars of a piece and criticised concert-goers who clap between movements.” (The director of the BBC Proms has a fine response.)
My Hour On The Trafalgar Square Plinth
“It was Bastille Day. But I never really explained that. Nor did I exactly say that I was Marie Antoinette for the duration of my hour on the plinth. I hoped it would be clear. Or perhaps I hoped it would give people watching in Trafalgar Square or online something to wonder.”
If You Liked Pride And Prejudice And Zombies, You’ll Love Sense And Sensibility And Sea Monsters
“The book, which [publisher] Quirk said would be 60% Austen and 40% tentacled chaos, sees Elinor and Marianne Dashwood contending with giant lobsters, rampaging octopi, two-headed serpents and other ferocious sea monsters as they set out on their quest for love.”
Brüno: Banned In Ukraine!
The Ukrainian culture and tourism ministry “has so far not explained its decision. But it appears to have taken the view that several of the scenes – among them a mock gay parade, and one in which Brüno shows off his p***s – were likely to offend conservative and religious opinion.”
A Touring Artist’s Prayer Answered: Customized Treatments For Jet Lag
“Every regular flier has their favourite trick for kicking jet lag, from naps to caffeine. Now a computer program could take much of the guesswork out of these countermeasures, recommending precisely timed light treatments to reset the body’s circadian clock.”
Attorney Charged With Embezzling From ABT Dancers’ Union
“A longtime union lawyer was arrested and charged on Tuesday with embezzling approximately $150,000 from a union representing dancers and stage managers at American Ballet Theater, federal prosecutors said.”
Seeing Liverpool’s Success, UK Launches ‘British City Of Culture’
“Local councils across the UK are to compete to become Britain’s ‘city of culture’, under a new scheme which aims to build on the success enjoyed by Liverpool’s arts organisations during its stint as European Capital of Culture in 2008.” (London, already overflowing with cultural offerings, will not be eligible.)
NC Symphony Cuts Pay Of Musicians, Conductor
“The North Carolina Symphony, faced with an unprecedented $4 million debt, … plans to cut musicians’ compensation 17 percent this fiscal year as it tries to find ways to deal with a slumping economy. [Grant] Llewellyn, the music director, has agreed to a 10 percent salary cut.”