For nearly fifty years, the American humor magazine Puck sent up politicians, industrialists, capitalists, and even laborers in sophisticated, thought-provoking cartoons. View this gallery of cartoons lampooning the extravagance of the gilded age.
Tag Archives: Arts & Entertainment
The Time Shakespeare Caused a Riot in New York City
Can you imagine a riot breaking out in response to a disagreement about which actor did a better job in the role of Macbeth? That’s what happened in 1849 in New York. Click to learn more.
Photography and the Civil War, 1861–1865
Read about the work of Civil War photographers, who mostly shot post-battle scenes and camp life, because the laborious process prohibited them from safely documenting the action of battle. Click the image at the top to view a slideshow of photos from the time.
Listening Is an Act of Love
Do you know someone whose story should be heard—and remembered? StoryCorps is a spectacular project in which people just like you, your family, and your friends sit down to chat and record stories from their lives. Visit the site to hear some amazing tales and watch a few videos. When you’ve finished, click the “Record Your Story” link to find out how you, too, can see to it that the stories of your family and friends get heard.
Why Shakespeare’s Stories Still Resonate
In this podcast, two Shakespeare scholars dig into why we still care about the characters and situations crafted by an Englishman who lived four centuries ago.
An A.I. Bot Named “Shelley” Is Generating Spooky Stories on Twitter
While “Shelley” won’t be winning any storytelling awards anytime soon with its quirky and at times nonsensical writing, the story-writing bot is a fun experiment.
How to read Shakespeare for pleasure
Read small sections. Think like a director. Click this link for these and other tips on how to get the most out of your reading of Shakespeare’s plays.
Virtual reality tourism ready for takeoff as travellers remain grounded
Could virtual reality lead to a more sustainable version of tourism and a safe way to “travel” during the pandemic? Read to learn more about the possibilities.
Victoria siblings explore chilling creatures from Indigenous stories in horror-themed podcast
A brother-and-sister team from the Whitesand First Nation, explore creatures from Indigenous oral histories in their horror-themed podcast. Read about their topics and approach.
Just for Likes: How Young Comedians Are Launching Their Careers on Social Media
To make their mark in a competitive world, Gen Z comedians are enlisting their digital influence and expertise.
Boston Art Commission Votes To Remove Emancipation Memorial From Park Square
Learn why a sculpture inspired by the Emancipation Proclamation incited controversy that resulted in its removal.
How Immigrants Created America’s Mixtape
In this feature article, Howard Reich describes how the diverse musical traditions of immigrant Jews, Congolese Africans, Mexican mariachi artists and others have been combined to create unique American musical forms.
When was greatness thrust upon William Shakespeare?
This article examines Shakespeare’s rise to greatness. It also features some interesting graphics that show trends in the popularity of his plays.
The Infectious Pestilence Did Reign
This piece examines several ways Shakespeare was affected by the plague. It also points out how the plague plays an crucial role in the plot of Romeo and Juliet.
Why we’ll always be obsessed with – and afraid of – monsters
Read one author’s take on our “age of fear” and the rise of the zombie.
What Shakespeare can — and can’t — teach us about Covid-19
What does Shakespeare have to do with the coronavirus pandemic? Read this article to find out.
“Yankee Doodle” – Traditional: History of an American folk song
British soldiers sang “Yankee Doodle” to mock the Americans, who eventually turned the song into a source of pride and anthem of their own.
Re-imagining Shakespeare’s plays in virtual reality game
It’s not likely that you think of Shakespeare and video games at the same time, but that may be about to change!
Tales of Migration Explore Modern-Day Odysseys and ‘Hyphenated Identities’
Many contemporary authors are inspired to explore the themes of immigration. Often drawing from their own experiences, they write about meeting different kinds of people and reconciling the past with the future.
John Legend: Success Through Effort
People aren’t born superstars. Watch this short video to learn how John Legend achieved his goals and how that applies to you.