Marriage and Relationships in William Shakespeares The...

Marriage and Relationships in William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew Getting married in modern times is not something which is viewed as necessary. There are many couples that are together, but do not want to marry, because they do not feel they have to. Couples that do, can have a marriage almost anywhere they choose. Couples can marry in houses, shopping centres and even petrol stations. Anywhere you can get a marriage licence and a vicar, is seen as a place fit to hold a wedding these days. In â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew† however, marriage was seen as something of a necessity. It was a very important stage in life, but a stage in which love was not seen as a key or important ingredient.†¦show more content†¦They had no way of expressing their feelings; â€Å"Thus I have politically begun my reign.† Women like Katherina would not see their way for another 100 years. In this way Shakespeare shows exactly how men’s attitudes to these kinds of women made their lives considerably hard and miserable. When Shakespeare was in his twenties, he had a relationship with a woman who was a lot older than he was, he ended up getting her pregnant. In Shakespeare’s time, if you got a woman pregnant then you almost always had to marry them. There were no ways of contraception and therefore no way of stopping the birth. Shakespeare was forced into a â€Å"Shotgun† wedding, which was most definitely not based on love. This may have had an influence on the way that he wrote some of his plays, for instance, â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew†. In â€Å"The Taming of the Shrew† it is quite obvious that love is seen as in no way important when people are to be married. Perhaps some of Shakespeare’s own experiences, have been transferred into the characters. In Elizabethan England, men were dominant, they would go out to work and get the respect in the community. Women, however, were expected to wait on the men hand and foot, they would have to make dinner, cook, clean, do whatever their husband wished. If they did not adhere to these rules, or if they said something that made them look more intelligent than men did, thenShow MoreRelated Essay on Contrasting Couples in The Taming of the Shrew820 Words   |  4 PagesContrasting Couples in The Taming of the Shrew      Ã‚   William Shakespeares comedy, The Taming of the Shrew illistrates the difficulty of trying to tame a headstrong, stubborn, and a high-spirited woman so that she will make a docile wife. The one attempting to tame Kate, the shrew, is Petruchio. They contend with each other with tremendous vitality and have a forced relationship. In contrast, there is another romantically linked couple who seemingly possess an ideal relationship. These young loversRead MoreEssay on The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare1088 Words   |  5 Pages The Taming of the Shrew, written by William Shakespeare, is historical proof that flirting and temptation, relating to the opposite sex, has been around since the earliest of times. Because males and females continue to interact, the complications in this play remain as relevant and humorous today as they did to Elizabethan audiences. This is a very fun play, full of comedy and sexual remarks. Its lasting impression imprints itself into the minds of its readers, for it is an unforgettableRead MoreWilliam Shakespeares Taming of the Shrew William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, The Taming of1100 Words   |  5 Pages William Shakespeares Taming of the Shrew William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, The Taming of the Shrew, is an embodiment of the context in which the text was shaped, the Renaissance. The Renaissance period was a time of progression, primarily in the areas of art, science, humanism, religion and self-awareness. The Renaissance focused on taking elements of the past including religion, art and science and adapting them to make them better. Humanists advocated for the freedom of the individualsRead More Taming of the Shrew: Male Domination Essay1046 Words   |  5 PagesTaming of the Shrew: Male Domination The Taming of the Shrew, by William Shakespeare, deals with marriage. The ideas explored are primarily shown through the characters of Petruchio and Katharina. We are introduced to the trials and tribulations which present themselves in their everyday lives. The characters bring up a traditional concept of male domination. Through the play we see the need for domination through Petruchio, and the methods he uses to dominate. While these ideas of male dominationRead MoreGender Roles During Elizabethan Society1099 Words   |  5 Pages†; Petit, â€Å"A Look at Male Gender Roles in Shakespeare’s Renaissance.).. The men could vote and all actors on stage were men. In general, men had every advantage in that time period (Ram, Pham, Sok, Hamsafar, and Wilhemsen, â€Å"Gender Roles in Elizabethan Society.†; Petit, â€Å"A Look at Male Gender Roles in Shakespeare’s Renaissance.). During the Elizabethan age, marriages were generally viewed as a business relationship than anything else (Folger, 5). Marriages were arranged only to increase the wealthRead MoreEssay about Taming of the Shrew: Movie vs. Play807 Words   |  4 Pages William Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew is an interesting story that demonstrates the patriarchal ideas of how a marriage is suppose to be according to society, what is acceptable of a womans role in a relationship. Its a story that has many things to show for its been remade, and remade, even slightly altered to better relate to the teenage audience. The story is about two sisters Katherine and Bianca. Bianca has a suitor who would like to marry her, Lucentio, but the onlyRead MoreTaming Of The Shrew By William Shakespeare And 10 Things I Hate About You By Gil Junger1365 Words   |  6 Pagesintertextual relationship between Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare and 10 Things I Hate About You by Gil Junger, has greatly enhanced and enriched my understanding of love and gender and it’s varying ideals throughout the centuries. Taming of the Shrew depicts the quintessential features of a 16th century marriage, whilst 10 Things I Hate About You, its 21st century counterpart, has been rebooted to match the modern cultural expectations and ideals of love, relationships and marriage. The textsRead MoreTaming Of The Shrew Analysis741 Words   |  3 PagesWilliam Shakespeares The Taming of the Shrew is a play that shows how men are misogynistic towards women and how marriage is brought out to be in many relationships. Mar riage is a significant element in the lives of the characters in The Taming of the Shrew because arranged marriages, the objectification of women and the buying of a wife create a misogynistic treatment of women in the play. This illustrates unfair and unjust behaviour towards women. All the marriages in this play were arrangedRead MoreAnalysis Of Shakespeare s Taming Of The Shrew And Twelfth Night 702 Words   |  3 PagesAlyssa Nowak 6 October 2016 Prof. Ron Dye FYS: Shakespeare Comedies Midterm Disguise and Trickery One of the many factors that William Shakespeare implements throughout all of his comedic plays is the element of disguise and trickery. This element is shown through his works of As You Like It, Taming of the Shrew, and Twelfth Night. The primary purpose for using disguise and trickery is for deceit. The deception involved with changing characters’ identities is used for momentary gain. In theRead MoreThe Taming Of The Shrew By William Shakespeare1181 Words   |  5 PagesThe Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare will appeal to Kalidasa because most of his plays are based on Puranas and this play can be used to show the values of Hindu Puranas and respect toward the deities. Hindu Puranas, ancient Indian literature about myths and legends, like Mahabharata teach the society about deed, religion, respect, knowledge, and royalty. Kalidasa can use Shakespeare’s play to reteach Mahabharata’s values, since the play presents themes of wealth, gender role, re ligious

Hispanic Immigration And The United States - 850 Words

Hispanic immigration to the United States stems primarily from uniquely developed push-pull migration mechanisms in which â€Å"interplay of national, regional, and global economic developments, the history of U.S. military and foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere, the checkered history of international border enforcement and interdiction efforts, and, not least, the aspirations of Latin American migrants and potential migrants themselves† (Gutierrez). In other words, migration from Latin American to the United States shouldn’t have been consistent, however, there are several factors that triggered massive waves of such. The first major wave of Hispanic migration to the United States was in 1848, which was a result from the Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo. The newly acquired lands of the United States hosted a population of about 75,000-100,000 and the U.S. Government offered blanket naturalization to the former Mexican Citizens. After the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, Mexican immigration to the U.S. â€Å"average[d] 3,000-5,000† persons per decade, with the exception of the California Gold Rush, where around 10,000 Mexican miners migrated to California, all totaling to about 100,000 Mexicans in the U.S. by the end of the 1900 (Gutierrez). However, â€Å"historical migration statistics for this period are inaccurate because of inconsistent enumeration techniques, changing methods of ethnic and racial classification in the U.S., and the constant movement of uncounted thousands ofShow MoreRelatedImmigration Policy Of The United States And Its Effects On Hispanic Immigrants1541 Words   |  7 Pa gesMHS_ForeignLanguageWritingAssignment Tanya Meinecke-Smith SPAN_2311_MHS 06 December 2014 Immigration Policy in the United States and its Effects on Hispanic Immigrants Whether with a cold shoulder welcome or a open arm embrace, the United States has constantly received a range of global immigrants, over half whom originate from Latin America (migrationpolicy.org). Largely driven by the prospect of the â€Å"American Dream,† the Latino immigration movement began in the 1840s and has fluctuated with new policies, includingRead MoreAmerican Culture And Its Impact On American Society1599 Words   |  7 Pageshave Hispanics began to enter American Society and how have they assimilated or integrated to become part of it? Hispanics are a minority group who have overcome many struggles and stereotypes throughout history. It is important to know how it all started and how they managed to become such a huge part of todays society.  Hispanics Americans constitute more than 15% of the U.S population, and the number is still growing. It is the country’s largest ethnic minority group. When Hispanics enterRead MoreEssay on The Impact of Latin American Immigration on America1553 Words   |  7 Pages Immigration is the process of entry of individuals into a new country (23). Throughout past centuries, immigration has been a means of discovery and exploration of new lands. In today’s culture, immigration to the United States is an avenue for individuals who wish to start new lives and take advantage of the capitalistic, entrepreneurial system. People from many countries have migrated into the United States. Most recently, the migrants have come from Central and South AmericanRead MoreAnd Amerindian Stock885 Words   |  4 Pagesand Amerindian stock† (Gutierrez 47). According to Ruben Rumbaut 2009 publication, Pigments of Our Imagination: The Racialization of the Hispanic-Latino Category, â€Å"Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, Cubans, Salvadorans, Colombians, and the many other nationalities from Latin America and even Spain itself - we re not ‘Hispanics’ or ‘Latinos’ in their countries of origin† stressing not only the wide range of country of origin, but also the racial conceptions that those immigrants from those countries may haveRead MoreImmigration Laws : Arizona Anti Immigration Law1222 Words   |  5 PagesSB 1070: Arizona Anti-Immigration Law Introduction and Summary SB 1070 Anti-Immigration Law was passed by Arizona legislators and signed by former Arizona Governor Jan Brewer in early 2009 when another former Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano became Secretary of Homeland Security under President Barack Obama’s administration (Morse, 2011). After Jan Brewer took office, she was looking for ways to strengthen the anti-immigration laws. Former Arizona State Senator Russell Pearce was attempting to findRead MoreRacial Discrimination and Hispanics in the United States1512 Words   |  7 Pagesdiscrimination among Hispanics in the United States is on the rise along with stricter immigration laws, inadequate education for ESL classes, as well as they are prey to healthcare disparities. Data shows that many states in the United States are implementing tougher immigration laws for their individual states. Also, due to education cuts and kick-backs, English as a second language classes are becoming fewer in many school districts. Finally, health c are disparities among Hispanics are on the riseRead MoreLatino Americans And Hispanic Americans1114 Words   |  5 PagesHispanic Americans are the largest minority group in the United States. They make up approximately 16 percent of the country s population. They are considered both an ethnic and a racial minority group. Their language, a cultural characteristic, identifies them as an ethnic minority group. Their physical appearance identifies Hispanic-Americans as a racial minority group (Healy 2012). The majority of the Hispanic American population is located in the southwest part of the country. The three largestRead MoreImmigrants From Latin America s Annexation Of Mexico Essay1544 Words   |  7 Pages Historically, Latinos have struggled against ethnic labeling, immigration as well challenges surrounding education. This can traced back to mid-19th century when according to Harvest of Empire America’s annexation of Mexico which gave the United States Texas, California, and the southwest. â€Å"Mexico’s territory was cut by half and its mineral resources by three-quarters. These appalling numbers help explain so much. In fact, you can arguably lay Mexico’s poverty and loss through emigration rightRead MoreImmigration Of Hispanics And Hispanics882 Words   |  4 Pageshighlight immigration of Hispanics and Latinos, since it is a relatively young (compared to the national average), diverse population with many subgroups, with complicated socioeconomic factors, and shares a troubled history with the United States (U.S. Census Bureau, 2006). The largest group of immigrants that came from Mexico has settled in Arizona, California, Texas and New Mexico. These areas of the United States also happen to share a significant historical grievance with the United States. The citiesRead MoreIllegal Immigration in America Essay857 Words   |  4 PagesIllegal immigration at the U.S. - Mexico border is a growing problem, and the death toll is rising as more people are attempting to illegally enter the United States. As a result of an increasing number of people trying to enter into the United States illegally, the border is now being guarded by an increasing number of border patrol officers. The United States implemented different laws and operations to prevent more illegal immigration from Mexico into the United States. The ‘Operation Gatekeeper’

