By Emily Chow-Kambitsch In an undergraduate Greek Mythology course I first encountered Euripides’ Bacchae. Within my native Southern Californian frame of reference, when I pictured Dionysus in my mind’s eye, I saw Charles Manson. Euripides’ ‘Lydian stranger’—Dionysus in mortal disguise—I read against the slight, long-haired Manson, who, like Dionysus, Read more…
Rob Wallis examines the current situation in Syria and the possibility of British and UN intervention. We’re no strangers at By Jove! to taking on grand and pressing social issues in a well-intentioned and hopefully not too ham-fisted way. In recent weeks, we’ve explored such topical conundrums as militant Read more…
This week Rob Wallis tackles the predominance of superhero films in modern popular culture and the decline towards which the genre is inexorably rolling… What was the last film you went to see in the cinema? Dramedy? Rom-com? Sci-fi musical thriller? Well, statistically speaking, it was probably a superhero film: Read more…
By Jove! contributor Robert Wallis attempts to address a controversial religious issue. This article has the potential to cause offense, though it’s intended, as every article on this blog is, in the manner of enlightened debate. This is dangerous ground, we know, but some things just can’t be talked about Read more…
By Jove! associate Rob Wallis attempts an exploration of the etymology of the English language’s most popular swear words and how they reflect on contemporary society… Is there anything as indicative of a society’s attitudes as how they swear? Swearing can be cathartic, a pre-programmed response to a stress Read more…