Hamlet Tragedy Essays (958 words) - Characters In Hamlet

Hamlet Tragedy William Shakespeare, the greatest playwright of the English language, wrote a total of 37 plays in his lifetime, all of which can be categorized under tragedy, comedy, or history. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Shakespeare's most popular and greatest tragedy, displays his genius as a playwright, as literary critics and academic commentators have found an unusual number of themes and literary techniques present in Hamlet. Hamlet concerns the murder of the king of Denmark and the murdered king's son's quest for revenge. Its main character, Hamlet, possesses a tragic flaw which obstructs his desire for revenge and ultimately brings about his death. This tragic flaw makes him a tragic hero, a character who is destroyed because of a major weakness, as his death at the end could possibly have been avoided were it not for his tragic flaw. Hamlet's flaw of irresolution, the uncertainty on how to act or proceed, is shown when Hamlet sees a play and the passion the actors had, after Hamlet's third soliloquy, in Hamlet's fourth soliloquy, and in Hamlet's indecisive pursuit in avenging his father's death. First, Hamlet's flaw of irresolution is shown when he sees a play and the passion one particular actor had. A group of players has arrived and Hamlet arranges a personal viewing of The Murder of Gonzago with a small portion of his own lines inserted. Hamlet then observes one portion of the play in which one of the players put on a great display of emotion. Hamlet, besieged by guilt and self-contempt, remarks in his second soliloquy of Hamlet of the emotion this player showed despite the fact that the player had nothing to be emotional about. Hamlet observed that he himself had all the reason in the world to react with great emotion and sorrow, yet he failed to show any that could compare with the act of the player. Hamlet calls himself a "rogue and peasant slave" and a "dull and muddy-mettled rascal" who, like a "John-a-dreams", can take no action. Hamlet continues his fiery speech by degrading himself and resoluting to take some sort of action to revenge his father's death. Next, Hamlet's flaw of irresolution is shown after his third soliloquy, the famed "To be or not to be..." lines. Hamlet directly identifies his own tragic flaw, remarking of his own inability to act. Hamlet, 2 unsure whether or not the his uncle Claudius was responsible for his father's murder, schemes to have The Murder of Gonzago presented to the royal court, with a few minor changes, so its contents would closely resemble the circumstances behind the murder. Reflecting on his own guilt, he talks of death, referring to it as the undiscovered country, and then continues by riddling his own feelings. He declares "conscience does make cowards of us all" and that the natural ruddy complexion of one intent, or resolute, on an action is "sicklied" over with the "pale cast of thought". This makes an individual second guess his own actions and often times take no action at all, due to his own irresolution. These statements not only applied to what had occurred up to that point but also foreshadowed what was to occurr. Next, Hamlet's flaw of irresolution is shown during his fourth soliloquy. Fortinbras, the Prince of Norway, and his army have passed by Hamlet and his escorts. Hamlet sees the action Fortinbras was taking in fighting and then examines Fortinbras's efforts and bravery in an attempt to rekindle his own desire for revenge against Claudius for his father's death. Hamlet remarks how everything around him attempts to "spur my dull revenge", yet he takes no action. He notices how he thinks "too precisely on an event" and that he has "cause, and will, and strength, and means" to get revenge and how the evidence pointing to Claudius as his father's killer is as evident as earth itself. Hamlet finally decides "my thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!" He has finally decided he must take action against Claudius in some form or fashion. Last, Hamlet's indecisive pursuit in avenging his father's death is shown as evidence of his tragic flaw. Hamlet encounters numerous opportunities to kill Claudius, yet he always comes up with some excuse preventing action. After first hearing of the crime from his father's ghost, Hamlet immediately sets out to take action. Hamlet then began to think that perhaps his father's ghost was conjured by the devil in an attempt to make Hamlet become irrational and kill Claudius, who might happen to be innocent, which would forever

The Narrative Of Arthur Gordon Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers

The Narrative Of Arthur Gordon Essays - Free Essays, Term Papers The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket Narrarator : The setting is in the Pacific Ocean somewhere along Costa Rica. Where Pym, Augustus, Parker, and Dirk Peters are on a ship called the "Grampus." The ship has lost all of its sails due to the high winds and thunder storms and is basically floating wherever the wind and the waves take it. The rest of the crew has killed each other off when they attempted to mutany the ship. They have been without food for about 5 days and have been living off rainwater they catch in their clothes. The ship is filled with water so they cant travel below deck to get any food from the store room and they are all very weak and are despretely looking for a new source of food to keep them alive until a ship should stumble across them and pick them up. Peters : Maybe one of us could swim below the deck and get to the store room and find some fresh water and some food. Pym : But you would have to feel your way to the store room because you couldn't see in this salty water. Hey Augustus don't you know your way to the store room well? Augustus : Yea. Tie this rope around my waist so i can have something to follow back if I cant find my way. Parker : Ok. If you need help just pull on the rope and we will pull you up. Augustus : Ok here I go...................................I think I found it but the door was locked, hand me that axe over there and I will take that down with me and maybe I could break down the door.....................................well I got into the room but all I could find was broken glass. I think everything was broken when the ship was rocking back and forth during the storm. Parker : Oh great so what do we do now sit here and wait to die. WAIT!!! I have an idea maybe one of us should die in order to keep the others alive. Pym : You mean cannabilism? Parker : Yea Pym : NO WAY!!! Peters : Acually I dont think we really have a choice. Either we do that or we die. Augustus : Yea I agree with Peters and Parker I dont think we have a choice. Pym : Ok, fine but who is going to be the one to sacrifice there self and to get eaten by the others? Parker : Well I say we draw straws. I am going to take these splinters of wood and have three long pieces and one short piece. Is that fair with everyone? Pym : Yea i guess Peters : Yea Augustus : Yea Parker : Ok, Peters you draw first. Peters : Ok, here I go................YES!!! A LONG PIECE!!! Parker : Ok, Augustus your turn. Augustus : Ok, ......................A LONG PIECE!!! Parker : Well it looks like its down to me and you Pym do you want to draw or do you want me to draw? Pym : I guess I'll draw. I cant look............................... Narrarator : To find out if Pym gets the short straw and gets eaten by the others or if he gets the long straw and manages to survive one more day read The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket.

