A Hero and Some Other Folks

A series of essays considers heroism, literary interpretation, and cultural memory through close readings of notable literary figures and discussions of arts and letters. The author reflects on hero-worship and changing notions of heroism, offers a personal method for reading and interpreting drama—especially Shakespeare—examines figures such as Jean Valjean and Caliban, and treats topics including Tennyson, Arthurian lore, American geography and historians, nineteenth-century iconoclasm, pictorial storytelling, the gentleman in literature, and the dramatic themes of Job. Observations blend criticism, moral reflection, and stylistic appreciation aimed at enlarging readers' imaginative perception.