American Dream - Of Mice and Men free essay sample

The book Of Mice and Men follows George and Lennie on their journey to reach the American Dream. Although the American Dream can vary from person to person, the main goal of the dream is to gain something they desire. George and Lennie’s goal is to have their own land and make their own decisions. â€Å"Someday-we’re gonna get the jack together and we gonna have a little house and a couple of acres† (Steinbeck 14). To reach their dream, George lies for Lennie because of his mental disabilities. Even though George is lying, it doesn’t compromise his moral character because he is doing this to protect Lennie. Later on in the book, Lennie accidentally murders Curley’s wife to prevent himself from getting in trouble. Some may argue it compromises his moral character, but due to his mental disabilities he wasn’t able to know his actions were wrong. We will write a custom essay sample on American Dream Of Mice and Men or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page George and Lennie were not able to achieve the American Dream, but they did try to accomplish it without compromising their moral character. Curley’s wife also had an American Dream. Her dream is to go to Hollywood and be in movies, but she wasn’t able to do this because of her mother. â€Å"I wasn’t gonna stay no place where I couldn’t†¦ make something of myself†¦ So I married Curley† (Steinbeck 88). On her way to reach her dream, she wasn’t always honest. She didn’t stay true to her moral character by settling to marry Curley. If she would have stayed true to her morals, she might have had a better chance at reaching her dream. â€Å"A guy needs somebody-to be near him. A guy goes nuts if he ain’t got nobody† (Steinbeck 72). The stable buck, Crooks, believes the American Dream is to have a best friend. This might seem to be a simple dream, but due to the time period, it was actually rather complicated. Crooks is African American and therefore looked down upon by the other workers. No one wants to be friends with a guy like Crooks. Crooks accepted his fate of never being able to accomplish his dream, but stayed true to his moral character by not going out of his way to make the guys like him.

Malgudi Days free essay sample

Jennifer Glasper English 3036 Monday, March 6, 2012 Professor: E. Chou Malgudi Days, R. K Narayan The tasks take one short story by Narayan that you have read and show that it has literary traits it has in common with other short stories by Narayan. In most of these short stories we can see that the theme is an important idea of the author. The themes that are seen throughout most of the stories written by R. K. Narayan are adversities, difficulties and overcoming those difficulties by having the strength to persevere so that the individuals can move forward in their lives. In the story of the Willing Slave, we see a maid doing everything she can to make it during difficult times and to also give money to her family. Even though Ayah is poor, she doesn’t let it affect her too much, she understand that no matter what is going on around her, Ayah must continue to move forward and make the best of a difficult situation. We will write a custom essay sample on Malgudi Days or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The theme in this story is a harsh reality for many individuals throughout the country of India, but the most important aspect of India and its people is the fact that they understand and realize that poverty is surrounding them but have the mind set to overcome that adversity without letting it overtake them. In The Snake Song, we see the same type of theme as in Willing Slave, when a young Talkative Man has dreams and desires to become wealthy someday, by being a musician. The Talkative Man is poor and doing all he can to survive, so he can make a better life for himself. The one dilemma that is going to hold him back is his selfishness, and his unwillingness to assist another individual that is in need whom he turns away. He was extremely self-centered and one night he rejected a man that needed assistance. The man’s hunger was the cause of The Talkative Man’s irritation. His rejection was unnecessary since the mendicant had praised The Talkative Man’s artistic skill and only wanted food. By contrast, the elderly Ayah appears as an obsequious person that is ‘Hellbent’ on pleasing her masters regardless of their social position or age. Playing games with the child, Radha, was an example of the extent Ayah would go to placate the family. The sequence of events describing Ayah’s willingness to satisfy each and every request made by others is an un- pleasant reading for many people, because Ayah’s servitude can be seen in other counties besides India and in other spheres of existence. ‘A willing Slave’ generates sadness.

Lifestyle theory free essay sample

Introduction The chance of a women being raped, in most cases, has a high correlation with their lifestyle they choose to live. The lifestyle exposure theory can help explain the probability of a rape occurring. Where a women lives, the time of day she choose to travel, the type of transportation she uses, her economic statues, if she has any family obligation, and what type of societal and cultural constraints that are imposed on her all effect the type of lifestyle she lives. In turn affects how and what type of potential offenders she will come into contact with. Victimization Type There is a word in our vocabulary that can elicit an emotional and defensive stand in almost all people in our society- the word is rape. By just reading the word most people feel some type of negative reaction whether it is: disgust, embarrassment, fear, repulsion, concern for the victim, hatred for the offender, or all of these or more. We will write a custom essay sample on Lifestyle theory or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page How is the word rape definite? In January of this year the DOJ changed the definition of rape- â€Å"The carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will.†, that is used in the UCR (UCR Part I Offenses), which was categorized as â€Å"forcible rape† and had remand unchanged since 1929 and excluded victims of anal/oral sex, rape with an object, male rape and statutory rape (Shields). To a wider, more inclusive definition with the title of â€Å"rape† to show that all forms of rape could be considered under this definition-â€Å"The penetration, no matter how slight of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, without the consent of the victim.† (Attorney General). With the change in the definition that law enforcement used to define rape there was a shift from the type of violence and aggression that just included women and ignored males and a number of other aspects to situations where it wasn’t a gender specific crime and the penalties for rape were on similar punishment scale. The crime of rape is still a very women dominated on the victim side and males being the offenders. There are three different categories of rape: stranger rape, acquaintance rape, and marital rape. Stranger rape is thought to be the most common but in all actuality acquaintance rape is the most prevalent followed by marital raped-which for the longest time wasn’t considered rape-than stranger rape is the least prevalent. For the purpose of this paper I am going to focus more on the category of stranger rape  (Roberson and Wallace). Rape is considered to be a stranger rape when the offender is unknown to the woman. Any type of rape is detestable and the repercussions of the crime are similar despite whether it was someone the woman knew or not. It is thought that the victims of stranger rape recover from the emotional, mental, and physical affects more quickly than those victims of martial and acquaintance rape, because victims of stranger rape usually don’t have to go through the feelings of betrayal and loss of trust from a person they knew (Definition of Stranger Rape). Theory Lifestyle-exposure theory more commonly known as Lifestyle theory was developed in 1978 by Michael Hindelang, Michael Gottfredson, and James Garofalo when they published a book titled: Victims of Personal Crime: An Emprical Foundation for a Theory of Personal Victimization. Through the research for this book it was found that in a person’s victimization they can play a more suitable target for an offender. With the development of this theory it opened new doors in the world of victimology by suggesting that choices a victim makes in their every life and dealings with others can either increase their chances at being victimized or it can decrease their chances (Hindelang, Gottfredson, Garofalo). These scholars helped shift the focus more fully on the victim and less on the offender by stating that victims could be held in some part responsible for their victimization just by the lifestyle characteristics they posses. Through earlier theorists and the typologies they used it help refine victimization research in that it was noted that being victimized wasn’t a completely random, out of the blue, type of event it was previously thought to be; but a big down fall, so to speak, was that these older theories tended to viewed as blaming the victim for them being victimized and not placing adequate blame on the offender. With the emergence of the lifestyle theory it pushed the past the bad karma of victim blaming and gave a better understanding of what type of relationships and or associations the victim had to the offender and vise versa in view of what their lifestyles were and the location of where the victimization took place (McGrath). So a big question is how would one define a lifestyle? Hindelang, Gottfredson, and Garofalo defined a lifestyle, for the purpose of this theory, as â€Å"†¦as daily activities and leisure activities in which individuals participate on a routine basis†. It  also includes the choices a person makes on their own freewill and those â€Å"imposed on by constraints†, such as societal structures and or cultural expectations. The main point of the lifestyle theory that Hindelang, Gottfredson, and Garofalo were making is that the more lifestyles a person places themselves in or are involved in they are also placing themselves in a closer range for potential offenders, which in turn makes them a more suitable target to be victimized (Hindelang, Gottfredson, Garofalo). To expand on some of these lifestyle constraints the first that comes to mind is the societal expectation that are made of a person’s behavior. The different roles a person has in society shapes what kind of lifestyle is expected of them to live in many ways. With the majority of crime and criminal behaviors happening on a street level and usually after dark it’s expected that the people that stayed home at night, like new parents, are at a far less likelihood to be victimized than say someone that works all day and decides to unwind by going out late at night to party it up at a bar. That kind of person is less likely to be victimized if they don’t fall into the category of being young-under the age of 25, single, and male but women who fall into this category are more likely to a victim of a sexual crime. It’s thought the younger single people are somewhat less likely to have employment or part time employment so they are freer to go different places they choose at all times of the day or night, whereas, an older single person usually has more responsibilities such as full time employment and other bills to worry about but are still more likely to be victimized than new parents because they don’t have the big responsibility on kids (Robinson). Secondly, other lifestyle constraints that can influence a person’s chosen lifestyle is their economic status, their education level, and if they any family obligations. These types of constraints on a person’s lifestyle can influence what that person can do with their money, the type or quality of job they can qualify for, and what situation family obligations can put them in. a person that has a low SES is far more likely to live in the inner city, ghetto neighborhoods, where crime rates are higher and so forth, whereas, a person with a higher SES can afford to live farther out of the city, gated communities, and could possibly afford a security system for their property. In conjunction with a person’s economic status their education level plays a similar role in that the higher their  education level it’s thought the better the job they will have, which in turn can influence where they live. With family obligations the constraint aspect can go either way, such as, if a person is needed to pick up another job this will keep that person out of the house for longer periods of time and in closer proximity to potential offenders. Whereas, a person is needed at the house to be a caretaker to someone is off the streets and further out of the equation of crime (Robinson). Another aspect of a person’s economic situation is their subcultural and structural constraints. These can fit into how well a person handle things around them getting worse that aren’t in their full control-like a failing economy and they lose their job. Each individual person deals with that type of stressor in different ways-one could seek physical workout as a stress reliever and works on looking for a new job in positive, acceptable ways; another could slip into depression and start to self medicate with drugs and alcohol to push the feelings of pain and failure away and without a job they have no way of supporting their habit so they turn to criminal behaviors to support the new habit; where another could just fall into a deep depression and never want to get out of bed so their responsibilities fall to another person. In either situation the person chooses, mainly, where the put themselves on scale of being victimized (Theoretical Perspective). Since lifestyle theory is purposed towards being crime specific a person’s location can play a major role in their victimization risk being either high or low-meaning that a person’s risk level will vary depending on the type of crime. For instance, a student decides to study at the library instead of at their apartment- it’s fairly safe to say that a person would feel the library is a safe place to be when one is looking at criminal activity such as murder but when it comes to looking at the criminal activity of personal thefts it’s not such a safe place. An unattended backpack, laptop, and/or textbooks become very attractive items to steal very quickly (McGrath). A final aspect of lifestyle theory, which is mentioned by Garofalo, is time. Depending on what time it is during the day or night a person’s lifestyle choices or constraints can influence what type, if any, crime they could be exposed to. For instance, if a person doesn’t have their own vehicle that usually leaves them with limited options-one being public transportation, such as the bus. Taking the bus during the day is statistically less dangerous, fewer crime  opportunities, than it would after six in the evening. This is because the atmosphere changes, so to speak. During the day there are more people going to and from work and running errands, whereas, in the evenings more people are off work and alcohol and drugs can become factored in which is favorable to increase a person’s likelihood of victimization (Garofarlo, 1987). Applied When evaluating stranger rape and how to best predict the occurrence of this crime the victimology theory that would help best describe it, is Lifestyle Theory. In breaking down the events that lead up to a rape, particularly stranger rape, there is something appealing about the victim at ignites an offender to act, the victim’s lifestyle. Lifestyle theory goes into very specific details on how a victim’s chosen lifestyle makes them more or less attractive to an offender. Those resembling: where they live, inner city or rural; what societal roles are expected of them; the persons age and relationship status; their economic situations, poor middle class or wealthy; their education level which can be influenced by their economic status; if they have family obligation, if any; structural constraints, loss of a job; the places they choose to visit; the time of day they travel; and the type of transportation they use, bus vs. having their own vehicle. There are many myths about rape, such as, that women want to be raped, they like it rough and hard, how a woman dresses is saying they are asking for sex. None of these myths have any footing in this theory analysis or any other that is concerned with victimology. When a young, single women routinely travels late at night and is known to live alone specially when she is farther in the city- her lifestyle by choice or constraint makes her far more appealing target for the crime of rape, whereas, a young, single woman that travels before six in the evening, has her own vehicle and lives with a bunch of other people is not an appealing target. It’s similar with a young, single woman that likes to go out and party it up at the bar with drugs and alcohol- her target suitability is far greater than that of a woman that like to party but does it at friend’s house where there isn’t any drugs and limited alcohol. In reality every choice a woman makes in her everyday life will influence what, if any, type of potential offender she will attract to her- especially in cases of rape. Conclusion Lifestyle theory helped open new ways of understanding criminal victimization specially in being more crime specific which in a help in the crime of rape. It moved past the daunting section in victimology history of victim blaming and into the understanding that victimization isn’t a completely random act but one that could reasonably predict potential indicators of what could lead up to a person being victimized particularly in the crime of rape. Every decision people make in their lives, such as, time they travel, how they travel, where they live, their education level, family obligation, societal expectation, and cultural constrains- will bring them closer to potential offenders or put them farther away.