The principles of the Bauhaus and the Art Deco style of architecture Essay

The principles of the Bauhaus and the Art Deco style of architecture - Essay Example In 1925, the world's most renowned and influential artists and architects met in Paris, at the International Exhibit of Decorative Arts and Modern Industries. The architects gathered to share ideas on the evolution of art design. The architects contributed in the architect’s modern interpretations of established designs. From this exhibition, a new style of art came up. The architect named the new art as Style Modern. The name later changed to Art Deco Style. The style used the simple bold design on material such as glass and plastic. Art deco being ornamental and beautifying used bright colors. Art deco style symbolized wealth, glamor, and complexity. Art Deco consisted of three main types: zigzag, classic modern and streamline modern. The style involved areas of design like architecture and interior design. It also enveloped visual arts graphic arts jewelry and film. The style drew influence from Egypt and Aztec forms of architecture. The structures of art deco style are based on mathematical geometrical shapes. The styles use machine age and streamline technologies such as electric lighting. Style modern is characterized by the use of materials such as aluminum, stainless steel, and inlaid wood. The characteristics of deco style will include; clean lines, distinct geometric shapes, decorative features and designs with wide-ranging influences. It combines linear symmetry, staggered or tiered pyramid shapes and use of unusual deco is a versatile style and is easily integrated into a wide variety of personal styles. The Bauhaus Gropius House in Lincoln, Massachusetts (picture dictionary of modern architecture, image 4) is an example of Bauhaus style. It is a national historic landmark in New England. Gropius Walter designed and built the house in 1938 as his family home. Gropius being the founder of Bauhaus style incorporated the philosophy of the style. The modest home is significantly white in color. It has smooth facades that express simplicity. The building is cubic in shape and the blocks are made of glass. The stare case leading upstairs is spiral and visible from outside. The house is made of simple economical steel pillars and the building has a pergola roof. The landscape surrounding the house is simple and blends in well with its environment. The use of minimal color scheme is employed in the interior. The house has furniture designed by Marcel Breuer and fabricated in the Bauhaus workshops (Panayiotis 24). The 77 storey skyscraper Chrysler Building in New York presents an Art Deco bu ilding. It was completed in 1930 and designed by architect William Van Allen. The building displays a sense of complex and elegance. The materials used in the construction such as metal and stainless steel were expensive. The Chrysler building displays distinctive ornamentation. It is tall and vertical. The floor is marble and brightly colored. The interior has stylish patterns and the lighting is superb and can use a variety of colors depending on occasion (Panayiotis 33). The two styles of architecture contrast each other. The Bauhaus style is simple. It signifies the use of locally available material. It is friendly economically. Art deco is modern, uses sophisticated styles and is expensive. It is a show of glamour and prosperity (Panayiotis 37). In conclusion, both styles are adopted because of the various features that they represent. The features are very attractive to all those that may be interested in one form of architecture or the next.

Exxon Mobil Financial Report Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Exxon Mobil Financial Report - Research Paper Example The scale in which the company operates provides it with the advantage of leveraging its size into projects considered to be too capital intensive by smaller companies. This serves to reduce the amount of competition that the company faces, in a time when more companies have joined the global gas and oil industry and are making in-roads into perennial and emerging markets (ExxonMobil, n.d.). The company is fully integrated, making it able to leverage its activities in gas and oil explorations in periods when the prices of oil are advantageous. Exxon Mobil can also focus on its downstream activities when the prices of oil are low. The ability of this organization to diversify has helped it in many ways, considering the fact that the gas and oil industry is cyclical (Elliot & Elliot. J, 2008).The organization has maintained a constant average rate of growth in revenue of 7.73% from 2003 to 2012. In the year 2012, Exxon Mobil had its revenue at more than $482 billion, with earnings comi ng to $44.9 billion in the same year. The gas and oil company operates at high levels, maintaining the highest standards of safety in the industry. Evidence of this is the low number of accident incidents at the organization. In terms of returns on employed capital, Exxon Mobil is way ahead of its competitors. The company continues to reinvest in its business. Exxon Mobil has a plan to start up 31 major projects between 2012 and 2017, increasing its chances of maintaining its highly profitable status for the future. Â  

