William H. Pritchard, a frequent contributor, is the Henry Clay Folger Professor of English, Emeritus, at Amherst College. Also by this author Eliot’s Pitiless Brilliance Get Commonweal’s latest, delivered twice weekly. Email address Published in the 2004-10-22 issue: View Contents Recommended for you The Importance of Being a Burden By Cathleen Kaveny July 30, 2026 Imitation of Life By Dorothy Fortenberry August 5, 2026 ‘They Don’t Want to Say Yes’ By Phyllis Zagano July 28, 2026