Piaget Toy Project Essays

Piaget Toy Project Essays Piaget Toy Project Paper Piaget Toy Project Paper While in the toy store I watched owe kids were interacting with one another, and how they handled some of the toys. Having, a niece, nephew, and Godson who are infants it was easier to find toys for the seniority stage. Not all toys on the market are labeled for the right age group. There are some toys for two year old that are way too complex for them to understand. Because of the complexities they will not know how to use it which can result to them hurting themselves eventually. This was a very interesting project, I learned a lot about different toys, now knowing about these stages shopping for children in my family will be a lot different. Pigged argued reality involves transformations and states. Transformation is all aspects of change a person can undergo. States is the condition or appearance which things or people can find between transformations. (Ex: Shape- Humans features change as they grow) If intelligence is to be adaptive there must be functions of reality and transformation. Operative: Active part of intelligence, involves all actions, anticipate transformations of objects or people of interest. Figurative: Less active, representation used to retain in mind states that intervene between transformations. Pigged also focused on assimilation, and accommodation. Assimilation is the input/ direct information processing, info contradicts the mental map (schema). Accommodation changes the schema to fit the new information also known as the output. Seniority is the first stage of Piglets developmental theory which begins at birth and lasts until 2 years of age. They are able to discern themselves from the environment, understanding environment still exist outside of their reach. Infants construct knowledge and understanding of the world by experience (vision, and hearing). They interact physically with objects by sucking, grabbing, touching, etc. Since they are able unable to predict reactions they constantly experiment and learn through trial and error. Use of motor activity and reflexes without use of symbols are also learned during this stage. Language development occurs when a child turns 2. Object permanence (7-9 months): demonstrates memory is developing, infants realize objects are there even when its out of sight. Fisher Price Musical Tether Ring price: $15. 96 Product Details Features fun sounds, debatable surfaces, and bright colors Each of 3 buttons individually activate their own sound effect and song A link is included so baby can play with the Keys wherever he or she is All 3 keys are having a debatable surface Handy link for take-along fun This toy is perfect for this sage because it allows the child to touch, grab, and the texture is perfect for an infant while teething. There are many colors and shapes which is educational for a child. Melissa Doug Pound a Peg Wooden Bench price: $9. 9 Product description Pound the eight colorful wooden pegs into the wooden bench then, flip it over to peat the activity again and again! Four pairs of pegs for color matching and (manufacturers review) wooden hammer included . This toy may seem perfect for a 1 or 2 year old, but according to the reviews the pegs are easy to go through the holes. Which means the hammer is pointless because a child can ea sily force the pegs through the holes by hand. The pegs arent soft, so if a child tries to chew or suck on it, chances are they will hurt themselves. The operational stage occurs during toddlers and early childhood (2-7). At this stage a child learns to use language to able objects by words and pictures. Egocentric thinking- a child believes you see and know what they know. They do not see other peoples side of view. Ex: if I have two sided picture and I ask a child what he sees, he will tell me, NOW if I ask him what I see he is going to expect that I am seeing the same picture as him. They have the ability to classify objects by single features such as shapes with shapes, and color with color. Memory and imagination is developed during this stage. Children engage in make believe understand and express relationship between past and future. Mega Blob Barbie FAA Marina price: $44. 99 Product Description Barbie and Ken can Jump on their Jet skis for a fun water adventure or sit back and enjoy the cool water breeze in the summer sun with the Glam Vacation Series FAA Marina from Mega Blobs Barbie. Build Barbies climactic Marina and enjoy the summer out on the water alone or with friends. Barbie and Ken can Jump on their cool Jet skis and zoom out for a fun time on the water, have an awesome party on the floating patio while buying a hot dog or ice cream, or quietly watch luxurious yachts come into port on the lavish observational deck. Features: Available two-story Marina and two Jet skis Many fun and highly detailed accessories such as a barbecue, ice cream freezer, store rack, patio tables, lounge chair, observation deck chairs, glasses, hot dogs, bushes and flowers More sparkling block pieces including Barbie themed building blocks, awnings, and ice cream freezer door Available Barbie and Ken mint-fashion figs Combine with all of the Mega Blobs Barbie sets to build a fabulous world of fashion, friends and fun! LOGOS are perfect for this stage it gives children a chance to use their imagination to build whatever they want. One thing I really like about this toy is the different sections of it, a childs imagination can truly run wild with this Logo set. Hasher Near N-Strike Deploy price: $19. 59 The Near N-Strike Barrel Break Blaster is one of the best blasters around! It has removable ammo rails, holds 8 darts and has double barrel blasting fun! Fire one Whistler dart at a time, or launch both barrels at once! The Near N-Strike Barrel Break IX-2 Blaster includes: 10 whistler darts Ammo rail Instructions This toy is inappropriate for this stage and all stages because its an act of violence. Although a child will be using their imagination it can also affect the way they interact with others. Most kids who have this toy are more likely to get into trouble. When children use their imagination we do not want them to be thinking violently, because as we know most kids will act on it. Concrete operation stage occurs between ages 7-11 . At this age children are able to think logically about objects and events. Increasing their awareness of their surroundings, they also grow out of egocentrics. Conservation: logically determine a certain quantity will remain the name despite adjustments. Melissa Doug Deluxe Play Money Set price: $19. 99 Includes dozens of pretend bills from 1 to 100 Also includes play coins in all US denominations For ages 3 years and up This gives children the ability to think logically and perform operations on objects that mare only imaginative. They will gain the concept of conservation. They will understand if Bobby has 4 $5 bills and Timmy has 2 $20 bills, Timmy has more money than Bobby because of the value. This set can also help with math skills as well.

Response paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Response paper - Essay Example Buddhism, in turn, refers to a â€Å"vast and complex religious and philosophical tradition† stretching over some 2500 years, including Hindu tradition (Gethin, 1998); while Christianity and Islam derived their foundations from the Bible, which is considered the cornerstone of Judaism (Steinsaltz, 2006), being based on the lives and teachings of Jesus Christ and Mohammed respectively. Each and every one of these religions is comprised of a particular set of beliefs and rituals, whose centerpiece is the concept of divinity. The latter not only represents the hub of any religious doctrine, but also accounts for the major source of either difference or similarity between one and another. In that regard, Hinduism and Buddhism on the one hand, being an amalgamation of various ancient traditions (Ahloowaila, 2009), and Judaism, Christianity and Islam on the other – having developed, and respectively build on the notion of the One pre-eternal, omnipresent, omnipotent, and infi nite God – epitomize the monotheistic-polytheistic divide. Besides the divinity concept, as developed in the monotheistic and polytheistic beliefs, this paper examines the focal tenet of Hinduism/Buddhism – reincarnation/rebirth – as against the notion of eternal life in monotheistic religions. The Concept of Brahman-Atman and It’s Expansions The relationship between Brahman (the Supreme Being) and Atman (a ‘self’, or a world for all beings, along with the human soul), which is generally described as the â€Å"frame and the substance of universe†, hence â€Å"inseparably united but not identical† (Oxtoby and Amore, 2008), is central to Hinduism. Despite some prima facie similarity to the Holy Trinity, the Brahman-Atman relationship actually implies certain imperfection. This is not only because of Brahman’s need of additional powers and classes in order to get fully developed, thus necessitating an array of deities as veh icles of those powers, but also, and perhaps more importantly, due to both components’ mutual dependence on each other – Brahman is the inner controller of Atman and Atman provides Brahman with corporeal avataras which are Gods’ physical presence (Hume, 1921; Klostermaier, 1998). On the other hand, according to Klostermaier (1998), avataras are required to make Supreme Vishnu accessible to humans (Pancaratra doctrine), along with the super-human spiritual beings, called ‘vinhas’, an inner presence, named ‘antaryamin’ – the ruler within – and ‘arcavatara’, which is Gods’ visible presence in an image made of either stone or metal. Thus, to put it in a nutshell, Hindu deities need specific attributes in order to become recognized in the material world and to make themselves available to the believers. The twin concepts of Karma and Samsara are characteristic of both Hinduism and Buddhism; while the former generally refers to a system of cause and effect, or action and reaction, which is considered a natural law, rather than an act of divine judgment, the latter is defined as a cycle of death and rebirth, or reincarnation (Oxtoby and Amore, 2008). According to the Upanishads, one would be liberated from the Samsara cycle – hence to become immortal – only if achieved transforming experiential wisdom (Oxtoby and Amore, 2008). Thus, polytheism, as represented by Hinduism and Buddhism, has laid great emphasis on human senses, perceptions, experiences and demands, rather than being