Volunteer Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Volunteer - Essay Example Research shows, investment in corporate social responsibility has a positive effect on business revenues (Aras and Crowther 498). Volunteer service learning is an engaged teaching and learning strategy that allows the student to participate in an organized service that target to fulfill a certain community need. The student are supposed to reflect, critically evaluate and analysis the service activity to enhance their sense of civic responsibility, help in understanding the course content and appreciate the discipline they are undertaking. One of the most engaging and interesting service activities that a person can undertake is helping the elderly. In most cases, they are unable to clean their home properly and hence are exposed to diseases. The elderly occupy a special place in our society, and they act as the link between the previous generation and the current one. They preserve knowledge and hence it is the duty of the society to take care of them. I chose this service activity for the knowledge and wisdom that the elderly share with you work in their home. The elderly has a lot of experience, and as you work with them, you can get a glimpse of the previous century. The service learning project involved visiting the homes of the elderly to help them clean their house and yard. The group met in the designated venue early in the morning, and we were a lot of people. Hence, the principal in charge of volunteering divided us into groups. Some groups were to clean the street while others were to visit the elderly homes and help them clean their house and yard. My group was to visit an old couple and clean their house and yard. We left the volunteer office and headed for the old couple home. We started by cleaning the house, where we scrubbed the floors and repainted the kitchen walls. The couple was very old and hence was unable to move furniture and hence we rearranged the house

