18th century studies

One of my favorite films of the past couple decades was "Spanglish", a 2004 comedy starring Adam Sandler, Tea Leoni and Amiee Garcia, which touches on the hilarious but often uncomfortable topic of knowing a little of one language and incorporating it into one's native language. In this case, Spanish and English, but why not Italian and Spanish? Itanish? Well, I've been in London since October, having arrived two weeks late to start my grad course at King's College. When I got here, I certainly knew what a lift (elevator) was, but I didn't know that nail polish is called nail varnish; that to sort means to sort out; that when one is asked, 'You all right?' here, it doesn't mean someone is worried we're about to pass out, but it's a standard greeting. When I got here, I was a bit worried about whether I'd understand my lecturers, whom I called professors back then - before I realized they are called tutors - and whether I'd be u...

Following is part one of my end-of-term essay for my core course in Eighteenth-Century Studies at King's College London, Autumn 2017 In the wake of the sexual assault cases that have rattled Hollywood and beyond, seeing a film co-executive produced by Harvey Weinstein is problematic: On the one hand, knowing someone like he had his hand in the mix cannot help but color the viewing. When Sir Thomas says to Fanny in a less-than-platonic way, “You’ve grown in health and, I dare say, beauty,” though it’s almost verbatim what’s in the text, knowing what one knows about Weinstein makes it a difficult moment. Even so, films should be judged on individual merit, like paintings or books, and it would be impossible to remove every bad actor from the annals of artistic history. In the 1999 Miramax film “Mansfield Park”, adapted from the Jane Austen 1814 classic and from her letters and early journals, lovers of the long eighteenth-century are in for a treat. Not only does the film perf...

It's hard to figure out what to say at a time like this. A guy named "Zach" from another uni in the UK said in a BBC interview that it was somewhat "wrenching" to realize he'd taking out a $65,000 annual loan in light of the strike, which began yesterday across the nation. The teachers are striking because their pensions are threatened to be cut by 10,000 pounds a year. That's the gist of it - don't make me get into the financial particulars. I don't have a pension. And I have about 25 pounds in my savings account. From the standpoint of principle, the professors from King's College London (my uni), Oxford, Cambridge, etc. not only have a right but almost an imperative to stand up for themselves. Yet, as a cabbie put it to me last night, "That they are fighting because of a 10,000-pound loss shows they have pretty good pensions to begin with. Some of us don't even have pensions." Right. Reminds me a bit of the argument in Hollyw...

Note: this essay was submitted to King's College London for what would be my successful first attempt to be admitted to their new 18th c. studies course. Why Harris’s List Was Endemic to 18th Century London   by Laurie Wiegler   18th Century Studies MA application, King’s College   Key: Bawd: A woman who procures prostitutes./ Bawdy house: A brothel/ Bagnio: A bath-house, usually a location where sexual favours could be received./ Bubbies: Breasts/ Bully: A man who acts as a prostitute‘s protector./ Clap: A “venereal taint,” usually gonorrhoea/ Favourite: A prostitute’s best client, someone for whom she may feel genuine affection./ ‘In keeping’: The state of being financially supported by one man as his mistress./ Mercury: The primary ingredient in treatments for venereal disorders./ Pimp: A man who seeks “to bring in customers and to procure… Wenches.” – Rubenhold, The Harlot’s Handbook, Harris’s List (7-9) *****/ Prostitution has always had its ups and ...