The Godbeite Movement Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

The Godbeite Movement - Essay Example The most victorious of the recusant sects was established by Joseph Smith, who was the prophet's son, and who, with his brothers Alexander H. and David Hyrum, remained a Nauvoo after the emigration. After a few years, Joseph was requested to become the head of the oddments of the Strangites and Cutlerites who had organized a new church. At first Joseph Smith turned down the request, but then in 1860, looking at the considerable increase in the number of members due to the breaking up of other parties, he accented the call as prophet and initiated to preach the faith of his father. He avowed it in its original purity and denied the claims of Brigham and the dogma of polygamy. This division spread rapidly throughout Illinois, Missouri, and Iowa, the apostates being termed Josephites by the followers of Brigham, but styling themselves to be the Reorganized Church of Latter-day Saints. It was checked in Uthah, by fear of harassment, and the movement was not marked until mid 1863. It was the same year when two Josephite missionaries, named E. C. Briggs and Alexander McCord, reached the Salt Lake City after crossing the plains. As the messengers of the gospel, and calling on Brigham, they told him the object of their delegation, and saught consent to preach in the tabernacle. They were definitely not permitted, nor were the allowed to use any other public building as well. As a result of this the missionaries visited from house to house, offered prayers for the inmates, and insisted them to join the true faith. They proved successful and then at first singly, then by dozens and scores, people converted. The Expulsion of Godbe and Harrison While the controversy between the prophet's sons and the prophet's nephew was at its height, an article appeared in the Utah Magazine, which administered by W. S. Godbe and E. L. T. Harrison themselves, that stated; "If we know the true feeling of our brethren, it is that they never intend Joseph Smith's nor any other man's son to preside over them simply because of their sonship. The principle of heirship has cursed the world for ages, and with our brethren we expect to fight it till, with every other relic of tyranny, it is trodden under foot." The magazine also elucidated the part of adjudication between the disputants, and otherwise gave throbbing offence to the church dignitaries. Another article that was published urged the development of the mineral resources of Utah, a measure which found no favor with Brigham, and stated 'for thus would the flood-gates be opened to the gentiles, while the saints might be tempted to worship at the shrine of Mammon, "I want to make a wall so t hick and so high around the territory," he once exclaimed in the tabernacle, "that it would be impossible for the gentiles to get over or through it."' Eventually, the elders were beckoned before the school of prophets, the examining source for the offenders before being tried by the high council, and although the most somber accusation against them was the publication of the article on mineral developments, resultantly, both Godbe and Harrison were debarred from the church. However, none of them tried justify the charges brought against them. Their fortification was confined simply to the question of their purported apostasy, and to the authority of the priesthood. When their instance was brought to the high council, the recusants, instead of

The Complete Maus by Spiegelman Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Complete Maus by Spiegelman - Essay Example The quote mentioned above does not identify Vladek as heartless but defines the painful incidents that forced him to believe this way. Closely analyzing the life of Vladek before the holocaust, one can discover the continuous betrayal and deception at the hands of those most trusted and loved by him. People close to his heart - Anja and Mala - made him believe that no one could ever deserve the trust he had. The war itself ripped his heart and the sufferings, miseries sent him down the lane of mistrust because he had absolutely no one he could trust. Vladek always honored and respected the bond he had with the people he loved. The simple kind attitude is showed towards Kapa whom he taught English for his own benefit. The purity of his love can be proved by the suicide of Anja. He did not love Anja for the money she had or he did not leave her when she accused him of loving her for the money. Vladek was capable of loving and helping others without any benefit or personal gain. It was the depth of his love and care that turned him so cold after he lost everything. Vladek inability to spend money is another misunderstood trait. The recollections of the past where he reached a point of having not enough money to support himself and his family derived him to save money. Although he had enough money saved up with him, but the flashes of his past stopped him from spending money (Hall, 2003). Mala annoyance at Vladek for not spending money even on important things is prominent at some points but the sufferings made him realize the value of money and he would never want to make his family go through any hard times at any cost due to which spending money was committing like a sin to him. Mala and Art had hard time with Vladek when it came to cleanliness. His obsession with keeping everything around him neat and clean was considered as a very difficult trait to cope with by Mala and Art, who were constantly pushed to keep things clean if they created a mess (Koehler, 2009 ). Having analyzed the life he had at the war camps, one can easily register the root cause. The obsession of cleanliness was just the fear that was developed in him during the war days. The fear of being punished for not keeping everything clean ran so deep in his mind that even after surviving the holocaust and all the pains it had to offer, Vladek could not let go of the habit of cleanliness. Unconsciously, Vladek also kept him busy doing something or the other all the time and insisted others around him as well. This was again due to the chores he had to perform all day at the camps during holocaust. The habits that he formed during the war were inhibited into his personality and forced him to be the changed person he was (Hall, 2003). The traits of not trusting friends, saving money without spending it, and always doing something (cleaning or working) are unreasonable and difficult. But when studied in the light of Vladek’s tragedies of losing a son during war, the flash backs of the suicide of Anja and the painful of past related to the time spent during holocaust, explains the behaviors and attitude of Vladek (Koehler, 2009). An individual who has suffered in various areas at so many points in life usually can never let go of the recollections and always lives in that pain and misery. The fear prevents a person to think rationally or to get back to normal. Each trait can be linked to an incident that

Differences between Pidgins and Creoles

Differences between Pidgins and Creoles Discuss some of the basic differences that characterize pidgins and creoles, based on your understanding of what is meant by the following quote: â€Å"Pidginisation is second language learning with restricted input, while creolisation was first language learning with restricted input.† (Mesthrie et al, 2009, p. 287) Pidgins are defined as a type of spoken communication with two or more languages. It has fundamental grammar and vocabulary. It is also meant to facilitate people who do not speak a common language. Lastly, it is not spoken as a native language. An example is the â€Å"Lingua Franca† which was first created among traders. This is called business language. They are created because traders come from different places and have different tongues; therefore a common language is formed. Creoles, on the other hand, refer to any pidgin language that becomes the first language in a speech community. A creole is â€Å"created† when the utterer of a pidgin language become gains a strong hold over utterers of another. This can be in the form of social or political hold over. Therefore, the pidgin language used in speech between these two groups may become the first language of the minority community. One such example is â€Å"Gullah (derived from English), spoken in the Sea Islands of the southeastern U.S.† http://www.reference.com/browse/creole Differences between Pidgins and Creoles: 1) Pidgin is a linguistic communication that comprised of components of two or more other languages and is used for communication among people. It can also be called business language. It is not a first language. Whereas, creole is a language that was at first a pidgin but has â€Å"transformed† and become a first language. 2) Structural difference: Creole languages have the â€Å"Subject Verb Object† word order whereas Pidgin can have any possible order. Also, reduplication is a common and general process in Creole languages but its very not very often found in Pidgins. 3) One important difference between Pidgins and Creoles is that pidgins do not have first language speakers while creoles do. However, this is not easy to make out because there are more and more extended pidgins beginning to acquire native speakers. Extended pidgins refer to when a pidgin becomes a creole. The cultural â€Å"side† of a pidgin usually defines this. This means that more pidgins are becoming first languages. 4) Another difference is that creoles may originate through abnormal transmissions but as children acquire them, they must, therefore, comply with the ‘blueprint of language that can also be referred to as how the language is going to constructed and formed. Blueprint here is comparable to how we relate to a blueprint of a house. However, for pidgins, as they are a result of a second language, although they have to be learnable by adults, they do not have to be acceptable by children. This means that pidgins do not have to comply with the ‘blueprint of language. Pidgins before they become accomplished languages in a community, are always second languages and usually after teenage. Explanation of quote: According to the definition, what Mesthrie et al meant when he said â€Å"Pidginisation is second language learning with restricted input† is that pidgins is not used as a first language. Following the definition laid out above, it is a language that is borne out of the contact between two different languages. As such, it has restricted contact as the contact between the speaker and the second language is not frequent. Also, it has been noted that pidgins are nothing close to the foreign language as it has only rudimentary grammar and vocabulary. As mentioned above, research has shown that all creole languages have the â€Å"Subject Verb Object† language rules whereas any possible order is allowed for pidgins. This means that while creole languages need to follow a given set of rules for word order, pidgins do not have to. Instead they can be formed in any way. For example, the pidgin â€Å"Ojibwe† has a free word order. This shows that pidgins is second language learning because learners do not follow a given set of language rules as the grammar is still not fixed and internalized. This goes to show as what Mesthrie has said; pidgins are essentially second language learning with restricted input from the native speakers of the second language themselves. The second part of the quote claims that creolization is first language learning with restricted input. As mentioned in the definition, through creolization, a pidgin becomes a language on its own. This language is then similar to non-creole languages in terms of grammatical and language rules. This claim stems from the crucial difference between creoles and pidgins the presence of native speakers and also a need to follow the â€Å"blueprint† of the foreign language. In creoles, the presence of native speakers now means that there are more interactions between both languages. Also, reduplication is a usual process in Creole languages but its rarely seen in pidgins. The repetition of a root to show â€Å"intensity, plurality, duration and frequency† shows that the second language learner has become more familiar with the foreign language. This implies that the learners are now almost on the same level as the native speakers in terms of familiarity with the first language and its grammar. This shows us that creoles are in effect first language learning. The need to now follow a blueprint of the foreign language and the added presence of native speakers means that creolization is in effect, a first language learning. To be a native speaker, one must be able to follow that languages linguistic rules. In creoles, we see that it is a requirement to follow the foreign languages rules. Thus, this tells us that the learning of creoles now assimilates to the foreign language as compared to pidgins. The later part of the second quote requires us to explain why there is still â€Å"restricted input†. The previous second language speakers who are now native speakers of the foreign language means that the people who still speak the foreign language as a second language now have immediate role models they can learn from. However, as these native speakers are still few in numbers, creoles are therefore said to be first language learning with restricted input.

