Royal Succession, Reformed
British history is witness to a long struggle to curtail the power of monarchs and redefine the regulations governing succession to the throne.
Whence the White Horse of Uffington?
A white horse of chalk both defines and defies a common understanding of what English heritage is, and is not.
Making Sense of the Divine Right of Kings
The United States threw off the yoke of a king more than two centuries ago. Funny how we can't get enough of our erstwhile sovereigns today.
Ok papist
England faced a generational divide almost 500 years ago, as the Protestant Reformation split the nation apart.
Vulgarity: An Alternative Language of the People
Was Francis Grose's Classical Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue the font of all popular culture studies?
A Nation in Decline, as Always
What does it really mean for a nation to be “in decline?” And why does it make for such appealing political rhetoric?
When Did the Verb “To Be” Enter the English Language?
A Curious Reader asks: To be or naught to be?
The Gunpowder Plot, Redux
The cultural meaning of Guy Fawkes’ conspiracy to blow up the House of Lords has shifted, from countercultural symbol to HBO drama.