Opposing Models in Health Promotion

Opposing Models in Health Promotion HND Health, Diet Nutritional Studies – Unit Four INTRODUCTION Health promotion is provided by various organisations working together towards the same goal – overall health and wellbeing for everyone. It aims to prevent and reduce the risk of disease, manage illness, recovery and rehabilitation. Its objectives are to involve the public in their own quest for a healthier life through education and awareness, to improve services, support and continuity of care and provide a safe environment for people to live and work in with equal opportunities giving everyone the means to achieve, wherever possible, optimum health. We know children learn from parents and teachers but if parents fail to educate their children to make healthy choices at home in an informal setting, even if teachers do so to a preset curriculum in a formal setting, it may not happen. I recall a report on a TV news channel some years ago where Jaime Oliver introduced healthy meals in schools but the parents were against the idea so they squeezed Macdonald’s burgers to them through the school fence at lunchtime because that is the type of food they had grown to know. In social learning theory Albert Bandura suggests â€Å"behaviour is learned from the environment through the process of observational learning† (Bandura A. (1977)), we all know this to be true. Children often refuse vegetables etc when they are young but perseverance is a necessity if they are to receive the nutrients they require for a healthy, disease free life. According to the BBC Breakfast news this morning (31.05.14) researchers say that if a variety of foods are introduced to a child from a very early age and it is repeated at least ten times the child will grow up liking that particular food. Another story that springs to mind was when a friend’s husband claimed to be vegetarian, in reality as a child he could not be bothered to chew meat but his parents gave in to him and let him have what he wanted so his meals consisted mainly of egg and chips. How is it possible to teach children right from wrong when parents act this way?† The answer must be to educate them as well?† Health education and promotion requires repeatedly conveying the message to those at risk, through media advertising, health and welfare campaigns and organised frameworks to promote change. No smoking zones, for example, takes away the freedom to participate in harmful actions in public places making people stop and think about what they are doing to themselves and others. If people understand the consequences of their actions and believe that the changes will make a difference to them and those around them they are more likely to change their habits which in turn will reduce the associated social and economic costs. Making these practices illegal may sound like the individuals rights, liberty and freedom of movement are being taken away however the rights of their â€Å"victims† are of equal importance and it would be unethical for them to have to suffer as a consequence of another’s ignorance or selfishness e.g. second hand smoke or the cost of medical treatment for the driver of the vehicle injured as a result of an accident where he was not wearing a seatbelt. RESEARCH AND EVALUATION Researchers are constantly gathering information, from population surveys and health statistics etc, about people’s habits and behaviour, the environment they live in and how it affects them, their attitudes, where specific incidences are occurring, to whom and how often, they do not however, include ideas, opinions or the observations of the individual. This is known as quantitative research as it is deals with quantity i.e. the number of individuals affected and the causes contributing to health problems. Once collected the data can be divided into smaller categories e.g. demographic, lifestyle, education, ethnicity etc then used to identify where health promotion needs to be directed. This is an ongoing evaluation method with set criteria allowing statistical analysis and dissemination of informative data regarding the adequacy of service provision, number of incidences of certain diseases or where new trends are manifesting etc. and gives a â€Å"flavour† of a given situation at any one time. Other researchers gather data from healthcare facilities and charity organisations etc based on one to one or small group contact where people and things can be observed and where changes can be made, if necessary, to try to reach the desired outcome, this is known as qualitative data. Hospital wards, clinical trials etc record the effect and outcome of â€Å"tests†, their aim is to research holistically allowing results to be seen and patterns evaluated in the short term. Once the outcome of qualitative research has been determined the results can be built upon to further improve i.e. one thing can lead to another or the what if scenario, it has been seen where researchers look for a cure for one thing then stumble across another. Both these types of research are valuable in different ways e.g. for comparison or effect but can often be used together however, one important consideration before carrying out any research is that the researcher is competent in what his is aiming to achieve, that research will be carried out under a strict code of ethics and follows the legal guidelines laid down by the relevant authorities e.g. ensuring that there is no danger to the patient, he is fully informed about what to expect and that he is informed as to how the data will be utilised etc. HEALTH MODELS Individual Models By showing people the detrimental effects of unhealthy lifestyles versus the benefits of healthy lifestyles it is possible to change their views. They have to go through what is known as the â€Å"Stages of Change† (Prochaska J.O. DiClemente C.C. (1983)) whereby the individual has no wish or interest in changing (pre-contemplation) until an idea is sown in his mind, he begins to think about how he would benefit from change and realises the sense of it so decides to try (contemplation) he puts a plan into place (preparation). Day one arrives and he discontinues the habit (action), he is enthusiastic, he begins to see and feel the benefits encouraging him to continue (maintenance). At some stage he may falter so seeks help and support from others to keep him motivated during the difficult times. Intervention like this can come from many sources, often depending on the circumstances e.g. smokers decide they want to quit so they visit their local GP who prescribes a course of nic otine patches, he suggests contacting a local support group where individuals, who understand and have experienced the same situation, can advise and help him reach his goal and help prevent relapse, once a person sees that success is possible he will be motivated to continue. Some of the barriers encountered in changing behavioural habits are down to individual beliefs. If someone believes he is insusceptible to a particular disease, perhaps because no family member has been affected by it he is unlikely to feel threatened but if he sees a family member suffering he is more likely to want to avoid the disease himself. On the other hand, he sees someone living with a disease who looks fine he may do nothing, this could be because he may not fully understand or believe the severity of the disease to worry about it, but when that person dies he realises the implications and decides to take preventative action because he sees living longer is better than the alternative. Again the person may require help and support to maintain the new regime because without any visible signs it can seem pointless. Both of these models are similar in that they happen in stages, from pre-contemplation through to maintaining change, often without actually â€Å"seeing† immediate benefits and this is where continued reinforcement of the message is necessary. Individual and group methods are both effective ways for promoting health whether they are in supporting e.g. helping to overcome barriers and providing feedback or educating roles e.g. explaining and influencing ways to change behaviour but the main point is that the person must want to and believe he can change otherwise he will always find reasons not to try. Social and Community Models Promoting health in groups and communities relies on the collaboration of individuals to work towards the same goals within their particular environments where they can prepare for and react to situations that affect them all e.g. the recent flooding on the Somerset Levels brought everyone together to help strengthen barriers and limit damage to themselves and their properties. Their situation encompassed the social learning theory in that personal and environmental factors led to interaction by everyone affected to prevent further disaster and they came together