Alcoholism :: essays research papers

Alcoholism I woke up from coma wondering what had happened to me. "I am going to die, what have I done to myself." "Does my mother know?" She will kill me. "I am so SCARED!" Most kids my age, who only had their grandma and grandpa never knew what it was like to have a great-grandmother. Not only was she the best great grandma but she also played the role of a mother. To me I consider her to be an angel sent from heaven, to show some of us a few lessons about life. Her name was Josephine Catalici, an Italian woman born in Naples, Italy in 1906. She died this past summer. She was about 5'5" and very beautiful. She was good hearted, gentle, devoted, and open handed in everything she did. Josephine was always out to help someone in need. She considered other people to be first priority. She was the type of person who was almost perfect, always pleasing someone else and making one feel proud of themselves. My great-grandmother was the type of person to bring out the best in everyone. As a child, I needed that because my home had its ups and downs. My parents were separated and I had been living with my mother. She was a young parent and did things that most mother did not. For instance, as a child she would leave me alone and sometimes physically abuse me. Therefore, I sometimes had a hard time understanding why she treated me so differently. On the other hand, I always received my explanations from my great-grandmother whom I called â€Å" Mema†. I am not the only individual who considered her to be this type of caring person. Everyone that had known her, thought she was remarkable. Unfortunately, she started getting ill and during her times of need, I took care of her. in this time frame I knew that she was going to leave me soon. I was fourteen and dealing with a lot of changes in my life. I wish Josephine did not have to be one of those changes. Although, she was, but the good thing, is that she died without suffering. She was never afraid of death because she considered it to be another continuation of life. However, I could not deal with the pain of being without my great-grandmother. I am now in eighth grade, not too happy to be here. But I know that I have to go to school. I felt like nothing. My mother will not stop beating me. I don't want to live anymore.

Motivation Essay Essay

Civil Engineering is my passion and a very important part of my life. From the very beginning of my school life I was intrigued in various types of structures and its complication from engineering side. In time this desire was growing and I start being interested in construction processes and especially in different structural solutions. My mind was overfilled with questions such as how process of construction design runs, what are the reasons why some of structures sustain more loads while other ones collapse affected with lower loads. So I dedicated my post-secondary education to search the answers which allows me to understand how the engineering science works. And I made the right decision by choosing Civil Engineering studies. It was a key which unlocked the right doors to get the answers that I needed. During my Bachelor studies I was interested in design branch and especially in Structural Design. It has admired me because of its complication and oneness. None of the other sphere requires such a wide range of knowledge and none of them is as universal engineering specialization as the Structural Design is. Furthermore, Structural Design studies in TU/e provide the possibility to do research project what is a chance to explore and gain understanding in the structural design of structures and the aspects of the design process. Due to these reasons I would like to take the Architecture, Building and Planning programme because one of its specializations is Structural Design. After taking decision that it is time to continue my education I started exploration of Western Europe universities and I found out that TU/e is the best option to fulfill my needs. TU/e is a great choice because of its objective to grow up creative, initiative and independent thinking experts. Furthermore, this university cooperates with international companies and universities and can offer many MSc programm es in English what demonstrates that TU/e is oriented towards exchanging international knowledge and experience. The other aspect I chose TU/e is its worldwide reputation and ranking among world’s top technical universities. This fact enthuse me and it would be such an honour to study in one of the best Technical universities in the world and get lots of knowledge from authoritative and meritorious professors. Furthermore, TU/e is well known because of its research institutes and that students are taking responsibility of impressive projects. Young engineers have a chance to express their creativity and innovation. I believe that opportunity to  participate in educational life of such an outstanding university is an ambition of all engineers. In conclusion, the facts such as great rankings among the world’s best technical universities, high level professors and leading position in research inspired me to take MSc programme in TU/e. I have no doubts I made the right decision. The master’s studies of chosen programme are the best way to seek the goals of my career. I believe in it due to the circumstance that there are a lot of educated but not enough experienced engineers in Lithuania. So only the best of them are able to compete for the most sought-after and perspective positions. Whereas I am ambitious person I want to become one of the most professional, desirable and promising engineer for engineering companies. So I would like to continue purposeful studies and to advance knowledge of my previous degree what could help me to perform in more professional way. Considering my personal features such as a strong will to learn and activity on taking participation in diverse educational projects I daresay that I will be adorable student for your university and your professors. Furthermore, I believe that I and these master’s studies we are great match due to the feature of my character that I cannot face up with myself when I have unsolved problems and the attribute of these studies to be challenging. This feature of my character shows that I will be persistent and committed student. With a foundation of academic knowledge and experience I gained during the years of my bachelor studies, I believe I am qualified for the Master’s degree of Architecture, Building and Planning, specialization Structural Engineering. I am convinced that TU/e will provide me with knowledge, experience and confidence for the future. I think that this programme matches perfectly with my academic expectations and offers the best way to make my goals come true.

Given the events in Act 4 Scene 1 how fair is it to describe the Merchant of Venice as a comedy Essay Example

Given the events in Act 4 Scene 1 how fair is it to describe the Merchant of Venice as a comedy Essay Example Given the events in Act 4 Scene 1 how fair is it to describe the Merchant of Venice as a comedy Paper Given the events in Act 4 Scene 1 how fair is it to describe the Merchant of Venice as a comedy Paper Essay Topic: Merchant Of Venice Play It is hard to tell whether the Merchant of Venice was intended to be a comedy or not. Clearly there are parts of the play which are supposed to be taken seriously but there are also many parts which seem to be intended to amuse the audience. There are a selection of characters involved in the plot which are supposed to be serious, these are mostly the major characters, Antonio, Bassanio, Portia and Shylock. The events which happen to these charcters are supposed to be serious and dramatic. However there are many other minor characters who have comic parts. Launcelot Gobbo is probably the best example of this. He is the comic servant of Shylock who leaves him during the play. In almost all the scenes that he is involved with his words and actions are comic. In act 2 scene 2 Launcelot Gobbo plays tricks on and deceives his blind father Old Gobbo. When Portia is criticizing her suitors (act 1 scene 2) she describes them to her maid Nerissa in amusing ways. She uses witty phrases such as, Very vilely in the morning, when he is sober, and most vilely in the afternoon, when he is drunk. This scene was definitely meant to be amusing and is one of the comic high points of the play. : Bassanios friend Gratiano seems to be a fairly comic character especially when he is fooling around drunk at the start of the play (act 1 scene 1). During the court scene (act 4 scene 1) when the tables turn against shylock he taunts him in an ironic and slightly comic way using the very words and phrases that shylock used to praise Balthasar,O Jew! An upright judge, a learned judge! and,A second Daniel! A Daniel, Jew. This is an amusing turn of events which is quite comic. There is a comic feel to the play later in act 4 scene 1 when Bassanio and Gratiano where talking of how they would give up their wives if it would save Antonio from Shylock, what they do not realise is that their wives are there in the courtroom in disguise. Both Portia and Nerissa remark to Bassanio and Gratiano how lucky it is that their wives cannot hear them. However Act 4 scene 1 does make it hard to label the Merchant of Venice a comedy because something like this almost seems out of place in a comedy. It is hard to tell whether the audience were supposed to find Shylocks fate at the end of act 4 scene 1 amusing. The rest of the play was so anti-Semitic and against him that it seems possible that this outcome was supposed to be funny. Either the events were intended to be fairly black comedy or it was the author Shakespeare being racist and anti-Semitic. While there are these definite comic events I do not believe that the Merchant of Venice should be described as a comedy. It seems that while there are many comic scenes and occurrences in the play the main plot involving Antonio, Bassanio and Shylock remains as serious as ever. It may be that the play was written to be a comedy only we do not find the same things funny that people did in the time the play was written.

Montaigne on Barbarism essays

Montaigne on Barbarism essays Montaigne wrote that, Each man calls barbarism whatever is not his own practice. He describes that we as people are not very accepting of others, who are not like ourselves. If they do not do things the way we do, we call them barbarians. We are as a society very close minded and do not take the time to understand people who are different from us. Instead, we believe that since that do not do things like we do, then there must be something wrong with them. Although he wrote his essay in the 16th century, we can very much still apply his ideas to Americans in todays society. One area where Montaignes essay applies is in the debate over whether gays or lesbians should have the right to get married. Many people are used to a marriage being between a man and a wife and refuse to believe that it can be any other way. These people do not even want the marriage to be called a civil union, because they feel that it is not right for people of the same sex to become a legal couple. They them faggots or dykes and some refuse to even be in the same room as them. Another group of people in todays society where Americans are not accepting of them is people of Arabic descent. After the attack of America, these people were singled out due to the extremists from their home country. Even if these people were American citizens, they were harassed and discriminated against. People admitted to looking over their shoulder when they believed that someone was near them that could have originally come from a terrorist country. Some people refused to get on airplanes if there was someone on the plane who was Arabic descent. These people are labeled as terrorists, even if that is not the case. Still another area in which Americans tend to not be accepting of our own people is when some people see a younger person with tattoos, body piercings, or dyed hair. Someone who is more conservativ...

Russian Politics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Russian Politics - Essay Example The implication of this is that previously, the citizens would not be allowed to take sides in any political contest and those who involved themselves in political contests were meted with harsh penalties; however, there has been a transition that was brought about by the collapse of the formers Soviet Union. Though the democracy in Russia cannot be said to be perfect, it is worth analyzing as the regime has tried to bring some democratic ideals in the Russian society as opposed to the prevailing conditions in Russian politics in the 1980s at the peak of Soviet rule (Hancock et al, 2012). Since 1991 under Boris Yeltsin, Russia, Russia has undergone numerous changes in its politics that had an effect of improving the economic and social aspects of the citizens in Russia. The reforms that were carried by President Boris Yeltsin are a continuation of those that were initiated during the Soviet Union leader under Mikhail Gorbachev. Russia under President Putin The current regime in Russi a under the strong leadership under President Putin’s United Russian Party cannot be described as a democracy despite the citizens of Russia being allowed to participate in democratic elections. ... The democratic process in Russian elections is also subverted through the offering of financial aid and support to largely unpopular candidates fronted by the regime. The Russian elections of political leaders has been proved to be unfair as there have been rampant falsification and improprieties of the elections whereby officials close to the regime disqualify competitors on unwarranted technicalities as well as using state resources to campaign for political posts. The regime has also broken the law by breaking the laws that control election campaign spending. At the election campaigns of 2007-2008, Putin and his supporters played politics of incrimination of the liberal opposition as plotters of the fall of Russia through the help of external forces. Putin claimed that the opposition had learnt from external western players on organizing revolutions and that they had been trained in those countries to do the same in Russia. He also claimed that the opposition forces were funded by foreign missions. President Putin also employs propaganda through the control of the Russian information space where the conspiracy theory is put into great use to win elections and support. Hancock et al, state that after 2011, Russia adopted a new sense of politics in the wake of the protests occasioned by the society’s tedium with tolerance for oppressions and uncompetitive elections of the previous decade. The climax of the society’s frustrations reached its climax when thousands took to the streets to find expression for their anger following the State Duma election that was marred with election fraud. This protest movement continued persistently throughout 2012, as the regime experienced an extraordinary wave of mass protests in cities

