TJ West

Goodbye, Appalachia

Dear Appalachia: I want to start this letter with a little anecdote. A couple of weeks…
“Bring in The Crows to Peck the Eagles:” Rewriting the Politics of “Coriolanus”

Originally posted on Metathesis: Compared to a number of Shakespeare’s other tragedies, Coriolanus does not frequently…
The Great “Golden Girls” Marathon: “Second Motherhood” (S1, Ep.19)

In today’s installment, we’re going to be talking about yet another suitor of Blanche’s who wants…
Tracks for the Trump Era: “Perfect Illusion” (Lady Gaga)

I’ve decided to launch a series of blog posts about songs that we can listen to…
Trump and the Terror of History

In my work on the post-war historico-biblical epic, I talk a lot about the “terror of…
“Popp’d in between th’ election and my hopes:” Using Shakespeare to Understand Contemporary Politics

Originally posted on Metathesis: “Living when he did, Shakespeare could no more be democratic or anti-democratic…
Weekly Rant: Dear Dr. Stein

Dear Dr. Stein: I struggled with writing this letter and with whether or not to put it…
The Great “Golden Girls” Marathon: “The Operation” (S1, Ep. 18)

In today’s installment of “The Great Golden Girls Marathon,” we get to see both a moment of vulnerability…
Sharing Space: “Proteus” and the Personal

Originally posted on Metathesis: It seems like academia (or any professional forum, for that matter) encourages…
Film Review: “Captain Fantastic” (2016)

These days, it somtimes feels like it’s impossible to find a film that doesn’t try to…