on a community level to evaluate and plan effective strategies to solve and improve their situation. Together they organised themselves and put forward their ideas to government bodies responsible for keeping them safe and demanded policy changes to help prevent similar situations in the future along with financial funding for their loss of businesses and income. No single model or theory is better or worse it depends entirely on the particular situation e.g. the thoughts, feelings and beliefs of individuals or the structure, regulations and policies that exist in groups, organisations or communities. There are many other methods for communities and organisations to support, educate and effect positive change e.g. mother and toddler groups, wellness centres, school and workplace participation programmes, social networking etc. where peer and professional knowledge can be exchanged and support provided. CONCLUSION Many years may pass before we can confirm whether health education and promotion has helped us reach our goals because the outcomes will not be immediately apparent e.g. mortality rates due to obesity or the recent flood disasters however, we can measure if our objectives are being met through quantifying whether people have learned from the messages being conveyed by e.g. evaluating their lifestyle changes; are there fewer deaths due to heart attack or stroke? Are people safe in their environment? Has public policy changed to address the floodwater problem so that lives or property are not again put at risk in the event of heavy rains and have the measures proved satisfactory? We must carryon educating people about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, continue research and development and anticipate future problems in order to reduce these leeches on our society and utilise the funding in a better more rewarding way. TASK 2 INTRODUCTION Health education and promotion helps people to take control of and improve their own health and wellbeing. The idea is to teach people how to prevent disease and make improvements to attain that (primary level), to understand and manage current illnesses and aid recovery and rehabilitation (secondary level) and in the case of the terminally ill to help them and their families cope with the illness and provide counselling and care services that will alleviate some of the strain (tertiary level). Health education and promotion not only deals with illness but attempts to ensure that all factors relating to overall health and wellbeing are being achieved e.g. an end to poverty. Health education and promotion can be passed on formally or informally through a variety of sources e.g. schools, workplaces, NHS services, charities or voluntary organisations. HEALTH PROMOTION AND EDUCATION Teachers convey messages in a formal way by following a preset curriculum and involving students in the learning and practice with measured outcomes e.g. teaching children road safety. In the 1960’s The Society for the Prevention of Accidents â€Å"invented† a squirrel character, named Tufty, to help teach children road safety. It became so popular that there were 24,500 Tufty Clubs formed in the UK during that decade (http://www.rospa.com/about/history/tufty.aspx). Certificates and badges were awarded to children after they successfully completed the course, I will always remember the slogan (and the lesson) from those school days. A voluntary organisation known as Hope UK (http://www.hopeuk.org) train volunteers to educate and promote the dangers of drug, alcohol and smoking addiction to all ages. Their training techniques are planned to appeal to different ages of society so volunteers attend school assemblies or youth clubs to relay their message in a fun, interesting and interactive way while adults may be taught in an informative way highlighting signs and symptoms etc. followed by a QA session. Informing parents and teachers of the pitfalls of addictions, or whatever the subject may be, can strengthen the understanding of children and young people when they ask them informal questions. Sometimes it can work the other way e.g. if a child learns at school that smoking is bad for you and can affect other people he may then relay that message to a parent who is a smoker and this has been seen to make the parent stop to think about the damage it is doing to himself and his children and decide to give it up. Schools, workplaces and hospitals are all being encouraged to offer balanced, healthy meals in their eateries and introduce a variety of social activities to help people keep moving. I watched a television programme recently where they were testing a new invention where a school or office desk can be raised so that the operator can work alternately sitting or standing as sitting for long periods is known to be detrimental to health; research and innovation I believe it is called. It is becoming more and more fashionable nowadays to eat well and exercise more and a prime example of this is the number of sales Jamie Oliver has achieved with his books on 15 and 30 minute meals and his new one â€Å"Save with Jamie†, written in response to popular demand, which is aimed at eating healthily on a budget. We own two of these at home, we did not buy them because we do not know what to eat, but the inspiration and ideas they provide and the speed in which meals can be prepared as well as the pre-calculated nutritional balance has the hard work done for you. Celebrities are often advertising their exercise DVDs, endorsing exercise equipment and taking part in charity sporting events to encourage followers to take part. These are examples of health education and promotion aimed at prevention and improvement but there are people who are currently suffering and recovering from disease and illness who also need educating in its management and ways of reducing further risk. To do this we must ensure they are aware of how and why these diseases occur and what can be done to help them during its course while securing funding to enable further treatment research to help eliminate them altogether e.g. Cancer and Alcoholism. Most people will have seen the advertising campaigns for Drink Awareness and the fund raising campaign â€Å"Race for Life† (raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org) held each year in support of Cancer Research UK. The NHS and many charities are continually drumming into people what signs and symptoms to regularly check for e.g. breast or testicular lumps or sexual dysfunction and advising them where to go for screening and advice, the sooner these signs are detected the better chance th ere is of survival. Practically every week of the year there is an awareness campaign for one or more disease or illness that can affect anyone. Terminally ill people will require care of some description as will their families who can also suffer indirectly due to the situation. Either of these parties may need to talk to someone about it, terminally ill people can become depressed while their families find it difficult to get through their lives due to the strain and heartache, just having someone to listen can help immensely. There are many organisations that can help e.g. The Macmillan Cancer Support (www.macmillan.org.uk) can arrange to give families a â€Å"holiday† from caring for their sick family member to providing assistance and support for the families themselves. Others may join an informal support group where they can discuss how their illness, or that of a family member, is affecting them, their fears for when they are gone or how their passing will affect their family, this can give a great deal of comfort and support as it is sharing the experiences with people who are in the same situation. CONCLUSION The fact that people’s habits are steadilly changing shows that health promotion is working however, there is a long way to go before everyone is â€Å"on board†. Changing the views of people still in the pre-contemplation stage is probably the most difficult hurdle to cross but on the same token the more people that change the more the others will begin to face it which might be enough itself so getting to as many as possible, whether formally or informally, can only do more good in the long run. REFERENCES Bandura A. (1977). Social Learning Theory. New York: General Learning Press. Prochaska J.O. DiClemente C.C. (1983). Stages and processes of self change of smoking: Toward an integrative model of change. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 51, 390 395. http://www.rospa.com/about/history/tufty.aspx Tufty Club (Online) (Accessed 25.06.14) (http://www.hopeuk.org) (Online) (Accessed 22.05.14) http://raceforlife.cancerresearchuk.org/index.html Race For Life Cancer Research UK(Online) (Accessed 22.05.14) http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Home.aspx We are Macmillan Cancer Support (Online) (Accesssed 24.05.14)