Maintaining proper business ethics Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Maintaining proper business ethics - Essay Example Maintaining proper business ethics In this regard, those businesses that uphold moral practices are profitable in that they are able to meet the right standards of product quality while avoiding legal suits against them. This also goes hand in hand with the businesses’ reputation, which does not suffer adverse publicity with regard to its ethical operations. Such business are cautious not to any business malpractices as that would result to farfetched problems that might compromise their profit margins. Conversely, the assertion that good ethics results to good business only applies to businesses that are desired to last as benefits from business ethics only accrue in the long run. In other words, businesses competition in the market and desire for short-term benefits that will ensure business sustainability is what drives many businesses. Similarly, the economic viability of business ethics gradually declines even in the long run and companies are forced to take stringent unpopular decisions that are crucial f or business sustainability. For instance, many companies have had to infringe on their employees privacy by implementing internet usage monitoring policies. Some businesses have also had to lay off part of their labor force in spite of the public outcry and ethical implications, as part of structural adjustment programs. This now leads as to the second assertion that good business results in business ethics, and in this case, it is believed that the drive for profits will force businesses to uphold proper business ethics.... In this regard, the desire for sustainability will result to  good business ethics as businesses are forced to conform to proper business ethics. For instance, many companies are forced to show concern for environmental conservation as part of their collective corporate responsibility, in order to ensure sustainability of the natural environment and its resources. Environmental policies impact positively on the companies’ reputation, as they are able to show the companies' concern and responsiveness to environmental matters. The companies also avoid damaging publicity that could result from legal suits against them from the government or concerned parties; these may arise due to the companies’ breach of corporate responsibility in environmental conservation. However, the assertion that good business results to good business ethic is pegged on the assumption that all the concerned parties will exert pressures on corporate to act responsibly. This may not be the case in all contexts, as seen where consumers opt for cheaper counterfeit products regardless of the health risks involved. Employees might also be lured with financial incentives into foregoing their privacies and sense of ethical practices; this encourages companies to indulge in unethical business practices by flouting their social corporate responsibility. In view of the two assertions discussed above, it is evident that the issue of business ethics is as critical to businesses as their concern for profits (Camus). Ethical businesses are socially responsible, and the reverse is applicable in that a socially responsible business is ethical. In this regard, business

Managing Financial Resource and Performance Assignment

Managing Financial Resource and Performance - Assignment Example Different stakeholders have competing and sometimes even conflicting interests with the company. It is the job of the company to ensure that a proper balance is strike between the two types of interests (Reeve, Warren and Duchac, 2012). Government: The government is concerned with the compliance o food grade standards and production quality maintenance of Coca Cola Company. Coca cola has to make sure that the food produced is of highest quality and complies with the adherence standards of the regulatory norms. Creditors: for the benefit of its creditors which include company distributors and vendors, the company organizes creditor meetings and also conducts regular surveys through distribution satisfaction survey. Training programs educate on the manner of sales and distribution is conducted at regular intervals by the company at its various head offices (CCI, 2010). Suppliers: for the benefit of suppliers and for engagement in sustainable relationships with the suppliers and contractors of the company, Coca Cola Company conducts Improvement Audits on a regular basis. It also organizes regular training programs among its suppliers for proper and standardised sourcing of ingredients for its produce. Plant visits educate suppliers about their quality standards and compliance level expected off them. Media: For the media, the company has regular publications of annual reports, press releases and CRS reports. The analysts can also come to investor conferences and analyst meetings when they are held. On any occasion the media can contact the company of the CCI Corporate Website and put their queries through the Online Feedback forms. Regulatory Bodies: the regulatory bodies are concerned with the environment friendliness of the production and waste disposal processes undertaken by the company. The production line and waste management teams of the operations department at Coca Cola have to assure that all

The De Lacey family Essay Example for Free

The De Lacey family Essay with smiles and caresses. The creature was abandoned at birth, despised, lonely and beaten off by all who met him for his physical differences his yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath his appearance turns out to be the cause of all his problems. People are frightened of him, which keeps the monster from making contact with them. This incapability of personal contact and the intense isolation is what indirectly drives the monster to his crimes. The monsters deformities are hideous, however this was the grotesque work of Victor he saw what he was creating though you could argue that he was in no rational state of mind, my loud, unrestrained, heartless laughter frightened him. However, just because this Tragic Heros mind is not in order ,it does not give him the right to abandon his wretched creation without even considering the consequences , the unfortunate creature also tries in vain to bond with his selfish creator his jaws opened and he muttered some inarticulate sounds, but is still abandoned. Victor has the characteristics of Aristotles five point tragic hero, he is an over reacher which obviously makes him floorless he has supreme pride which is a reflection of arrogance and conceit. It seems to demonstrate superiority to fellow human beings and equality with Gods. Victor plays God knowing what he is doing was wrong he does not even address the moral issues properly. Victor also has a capacity for suffering he suffers because he believes in what he is doing and feels guilt and guiltless at the same time, he says himself I shunned my fellow creatures as if I had been guilty of a crime. Our feelings change frequently for both monster and Victor as the story develops we begin to feel anger towards Victor for abandoning his responsibility, then for the monster for killing a helpless child although we later find out that William encouraged the monster and brought it on himself, my pa is a syndic-he is M. Frankenstein-he will punish you this enrages the monster and he acts out of further rejection and his burning rage against Victor. Thinking that a young child would understand him I could seize him and educate him as my friend and companion he did not take pleasure in killing William the child still struggled and loaded me with epithets which carried despair to my heart. It is clear why the monster does this terrible deed, he has no hope left and is a tortured soul, revenge is the only way to make things right . Victor has to pay for what he has done, he needs to feel the pain and despair that fuels the monster, thus begins a vicious circle of revenge and redemption. Shelley toys with our emotions throughout the novel, it is hard to decide exactly where to direct our anger and despair to. Insted we find ourselves taking turns to sympathise with both characters. However, we come to understand the Monsters side of things when we hear him relate his tale to Victor; he explains what life has been like for him, and what events have taken place. Hearing the Monsters side of things changes our whole perception of him. We come to understand that he was not bad from the start; it was the events in his life that moulded and shaped him into the corrupt and lonely creature that he has become. The Monsters first experience is rejection and he is given a very negative start in life being left alone to feel complete desolation, I was a poor, helpless, miserable wretch; I could distinguish nothing; but feeling pain invade me on all sides, I sat down and wept. He has done nothing wrong and does not deserve to be feeling these sorts of emotions, although it shows the reader that he is capable of thinking and feeling. The Monster starts to pick up aspects of life for himself as he has no maternal figures and learns simple concepts I felt light and hunger. He is a very unique and sensitive creature and learns to enjoy the world before he even experiences negative emotions I first discovered that a pleasant sound, which often saluted my ears, proceeded from the throats of the little winged animals. It is clear that the monster enjoys nature just as Victor does. The monster then loses hope and comes to believe that nobody wants to perceive him I escaped to the open country and fearfully took refuge in a low hovel. The creature has tried in vain to communicate with people on several occasions, but is always rejected. We come to understand why the monster is the way he is as he begins to learn by observing the De Lacey family. Through reading novel such as Miltons Paradise Lost he starts wondering about his existence and his isolation because of his apparent uniqueness I was apparently united by no link to any other being in existence. When the monster starts wondering about his origin we are compelled to feel empathy for him. It is obvious that he longs for some kindness, protection and company. These desires become even more evident when he reads the diary that Victor kept during hid creation, the monster learns that Victor was not at all happy with his creation how can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe. This makes the monster feel even more lonely and abhorred, as he realises that his own creator could not even stand to look at him or even give him a real chance before he cowardly ran away to hastily forget about what he had done. As reader we now begin to feel anger towards Victor, it is his fault that the monster feels like this, and it is not fair.

Essay --

Hadirin yang dihormati sekalian, Adakah anda masih ingat kepada pesan ibu dan bapa yang selalu mengingatkan bahawa rajinlah belajar agar jalan kehidupan tersedia luas terbentang untukmu? Ingatkah kita kepada kata-kata Plato dan Confucius berbunyi â€Å"tuntutlah ilmu hingga ke negeri China†. Mengapa hadirin, sejak dari zaman dahulu hingga ke hari ini dan di setiap pelosok dunia sama ada di Eropah, Afrika mahupun Asia, pandangan terhadap pendidikan ialah sama iaitu pendidikan merupakan asas perkembangan umat manusia. Tetapi mengapa pendidikan menjadi begitu penting kepada kita? Hadirin yang saya muliakan sekalian, pendidikan dapat melatih minda manusia untuk berfikir dengan lebih luas dan rasional. Melalui pendidikan, pengetahuan maklumat dapat diluaskan dan digunakan untuk kebaikan bersama. Sebagaimana yang diungkapkan Daoed Joesoef (1986) tentang pentingnya suatu pendidikan yang mana beliau menyatakan bahawa "Pendidikan merupakan segala bidang penghidupan, dalam memilih dan membina hidup yang baik, yang sesuai dengan martabat manusia" dan sudah tentulah daripada pernyataan tersebut kita dapat menyimpulkan bahawa mempunyai pendidikan pada masa sekarang merupakan hal yang sangat penting kerana jika kita tidak mempunyai pendidikan kita tidak akan kemana-mana. Tanpa pendidikan dan tanpa kemahiran membaca, capaian pelbagai akses terhadap pelbagai bentuk pengetahuan seperti buku, internet atau media lainnya sama sekali tidak memungkinkan kita untuk melangkah maju ke hadapan. Pendidikan merupakan tunj ang utama kepada pembentukan modal insan yang akan membantu kepada pembangunan negara. Pendidikan mempunyai impak yang besar ke atas pelbagai peluang kehidupan manusia agar masa depan seseorang tersebut terjamin dan kualiti kehidupannya terpelih... .... Kesimpulannya, corak pendidikan yang diaplikasikan di Malaysia adalah lebih menyeluruh kerana ia merangkumi aspek fizikal dan rohani. Pendidikan di Malaysia bukan sahaja ingin membentuk pelajarnya yang aktif dan cemerlang dalam kurikulum dan kokurikulum malah ia juga memberi fokus kepada kelengkapan rohani dan moral agar pelajar yang dilahirkan sempurna dari segala segi. Maka dengan itu hadirin, saya sekali lagi menegaskan, pendidikan ini bukan sahaja penting untuk mengembangkan minda dan bakat manusia, malah ia juga penting untuk memacu legasi pembangunan negara. Ini adalah kerana pendidikan merupakan nadi kepada pencetus kegemilangan dan martabat sesebuah negara tersebut. Oleh itu, penting sekali untuk kita sebagai rakyat Malaysia dalam melancarkan aspirasi negara iaitu mencapai kecemerlangan dalam pendidikan untuk menaikkan nama negara di persada antarabangsa.

