Month: December 2022

The Sonnet

A sonnet is a poem with 14 lines, invented in 13th-century Italy and perfected by Petrarch. The Italian sonnet is divided into an octave and a sestet. The octave states a problem, and the sestet gives its resolution, with a clear break between the two sections. When the sonnet reached England in the 16th century—chiefly through translations of Petrarch’s works—poets changed its meter, rhyme scheme, and line grouping, creating the Elizabethan sonnet. What is the origin of the term “sonnet”? Discuss

The Nutcracker Premieres (1892)

Now a beloved Christmastime classic, The Nutcracker ballet premiered at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia, to fairly negative reviews. Even Tchaikovsky himself, the composer responsible for the score, found the ballet lacking. Despite its initial failure, the ballet about a girl who befriends a nutcracker that comes to life on Christmas Eve and battles the evil Mouse King has since become a holiday favorite. What helped turn things around for The Nutcracker? Discuss

Steven Spielberg (1946)

Spielberg is a three-time Academy Award-winning director and one of the most commercially successful filmmakers in the history of US cinema. He began his career directing for television, but his major success came when he began directing movies. His 1975 film, Jaws, became one of the highest-grossing movies ever and made him a household name. Spielberg later surpassed this record with the films E.T. and Jurassic Park. What 1993 movie earned him his first Academy Award? Discuss

The St. Bernard

Monks at the Hospice of the St. Bernard Pass in the Swiss Alps originally bred the St. Bernard for rescue and guide work. Endowed with an uncanny sense of direction, the breed was able to guide the monks over trails that had been obliterated by windblown snow. One St. Bernard is said to have rescued at least 40 people from harsh Alpine conditions, although such tales might be exaggerated. Why do depictions of St. Bernards often include a small cask of brandy tied around the dogs’ necks? Discuss

The Simpsons Debuts (1989)

One of the most popular animated TV shows in US history, The Simpsons has earned its spot in pop culture history through its parodies of the “Middle American” lifestyle. The show, created by Matt Groening, is a spin-off of a series of animated shorts originally aired on The Tracey Ullman Show and is currently both the longest-running American sitcom and the longest-running American animated program. What are some of the characters’ famous catchphrases? Discuss

John Kennedy Toole (1937)

Toole was an American novelist from New Orleans, Louisiana, best known for his novel A Confederacy of Dunces. His mental health began to deteriorate after his manuscript, into which he had poured so much of himself, was rejected by a publisher, and he committed suicide in 1969. Years after his death, Toole’s mother brought the manuscript to novelist Walker Percy, who ushered the book into print. In 1981, Toole was posthumously awarded the Pulitzer Prize. What is Toole’s only other novel? Discuss