Exploring the Validity of the Statement that the Eruption of Thera Caus

Minoan Crete was a civilization experiencing great social and economic prosperity during its zenith around the time known as Late Minoan 1 (LM 1) (Sheppard Baird 2009). However the Minoan population ended abruptly and seemingly simultaneously 430 years later, this left archaeologists and historians searching for the cause (Castleden 1990, 143). The main reason archaeologists are studying the reason for the downfall is because if a date was known, a more precise historical timescale could be produced that would give a more accurate chronology of ancient history during this time (Barber 1990, 221). Ever since Sir Arthur Evans developed the concept of the Minoan civilisation, there have been many proposed reasons for the downfall, each with their own evidence and supporters (Sheppard Baird 2009). It was in 1939 that Syridon Marinatos, a leading 20th century archaeologist of Crete, initially suggested that the volcano Thera was the reason for the Minoans demise (Castleden 1990, 143). Ma ny more hypotheses as to what caused the destruction have stemmed from this initial thought, such as tsunamis, economic and agricultural decline as well as foreign invasion. However due to advances in science and further studies into Thera and the Minoan’s history, this volcano no longer seemed the only plausible cause for the disappearance of Minoan Civilisation (Sheppard Baird 2009). Thera was located on the present day island of Santorini, 120 km north of Crete, and for hundreds of years there was little to no activity. It wasn’t until three and a half thousand years ago when the historic eruption occurred (Cecil 2011)(Ancient Greece org 2010). There were three phases to the eruption, first pumice was ejected which covered Akrotiri in a layer rang... ...h: a new view of the â€Å"Palace of Minos† at Knossos, Routledge, London. Cecil J., 2011 The fall of the Minoan civilization , BBC-History , BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/greeks/minoan_01.shtml accessed: 30 April 2012. Hood S., 1971 The Minoans: the story of Bronze Age Crete, Praeger Publishers, Michigan. MacDonald C. Driessen J., 1997 The Troubled Island: Minoan Crete before and after the Santorini eruption, Università © de Lià ¨ge, Histoire de l'art et archà ©ologie de la Grà ¨ce antique. Platon N. 1966 Crete, Archaeologia Mundi series, Frederick Muller Limited, London. Pyle D.M, 1989 Thera and the Aegean world III, Ther Thera Foundation, London. Sheppard Baird W., 2009 The Bronze Age Eruption of Santorini and Late Minoan IB Destruction Event , Minoan Atlantis http://www.minoanatlantis.com/LM_IB_Destruction.php accessed: 30 April 2012.

The Awakening – a Feminist Analysis

The Awakening  is a  novel  by  Kate Chopin, first published in 1899 , set in  New Orleans  and the Southern  Louisiana  coast at the end of the nineteenth century. The plot centers on Edna Pontellier and her struggle to reconcile her increasingly unorthodox views on femininity and motherhood with the prevailing social attitudes of the turn-of-the-century  South. It is one of the earliest American novels that focuses on women's issues without condescension. It is also widely seen as a landmark work of early  feminism. Kate Chopin’s  The Awakening  was a bold piece of fiction in its time, and protagonist Edna Pontellier was a controversial character.She upset many nineteenth century expectations for women and their supposed roles. One of her most shocking actions was her denial of her role as a mother and wife. Kate Chopin displays this rejection gradually, but the concept of motherhood is major theme throughout the novel. Edna is fighting against the so cietal and natural structures of motherhood that force her to be defined by her title as wife of Leonce Pontellier and mother of Raoul and Etienne Pontellier, instead of being her own, self-defined individual.Through Chopin’s focus on two other female characters, Adele Ratignolle and Mademoiselle Reisz, Edna’s options of life paths are exhibited. These women are the examples that the men around Edna contrast her with and from whom they obtain their expectations for her. Edna, however, finds both role models lacking and begins to see that the life of freedom and individuality that she wants goes against both  society  and nature. The inevitability of her fate as a male-defined creature brings her to a state of despair, and she frees herself the only way she can, through suicide.All throughout â€Å"The Awakening,† Kate Chopin shows examples of how women should and should not act in society, in their homes, and with their husbands. In Edna Pontellier's adopted society, women are viewed more valuable when they conform into the mother-woman role. The mother-woman role is another form of men control, because it dictates how women should idolize their children, worship their husbands, and honor their isolated but inferior positions      As the novel progresses, Edna begins to make increasingly â€Å"open-eyed choice[s] to defy illusions and conventions†.Throughout the novel Edna becomes increasingly sexual, also becoming aware of her sexuality. Her bond of friendship with Robert seems harmless at first, but when he leaves for Mexico Edna believes she is in love with him: â€Å"For the first time she recognized anew the symptoms of infatuation. . . to torture her as it was doing then with the biting conviction that she had lost that which she had held, that she had been denied that which her impassioned, newly awakened being demanded† (Chopin 44).Edna has never had any sexual encounters with Robert, yet her emotions are so a roused by her close friend she is â€Å"infatuated† with him. Until this point, Edna seems to have not realized her feelings for Robert. In time she will call these feelings love, but at this point she is deeply upset because the man she is â€Å"infatuated† with is leaving. Edna’s emotions have been stirred for the first time in a long time, and she is unwilling to merely deal with the fact that the man who did this is leaving.Edna goes into a childlike pout, neglecting the familial duties she previously completed without fail. Edna’s awakening comes in two parts, the emotionally sexual awakening she experiences with Robert and the physically sexual awakening reached with Arobin (Seyersted, Kate Chopin 155). When Robert leaves her the first time, she is upset and broods, unable to believe he left so abruptly, and without saying goodbye. Arobin cannot gain this control over Edna’s emotions, as she distances herself from him and restrains herself fr om becoming too emotionally attached.Through her experience with Robert, Edna has learned to keep her emotional distance from men, lest she be hurt again. Edna is definitely a more sexual being now than previously in the novel. Before she recoiled at the touch of her closest friend, and now she is indulging in a forbidden kiss, holding Arobin close to prolong the contact. She is also more reserved. Arobin is quite anxious to see Edna again, but Edna pushes him away telling him she will see him at her dinner party, â€Å"not an instant sooner† (Chopin 82).Edna takes control of the situation, pushing Arobin away when he begs to see her again, having come to an enlightened state of being, learning from her mistakes and being an active force in her own life. Edna now makes decisions (such as moving out of the house) based on what is right for her, choices that will drastically affect her life, doing so with open eyes and a clear head. Edna is feminist in nature, but her feminism comes with a price, and not many people are strong enough to endure social ostracizing to enjoy personal freedom.Chopin wonderfully illustrates Edna’s dilemma, showing possible consequences of becoming enlightened outside the context of a broader social movement. By the end of the novel, Chopin still refuses to tell us whether Edna’s awakening is liberating, or if it is tragic. They argue that Edna Pontellier’s awakening is one of mental clarity, and her suicide is a triumphant act. By committing suicide Edna is finally freeing herself from social constraints and possession. Her suicide is an act of liberation, therefore Edna is the ultimate feminist.