Revitalization of the Daugava Riverside by the City of Riga

Urban contextHistory and urban construction alterationsRiga is the capital of Latvia which is a Northern state of Europe. The metropolis is good known by the Historic country inscribed in UNESCO’s World Heritage List on 4 December 1997, is considered of one of the largest and dynamic metropolis in Northern Europe whit the entire country is 304,2 square kilometres and the population around 713,000 in dwellers. The Riga metropolis has a really long and copiousness history which has a great influence to the urban context of the metropolis. Particularly in the 19Thursdayand 20Thursdaycentury, when World War I and World War II occurred, the state is under controlled of Russian Empire ( 1721 – 1917 ) , Germany ( 1917 – 1918, 1941 – 1944 ) and Soviet Union ( 1940 – 1941, 1944 – 1991 ) which changes the civilization every bit good as the manner of life of people, the urban construction and architectural of the whole metropolis is varied and complex. During the clip of the Russian Empire and Germany, Riga is a seaport metropolis which is the most vivacious and dynamic with over 800,000 industrial workers from Baltic state, Riga become the 3rd largest metropolis in term of the figure of workers after Moscow and Saint Peterburg. The value of the Daugava river and its waterfront was enhanced but it is dominated for ports and mills. As a consequence, the population of Riga metropolis increased rapidly which went along with the demand of lodging and infinites. More houses were built but harmonizing to Russian military ordinance, the people merely have the permission to construct wooden house in suburbs. In 1812, the wooden houses were destroyed by war and they were rebuilt but still follow the old wooden signifier. In mid-nineteenth century, the wooden houses have raised in figure and became surrounded the metropolis centre. These houses nowadays is a heritage and affects strongly to the preservation policy and urban theory. In 1860, a new maestro program with avenue, blocks of flat, alternate edifice and park were established. A new rail route was opened which stimulated the development of suburbs and mills, Riga port at that clip has the highest gross in Russian Empire, the river bank was developed rapidly. It led to a consequence that the economic system and the metropolis life existed with a strong connexion which is the chief quality of the development undertaking in the hereafter. In the period of So Viet Union, a new urban program was approved with the building of the big graduated table lodging undertaking every bit known as â€Å"mikrorayon† and the railway belt environing the metropolis centre. Besides that, the construction with the critical tallness such as Television tower ( 368m ) , Latvian academy of scientific discipline ( 108m ) were built, along with it Numberss of architecture tendencies were appeared in the urban context of Riga and one of those is the Art Nouveau which have specific architecture and the restriction of constructing tallness of 5 narratives. The alterations in urban construction in the Soviet Union times have the sinewy impacts to the policy of preservation in the current clip every bit so as the high restriction of edifice in the metropolis. Riga metropolis from holding independency boulder clay now ( 1991 – now ) has the important development. After 1995, metropolis started to reconstruct the valuable edifice and lodging which is considered as a roar in building at that clip, the service and new map edifices was established in the suburbs, efforts have been made to recover cultural symbol, historic value and houses which are lost after the 2nd World War. In the Riga particular program of 2006 – 2025, the new Riga centre has been created with the visions: planned as an country which is contrast the Old Riga in the right bank of Daugava river in a modern architecture and construction, full of map and services in which concern maps play as an of import function. Reduction in conveyance force per unit area in the Old Riga centre where the old circulation system to guarantee the saving intent of the old site. An international competition was hold by City of Riga to plan the new Riga along the left bank of the D augava River at that clip.Site contextThe riverbank of Daugava screens really larges districts in the entire cityscape country and travel along with the development of Riga through historical timeline when the metropolis economic system and day-to-day life have a stable nexus with the river Bankss. From the clip when Riga was found until now, the river has an every indispensable portion non merely because it is a metropolis natural component but besides the finding in planning and spacial individuality of the metropolis. For illustration, during the clip of Russian Empire and Soviet Union, because of the great function in H2O transit and industry, the metropolis construction has changed for the intent of functioning lodging for employees and edifice railway countries. From the really shortly period of 13Thursdaycentury, the substructure of Riga metropolis was changed, for functioning and linking seafaring with river transit by flatboats on Daugava, the merchandisers in Riga have cre ated a vivacious trading metropolis centre, the circulation system, constructing quality and unfastened infinite was improved for lading concern and burden. Until the 19Thursdaycentury, as a consequence of the rapid industrialisation, the development of railroads web and the embankment of port installations, the component of the ricer such as: islands, waterfront, etc. was transformed with the edifice of industrial objects and warehouses. It is assumed to be a comfortable clip of Riga Port every bit known as the major port of the Russian Empire. At the beginning of 20Thursdaycentury, a portion of Riga port was still situated right opposite the Old metropolis centre. The map of the market and the seaport was terminal in 1930 when the Central Market was established and broad public infinite were created in the metropolis centre. In World War II, the river Bankss of Daugava were destroyed, until 1949, they were reconstruct for basic and local transit demands. The port developed stronge r in lower Daugava, near the Bay of Riga. At the same clip, the developing industrialised countries along the riverbank appeared architecturally distractively and forestall the handiness of citizens. Presents, Riga metropolis has a develop program to work and reconstruct the value of the left bank and the right bank of Daugava river. The bing issue is traversing the river by Bridgess causes traffic jams in haste hours because of the high rise of autos and personal transit means. The infinites of Daugava river is defined by its derelict Bankss and aquatorium which is non considered to be a portion of incorporate urban environment in physically and psychologically. But due to the impacts in spacial composing and urban development in the yesteryear, the Daugava river can be understood as ‘the river of possibilities’( Dace Kalvane, 2010 ) . Its infinites can do a general position of metropolis position and lift. However, the handiness is prevent by bing substructures such as: span entree inclines and arterial roads which take downing the chances of river Bankss redevelopment and interaction for public community with waterfronts. The busy traffic flows separate the walkin g waies and diversion zones from the river Bankss. There is a deficiency of bike roads system in Daugava river countries. Those things led to a consequence that the river is about abandoned, it became more clearly when the old developments which were created in the yesteryear have lost their function in metropolis economic system and current developments have no connexion to the river. The development schemes for Riga metropolis from 2006 to 2025 expect to animate the nexus with Daugava for doing an active waterfront. Therefore, a varied enlargement of the riverbanks from different countries such as: container port and ware house country will be developed. The building of commercial, touristry sites, prosaic walk ways and bike roads which start from the suburbs to metropolis centre would be an interesting vision of substructures.Undertaking analysingUndertaking debutThe building, revival of Daugava riverbank and new modern urban one-fourth every bit good as its jobs in development has become a challenge and chief inquiry in several competitions and workshops hold by the City of Riga. One of those is the completion named â€Å"The prospective building on Mukusalas Street, Buru Street un Kilevina Ditch† occurred in 2006 to 2007. As the victor of this competition, the undertaking called â€Å"City of squares metropolis of towers† introduced a big country of new urban tissue on the left bank of Daugava river which is opposite with Old Riga centre and has the chief quality is the H2O elements and its of import function in the history. The undertaking belongs to the extension of protected UNESCO zone. The proposed maestro program includes the development of a system of squares, public infinites, mix-used edifice and flexibleness. Those squares and towers contribute in specifying their active surrounding and construction country. Furthermore, supplying feasible rules to guarantee an articulated brotherhood become more cardinal than the elements create it. The chief points of this undertaking is the systems of squares and tower which create the frame position of develop country of Riga metropolis. The new develop country is the theoretical account of long-run vison of the metropolis, make a new full map which portion the force per unit area of transit and dweller with the Old Riga centre, assisting in saving the civilization and heritage which is the most point attended in undertaking over the universe in by and large and in Europe peculiarly. In the article â€Å"Measuring urban heritage preservation: theory and structure† by Silvio Mendes Zancheti and Lucia Tone Ferreira Hidaka. They mentioned: â€Å"The sustainable preservation of urban heritage sites depends on the care of their present and past significances† . To make the end of sustainable

