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Subtext: Conversations about Classic Books and FilmsAnalysis of a book, film, play, or poem. Author: Wes Alwan and Erin O'Luanaigh
Subtext is a book club podcast for readers interested in what the greatest works of the human imagination say about lifes big questions. Each episode, philosopher Wes Alwan and poet Erin OLuanaigh conduct a close reading of a text or film and co-write an audio essay about it in real time. Its literary analysis, but in the best sense: we try not overly stuffy and pedantic, but rather focus on unearthing whats most compelling about great books and movies, and how it is they can touch our lives in such a significant way. Language: en Genres: Arts, Books, TV & Film Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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The Character of Authority in Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar”
Monday, 19 January, 2026
Brutus is an honorable man, but Caesar is Caesar: at the beginning of Shakespeare’s play, his name is near the point of becoming synonymous with dictatorial power, and his every wish, as Mark Antony points out, has the substance of a command. For the rebels who oppose him, this identification of political authority with personal will is a perversion of republican institutions, and a form of corruption that justifies any means of putting an end to it, even if that means killing a friend. Yet Brutus’s conception of himself as unflaggingly virtuous is one he in fact shares with Caesar, and perhaps reflects the same authoritarian tendency, in grounding the legitimacy of political action in the character of a particular actor. Then again, it is not clear that democratic institutions will always forestall authoritarian tendencies, rather than enable the masses to sanction absolute power in a charismatic leader. Wes & Erin discuss Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar,” and its sustained reflection on how political power is constructed, located, and legitimated. Upcoming Episodes: “Amadeus,” Susan Sontag. Pre-order Erin’s forthcoming book “Avail” here: http://subtextpodcast.com/avail For bonus content, become a paid subscriber at Patreon or directly on the Apple Podcasts app. Patreon subscribers also get early access to ad-free regular episodes. This podcast is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Visit AirwaveMedia.com to listen and subscribe to other Airwave shows like Good Job, Brain and Big Picture Science. Email advertising@airwavemedia.com to enquire about advertising on the podcast. Follow: Twitter | Facebook | Website