Economic Example

Economic Example Economic – Book Report/Review Example February, 5, Economics People prefer certain art forms. The paper delves on the government’s art priorities. The paper focuses on the economic value of art products. The government must fund the enhancement the people’s art appreciation. Ms. Hager espoused community youth arts & drama normally involve political, national, social and economic areas (Frohnmayer 1). The government favorably maximizes youth arts funding. The Dept of Housing and Urban Development, Dept of Economic Development, and the Justice Dept help ensure the youth arts practices attain the government’s prescribed non-arts goals. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) agency focuses on funding art appreciation, setting the criteria for youth art funding. Likewise, the agency coordinates the funding efforts with schools and other government agencies. Further, there is a stark difference between Latin American Art and U.S. art (Edwards 1). The paper espouses that the current generation of older Latin American artists produce higher quality art masterpieces compared to the current generation’s young artists. On the other hand, the U.S. art scene indicates that the young U.S. artists produce higher quality art masterpieces compared to the older U.S. artists. The discussion delves on both the experimental artists and the conceptual artists. Some U.S. artists prefer abstract expression art form. In terms of older artists, it is more profitable to invest in Latin American art than U.S. art pieces. Based on the above discussion, I feel the government must enhance art appreciation. The government’s NEA agency must enhance the linkage between the agencies and the people’s art appreciation, enhancing the people’s art appreciation and the art masterpieces’ economic value. In terms of older artists’ masterpieces, people should invest more in Latin American masterpieces than American art masterpieces. Evidently, I feel the government agencies should fund the people’s art appreciation, increasing the art pieces’ economic values. :Edwards, Sebastian. The Economics of Latin American Art. Cambridge: National Bureau of Economic Research, 2004.Print.Frohnmayer, John. Censorship and Its Progeny. London: Fulcrum Press, 1985. Print.

