755 The Chinese Tragedy of King Lear (with Nan Z. Da) | My Last Book with Iris Jamahl Dunkle

The History of Literature

Jacke Wilson

History, Arts, Books

4.6 • 1.3K Ratings

🗓️ 4 December 2025

⏱️ 47 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

At the start of Shakespeare's famous tragedy, King Lear promises to divide his kingdom based on his daughters’ professions of love, but he portions it out before hearing all of their answers. For Nan Da, a professor of English literature who emigrated from China to the United States as a child in the 1990s, this startling opening scene sparked a reckoning between Shakespeare’s cruel and confounding story and the tragedy of Maoist and post-Maoist China. In this episode, Jacke talks to Nan about her book The Chinese Tragedy of King Lear. PLUS literary biographer Iris Jamahl Dunkle (Charmian Kittredge London: Trailblazer, Author, Adventurer) stops by to discuss her choice for the last book she will ever read. Join Jacke on a trip through literary England (signup closing soon)! The History of Literature Podcast Tour is happening in May 2026! Act now to join Jacke and fellow literature fans on an eight-day journey through literary England in partnership with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠John Shors Travel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Scheduled stops include The Charles Dickens Museum, Dr. Johnson's house, Jane Austen's Bath, Tolkien's Oxford, Shakespeare's Globe Theater, and more. Find out more by emailing jackewilsonauthor@gmail.com or masahiko@johnshorstravel.com, or by contacting us through our website ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyofliterature.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Or visit the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠History of Literature Podcast Tour itinerary⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. The music in this episode is by Gabriel Ruiz-Bernal. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠gabrielruizbernal.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Help support the show at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/literature ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠historyofliterature.com/donate ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. The History of Literature Podcast is a member of Lit Hub Radio and the Podglomerate Network. Learn more at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠thepodglomerate.com/historyofliterature⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	The History of Literature Podcast is a member of the Podglomerate Network and Lit Hub Radio.
0:08.7	Think about cheese.
0:10.8	Make your thoughts cheesier.
0:13.0	Now add 100% chicken breast fillet, Chipotle sauce and Ameta Cheese melt,
0:17.4	and it's giving the new cheesy chicken stack at McDonald's.
0:21.1	Did we mention it's cheesy?
0:22.9	Cheese.
0:24.9	Availments at the 4th of Jan, 226 from 11am.
0:27.2	Price and participation may vary.
0:28.2	Subjects availability.
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0:56.9	Gamblingware.org
0:59.0	Hello, at the start of Shakespeare's famous tragedy, King Lear promises to divide his kingdom based on his daughter's professions of love.
1:07.7	But he portions it out before hearing all of their answers.
1:12.5	For our guest today,
1:18.5	Nan Da, a professor of English literature, who emigrated from China to the United States as a child in the 1990s, this startling opening scene sparked a reckoning between Shakespeare's cruel
1:25.1	and confounding story and the tragedy of Maoist and post-Maoist China.
1:30.9	We'll talk to Nanda about the Chinese tragedy of King Lear today on the history of literature.
2:02.4	Okay, here we go. Welcome to the History of Literature podcast. I'm Jack Wilson. Thank you for being here today. Rest in peace to Tom Stoppard, who has passed away at the age of 88. Here's a quote by Mr. Stoppard to inspire us all. Quote,
2:11.1	words, they're innocent, neutral, precise, standing for this, describing that, meaning the other,
	...

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