What’s In a Name

Romeo and Juliet has never ranked among my favorite of Shakespeare’s plays, but I have to admit there are some lines from it that have stuck with me. “What’s in a name? That which we call a roseBy any other word would smell as sweet.So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called,Retain that dear perfection which he owesWithout that title.” Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 2 It’s a beautiful sentiment Juliet expresses here, explaining that Romeo’s name, the hated name of her family’s enemy, doesn’tContinue reading “What’s In a Name”

Tricksters: Chaos, Cleverness, and Change in Myth and Modern Story

What do rabbits, spiders, and fairies have in common? If you answered that they’re all associated with the trickster archetype in literature and folklore, then hypothetical cookies for you (or some other imaginary treat of your choice)!

Mermaids Around the World

As I sat down to brainstorm a blog post (and as I’m writing, as a matter of fact), my friend Bex finally convinced me to watch the 2023 live action The Little Mermaid. I wouldn’t say I’ve been avoiding it, but it hasn’t been high on my to-do list (shocking, I know, given that I’mContinue reading “Mermaids Around the World”

7 Favorite Fictional Weapons

As promised, I’m back with part two of my favorite fictional weapons! Before we jump in, let’s go over the rules. To be considered for this list, the item in question must be a weapon. As I was looking at other lists of fictional weapons for inspiration, I was confused by some of them, becauseContinue reading “7 Favorite Fictional Weapons”