Free Essays on Choices

In the Book of Genesis, an ancient Hebrew story from the King James Bible, we are given the account of Adam and Eve. Eve is led up the path of temptation and forced to make a difficult decision. The outcome of her selection not only affects her own existence, but also that of Adam and their descendants. In the story, Eve is forced to choose between what she knows is right or what will turn out to be only a temporary pleasure. The reader is fully aware of the role of the snake, presenter of the golden apple, an excellent example of the archetypal character the temptress. The apple is the forbidden fruit, the irresistible pleasure, what the decision-maker is fully aware of being the obviously wrong choice, and yet can’t help but have one taste, perhaps to get a rebellious high, perhaps out of curiosity. Or perhaps the character is just plain ignorant. Whatever the motives of Eve and all others in the wrong, it is soon revealed that the easiest choice to make is not always the be st. Eve’s acceptance of the apple served to show her own weakness and insecurity in what she believed was just. She deceived the very being who created her, the ever-famous clichà © of bite the hand that feeds you. She traded in a life of eternal happiness in the Garden of Eden for one taste of that golden apple. It was a mistake that would alter the entire substance of mankind. Through Eve’s unfortunate judgment, the lives of others were to be miserable for generations to come. Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, and from the sheltered life they had so enjoyed, obviously symbolic of a fall from innocence. To survive, they had to labor ceaselessly. No longer were meals served on a silver platter. They must toil away to make fertile ground for food to grow, and gather their life-sustaining water from wherever it could possibly be found. Eve was burdened with pain and suffering through childbirth, when previously that was the least of her worries... Free Essays on Choices Free Essays on Choices In the Book of Genesis, an ancient Hebrew story from the King James Bible, we are given the account of Adam and Eve. Eve is led up the path of temptation and forced to make a difficult decision. The outcome of her selection not only affects her own existence, but also that of Adam and their descendants. In the story, Eve is forced to choose between what she knows is right or what will turn out to be only a temporary pleasure. The reader is fully aware of the role of the snake, presenter of the golden apple, an excellent example of the archetypal character the temptress. The apple is the forbidden fruit, the irresistible pleasure, what the decision-maker is fully aware of being the obviously wrong choice, and yet can’t help but have one taste, perhaps to get a rebellious high, perhaps out of curiosity. Or perhaps the character is just plain ignorant. Whatever the motives of Eve and all others in the wrong, it is soon revealed that the easiest choice to make is not always the be st. Eve’s acceptance of the apple served to show her own weakness and insecurity in what she believed was just. She deceived the very being who created her, the ever-famous clichà © of bite the hand that feeds you. She traded in a life of eternal happiness in the Garden of Eden for one taste of that golden apple. It was a mistake that would alter the entire substance of mankind. Through Eve’s unfortunate judgment, the lives of others were to be miserable for generations to come. Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden of Eden, and from the sheltered life they had so enjoyed, obviously symbolic of a fall from innocence. To survive, they had to labor ceaselessly. No longer were meals served on a silver platter. They must toil away to make fertile ground for food to grow, and gather their life-sustaining water from wherever it could possibly be found. Eve was burdened with pain and suffering through childbirth, when previously that was the least of her worries... Free Essays on Choices I. Introduction A. Catch Attention While on my weekly constitutional on the lake, I noticed the waves hit the shore and remembered, â€Å" I wish I was Ocean size no one moves you man no one tries.†- Jane’s Addiction. B. State a Thesis We all wish we were someone we are not, however we choose to be who we are mostly by our actions and our decisions, not how we were bought up. II. Topic Sentence One I was raised a strict Roman Catholic. a. I was taught the bible and how to interpret it. b. I learned fear of failure and the difference of right or wrong. c. I now choose to believe what I want to believe about religion III. Topic Sentence Two I was in the Boy Scouts until age 17. a. Part of the Boy Scout Creed is loyalty, being prepared, and Kind. b. Teamwork and counting on others is instilled in everything the Boy Scouts do. c. I choose who I am loyal and kind to; and only prepare for what I feel the need to prepare for. IV. Topic Sentence Three Throughout school, and my upbringing I was taught a hard work ethic. a. Good student-Mom/school b. Athletics- Dad/school c. Job- Dad/peers V. Conclusion Through experience, education, and the law I make my decisions of what I do from day to day. Yes who I am today has to do with how I was raised; however the decision I make are mostly responsible for the man I am and how society views me. â€Å" I wish I was ocean size†¦Ã¢â‚¬  yes; however I believe we are all ocean size, for no can move us unless we allow them to....

From Sixth Grade to the Shoe Factory Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

From Sixth Grade to the Shoe Factory - Essay Example It appears morally deficient that he should be expected to begin working at lesser pay than an adult, but the benefits outweigh the immediate costs. His financial contribution to his family and his own savings are much more helpful than continuing to go to school and depriving himself and his family of the 180,000 pesos a week that benefit the greater whole. This is wise, and a morally valid decision on the part of his family. However, Vicente is robbed of his childhood as well as his potential to develop intellectually which could lead to far better paying jobs. Nonetheless, this cannot be proven. The primary moral violation is that he is exposed to toxic glues and thus his health condition suffers. His employer should be responsible for ensuring the factory does not hurt Vicente’s health, as they are not only harming a human life but also could cripple their own workforce. On the whole, the factory should ensure that zorritas are safe and healthy by seeking alternative produ cts or insisting that the producers of the glue do something about their own product’s safety, as these will likely have long-term effects on the zorritas that will lead to poor health, reduced income, and harm to their families.

Immunology Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Immunology - Essay Example The fourth fraction, F4, has a low concentration of protein. This is because in this fraction, serum was not diluted. Therefore, aggregation of proteins could not occur because of lack of hydration of protein. Protein concentration of F1 was 5.90mg. This increased till 14.56mg protein concentration for F3. Fraction F5, which is a mixture of F2 and F3 had a protein concentration of 16.00mg – the highest. Purification by ammonium suphate precipitation is useful for large protein samples. It is a cheaper process. However, the resulting protein obtained is not very pure. Moreover, this technique requires additional purification steps. The results of purification through ion exchange chromatography (IEX) are shown in section 3 of the results. The purification of IgG was performed. IgG accounts for only 10% of the serum proteins. Yet, the concentrations of IgG in fraction F2, F3 and F5 were 2.08, 1.42 and 2.80 mg/ml respectively, which are relatively high. IEX is a cost effective process and results in higher protein recovery. It has high resolving power. The percentage yield of protein for all fractions is given in section 4. A higher yield of IgG is seen in fractions F2 and F5 compared to fraction F3. A machine error may be the reason behind this. This is because the reading for F2/F3 and F5 was taken on different spectrophotometers. The results of the Single Radial Immunodiffusion assay and precipitin arcs are shown in section 5. In figure 1, purple precipitin arcs confirm the presence of IgG. Multiple arcs for F3 and F4 indicate the presence of contamination in these protein fractions. In figure 2, the precipitation ring is observed. It is seen that as the diameter of the ring increases, there is a decrease in the protein (antigen) concentration. Moving further away from the center, IgG concentration