In Hesiod’s Theogony, the Gods' livelihood is filled with subtleties of misogyny. In a more nuanced exploration of familial ties concerning Kronos, Hesiod explains, “Rhea, being forced by Kronos, bore the most brilliant offspring to him: Hestia” (Hesiod 38). Although a particularly easy detail to miss, the word “forced” in this sentence alludes to rape. The creators of these stories intentionally mitigate perverted details in order to avoid being painted as immoral men. The usage of words like “forced” or “knew” (Michael David Coogan et al.) works to disguise vulgar actions like violation or intercourse. Negligible details embedded in the depths of the language are only to be found when intimately analyzed from an unbiased literary lens. Rape creates a deeply abhorrent state of dehumanization, yet another example of the repugnant objectification of women. (10 min read)

Every one of Caravaggio’s faces always reminds me just how much I want to work with his art and those of his contemporaries. The way his faces look at me with the wetness in their eyes. As if he figured out a way to capture their souls along with every single hair on their body. It is only until I prattle about the Renaissance where people can really grasp my love for the arts. I. Love. Art. And for some reason I still don’t have a shirt that says so. But thank god I have the Met. And thank god I work at a museum and get free admission to every other one in the city. Or maybe thank Caravaggio. Yeah, I thank him. Him and all the other artists that I love. Thank you to all the artists who have exposed me to truly unique and unreplicable talent. (6 min read)

This essay, as you will slowly learn, claims that the meta-expression used by Pablo Neruda in his piece “Poema 20” can also be found among completely unrelated works. This idea will be explored through a broadened artistic lens that allows its audience to question how frequently meta-expression presents itself in their lives. (7 min read)

Later scenes illustrate the eternal love that blossoms between Apollonia and Michael through both traditional and Catholic representations of Italian romance. The architecture, the score, even down to the haze of the lens used in this portion of Stanley Kubrick’s “The Godfather” are all details captured centuries earlier, in Girolamo dai Libri’s Madonna and Child with Saints Catherine of Alexandria, Leonard, Augustine, and Apollonia. (5 min read)