Angels Demons Chapter 121-125

121 The camerlegno erupted through the doors of St. Peter's Basilica at exactly 11:56 P.M. He staggered into the dazzling glare of the world spotlight, carrying the antimatter before him like some sort of numinous offering. Through burning eyes he could see his own form, half-naked and wounded, towering like a giant on the media screens around the square. The roar that went up from the crowd in St. Peter's Square was like none the camerlegno had ever heard – crying, screaming, chanting, praying†¦ a mix of veneration and terror. Deliver us from evil, he whispered. He felt totally depleted from his race out of the Necropolis. It had almost ended in disaster. Robert Langdon and Vittoria Vetra had wanted to intercept him, to throw the canister back into its subterranean hiding place, to run outside for cover. Blind fools! The camerlegno realized now, with fearful clarity, that on any other night, he would never have won the race. Tonight, however, God again had been with him. Robert Langdon, on the verge of overtaking the camerlegno, had been grabbed by Chartrand, ever trusting and dutiful to the camerlegno's demands for faith. The reporters, of course, were spellbound and lugging too much equipment to interfere. The Lord works in mysterious ways. The camerlegno could hear the others behind him now†¦ see them on the screens, closing in. Mustering the last of his physical strength, he raised the antimatter high over his head. Then, throwing back his bare shoulders in an act of defiance to the Illuminati brand on his chest, he dashed down the stairs. There was one final act. Godspeed, he thought. Godspeed. Four minutes†¦ Langdon could barely see as he burst out of the basilica. Again the sea of media lights bore into his retinas. All he could make out was the murky outline of the camerlegno, directly ahead of him, running down the stairs. For an instant, refulgent in his halo of media lights, the camerlegno looked celestial, like some kind of modern deity. His cassock was at his waist like a shroud. His body was scarred and wounded by the hands of his enemies, and still he endured. The camerlegno ran on, standing tall, calling out to the world to have faith, running toward the masses carrying this weapon of destruction. Langdon ran down the stairs after him. What is he doing? He will kill them all! â€Å"Satan's work,† the camerlegno screamed, â€Å"has no place in the House of God!† He ran on toward a now terrified crowd. â€Å"Father!† Langdon screamed, behind him. â€Å"There's nowhere to go!† â€Å"Look to the heavens! We forget to look to the heavens!† In that moment, as Langdon saw where the camerlegno was headed, the glorious truth came flooding all around him. Although Langdon could not see it on account of the lights, he knew their salvation was directly overhead. A star-filled Italian sky. The escape route. The helicopter the camerlegno had summoned to take him to the hospital sat dead ahead, pilot already in the cockpit, blades already humming in neutral. As the camerlegno ran toward it, Langdon felt a sudden overwhelming exhilaration. The thoughts that tore through Langdon's mind came as a torrent†¦ First he pictured the wide-open expanse of the Mediterranean Sea. How far was it? Five miles? Ten? He knew the beach at Fiumocino was only about seven minutes by train. But by helicopter, 200 miles an hour, no stops†¦ If they could fly the canister far enough out to sea, and drop it†¦ There were other options too, he realized, feeling almost weightless as he ran. La Cava Romana! The marble quarries north of the city were less than three miles away. How large were they? Two square miles? Certainly they were deserted at this hour! Dropping the canister there†¦ â€Å"Everyone back!† the camerlegno yelled. His chest ached as he ran. â€Å"Get away! Now!† The Swiss Guard standing around the chopper stood slack-jawed as the camerlegno approached them. â€Å"Back!† the priest screamed. The guards moved back. With the entire world watching in wonder, the camerlegno ran around the chopper to the pilot's door and yanked it open. â€Å"Out, son! Now!† The guard jumped out. The camerlegno looked at the high cockpit seat and knew that in his exhausted state, he would need both hands to pull himself up. He turned to the pilot, trembling beside him, and thrust the canister into his hands. â€Å"Hold this. Hand it back when I'm in.† As the camerlegno pulled himself up, he could hear Robert Langdon yelling excitedly, running toward the craft. Now you understand, the camerlegno thought. Now you have faith! The camerlegno pulled himself up into the cockpit, adjusted a few familiar levers, and then turned back to his window for the canister. But the guard to whom he had given the canister stood empty-handed. â€Å"He took it!† the guard yelled. The camerlegno felt his heart seize. â€Å"Who!† The guard pointed. â€Å"Him!† Robert Langdon was surprised by how heavy the canister was. He ran to the other side of the chopper and jumped in the rear compartment where he and Vittoria had sat only hours ago. He left the door open and buckled himself in. Then he yelled to the camerlegno in the front seat. â€Å"Fly, Father!† The camerlegno craned back at Langdon, his face bloodless with dread. â€Å"What are you doing!† â€Å"You fly! I'll throw!† Langdon barked. â€Å"There's no time! Just fly the blessed chopper!† The camerlegno seemed momentarily paralyzed, the media lights glaring through the cockpit darkening the creases in his face. â€Å"I can do this alone,† he whispered. â€Å"I am supposed to do this alone.† Langdon wasn't listening. Fly! he heard himself screaming. Now! I'm here to help you! Langdon looked down at the canister and felt his breath catch in his throat when he saw the numbers. â€Å"Three minutes, Father! Three!† The number seemed to stun the camerlegno back to sobriety. Without hesitation, he turned back to the controls. With a grinding roar, the helicopter lifted off. Through a swirl of dust, Langdon could see Vittoria running toward the chopper. Their eyes met, and then she dropped away like a sinking stone. 122 Inside the chopper, the whine of the engines and the gale from the open door assaulted Langdon's senses with a deafening chaos. He steadied himself against the magnified drag of gravity as the camerlegno accelerated the craft straight up. The glow of St. Peter's Square shrank beneath them until it was an amorphous glowing ellipse radiating in a sea of city lights. The antimatter canister felt like deadweight in Langdon's hands. He held tighter, his palms slick now with sweat and blood. Inside the trap, the globule of antimatter hovered calmly, pulsing red in the glow of the LED countdown clock. â€Å"Two minutes!† Langdon yelled, wondering where the camerlegno intended to drop the canister. The city lights beneath them spread out in all directions. In the distance to the west, Langdon could see the twinkling delineation of the Mediterranean coast – a jagged border of luminescence beyond which spread an endless dark expanse of nothingness. The sea looked farther now than Langdon had imagined. Moreover, the concentration of lights at the coast was a stark reminder that even far out at sea an explosion might have devastating effects. Langdon had not even considered the effects of a ten-kiloton tidal wave hitting the coast. When Langdon turned and looked straight ahead through the cockpit window, he was more hopeful. Directly in front of them, the rolling shadows of the Roman foothills loomed in the night. The hills were spotted with lights – the villas of the very wealthy – but a mile or so north, the hills grew dark. There were no lights at all – just a huge pocket of blackness. Nothing. The quarries! Langdon thought. La Cava Romana! Staring intently at the barren pocket of land, Langdon sensed that it was plenty large enough. It seemed close, too. Much closer than the ocean. Excitement surged through him. This was obviously where the camerlegno planned to take the antimatter! The chopper was pointing directly toward it! The quarries! Oddly, however, as the engines strained louder and the chopper hurtled through the air, Langdon could see that the quarries were not getting any closer. Bewildered, he shot a glance out the side door to get his bearings. What he saw doused his excitement in a wave of panic. Directly beneath them, thousands of feet straight down, glowed the media lights in St. Peter's Square. We're still over the Vatican! â€Å"Camerlegno!† Langdon choked. â€Å"Go forward! We're high enough! You've got to start moving forward! We can't drop the canister back over Vatican City!† The camerlegno did not reply. He appeared to be concentrating on flying the craft. â€Å"We've got less than two minutes!† Langdon shouted, holding up the canister. â€Å"I can see them! La Cava Romana! A couple of miles north! We don't have – â€Å" â€Å"No,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"It's far too dangerous. I'm sorry.† As the chopper continued to claw heavenward, the camerlegno turned and gave Langdon a mournful smile. â€Å"I wish you had not come, my friend. You have made the ultimate sacrifice.† Langdon looked in the camerlegno's exhausted eyes and suddenly understood. His blood turned to ice. â€Å"But†¦ there must be somewhere we can go!† â€Å"Up,† the camerlegno replied, his voice resigned. â€Å"It's the only guarantee.† Langdon could barely think. He had entirely misinterpreted the camerlegno's plan. Look to the heavens! Heaven, Langdon now realized, was literally where he was headed. The camerlegno had never intended to drop the antimatter. He was simply getting it as far away from Vatican City as humanly possible. This was a one-way trip. 123 In St. Peter's Square, Vittoria Vetra stared upward. The helicopter was a speck now, the media lights no longer reaching it. Even the pounding of the rotors had faded to a distant hum. It seemed, in that instant, that the entire world was focused upward, silenced in anticipation, necks craned to the heavens†¦ all peoples, all faiths†¦ all hearts beating as one. Vittoria's emotions were a cyclone of twisting agonies. As the helicopter disappeared from sight, she pictured Robert's face, rising above her. What had he been thinking? Didn't he understand? Around the square, television cameras probed the darkness, waiting. A sea of faces stared heavenward, united in a silent countdown. The media screens all flickered the same tranquil scene†¦ a Roman sky illuminated with brilliant stars. Vittoria felt the tears begin to well. Behind her on the marble escarpment, 161 cardinals stared up in silent awe. Some folded their hands in prayer. Most stood motionless, transfixed. Some wept. The seconds ticked past. In homes, bars, businesses, airports, hospitals around the world, souls were joined in universal witness. Men and women locked hands. Others held their children. Time seemed to hover in limbo, souls suspended in unison. Then, cruelly, the bells of St. Peter's began to toll. Vittoria let the tears come. Then†¦ with the whole world watching†¦ time ran out. The dead silence of the event was the most terrifying of all. High above Vatican City, a pinpoint of light appeared in the sky. For a fleeting instant, a new heavenly body had been born†¦ a speck of light as pure and white as anyone had ever seen. Then it happened. A flash. The point billowed, as if feeding on itself, unraveling across the sky in a dilating radius of blinding white. It shot out in all directions, accelerating with incomprehensible speed, gobbling up the dark. As the sphere of light grew, it intensified, like a burgeoning fiend preparing to consume the entire sky. It raced downward, toward them, picking up speed. Blinded, the multitudes of starkly lit human faces gasped as one, shielding their eyes, crying out in strangled fear. As the light roared out in all directions, the unimaginable occurred. As if bound by God's own will, the surging radius seemed to hit a wall. It was as if the explosion were contained somehow in a giant glass sphere. The light rebounded inward, sharpening, rippling across itself. The wave appeared to have reached a predetermined diameter and hovered there. For that instant, a perfect and silent sphere of light glowed over Rome. Night had become day. Then it hit. The concussion was deep and hollow – a thunderous shock wave from above. It descended on them like the wrath of hell, shaking the granite foundation of Vatican City, knocking the breath out of people's lungs, sending others stumbling backward. The reverberation circled the colonnade, followed by a sudden torrent of warm air. The wind tore through the square, letting out a sepulchral moan as it whistled through the columns and buffeted the walls. Dust swirled overhead as people huddled†¦ witnesses to Armageddon. Then, as fast as it appeared, the sphere imploded, sucking back in on itself, crushing inward to the tiny point of light from which it had come. 124 Never before had so many been so silent. The faces in St. Peter's Square, one by one, averted their eyes from the darkening sky and turned downward, each person in his or her own private moment of wonder. The media lights followed suit, dropping their beams back to earth as if out of reverence for the blackness now settling upon them. It seemed for a moment the entire world was bowing its head in unison. Cardinal Mortati knelt to pray, and the other cardinals joined him. The Swiss Guard lowered their long swords and stood numb. No one spoke. No one moved. Everywhere, hearts shuddered with spontaneous emotion. Bereavement. Fear. Wonder. Belief. And a dread-filled respect for the new and awesome power they had just witnessed. Vittoria Vetra stood trembling at the foot of the basilica's sweeping stairs. She closed her eyes. Through the tempest of emotions now coursing through her blood, a single word tolled like a distant bell. Pristine. Cruel. She forced it away. And yet the word echoed. Again she drove it back. The pain was too great. She tried to lose herself in the images that blazed in other's minds†¦ antimatter's mind-boggling power†¦ the Vatican's deliverance†¦ the camerlegno†¦ feats of bravery†¦ miracles†¦ selflessness. And still the word echoed†¦ tolling through the chaos with a stinging loneliness. Robert. He had come for her at Castle St. Angelo. He had saved her. And now he had been destroyed by her creation. As Cardinal Mortati prayed, he wondered if he too would hear God's voice as the camerlegno had. Does one need to believe in miracles to experience them? Mortati was a modern man in an ancient faith. Miracles had never played a part in his belief. Certainly his faith spoke of miracles†¦ bleeding palms, ascensions from the dead, imprints on shrouds†¦ and yet, Mortati's rational mind had always justified these accounts as part of the myth. They were simply the result of man's greatest weakness – his need for proof. Miracles were nothing but stories we all clung to because we wished they were true. And yet†¦ Am I so modern that I cannot accept what my eyes have just witnessed? It was a miracle, was it not? Yes! God, with a few whispered words in the camerlegno's ear, had intervened and saved this church. Why was this so hard to believe? What would it say about God if God had done nothing? That the Almighty did not care? That He was powerless to stop it? A miracle was the only possible response! As Mortati knelt in wonder, he prayed for the camerlegno's soul. He gave thanks to the young chamberlain who, even in his youthful years, had opened this old man's eyes to the miracles of unquestioning faith. Incredibly, though, Mortati never suspected the extent to which his faith was about to be tested†¦ The silence of St. Peter's Square broke with a ripple at first. The ripple grew to a murmur. And then, suddenly, to a roar. Without warning, the multitudes were crying out as one. â€Å"Look! Look!† Mortati opened his eyes and turned to the crowd. Everyone was pointing behind him, toward the front of St. Peter's Basilica. Their faces were white. Some fell to their knees. Some fainted. Some burst into uncontrollable sobs. â€Å"Look! Look!† Mortati turned, bewildered, following their outstretched hands. They were pointing to the uppermost level of the basilica, the rooftop terrace, where huge statues of Christ and his apostles watched over the crowd. There, on the right of Jesus, arms outstretched to the world†¦ stood Camerlegno Carlo Ventresca. 125 Robert Langdon was no longer falling. There was no more terror. No pain. Not even the sound of the racing wind. There was only the soft sound of lapping water, as though he were comfortably asleep on a beach. In a paradox of self-awareness, Langdon sensed this was death. He felt glad for it. He allowed the drifting numbness to possess him entirely. He let it carry him wherever it was he would go. His pain and fear had been anesthetized, and he did not wish it back at any price. His final memory had been one that could only have been conjured in hell. Take me. Please†¦ But the lapping that lulled in him a far-off sense of peace was also pulling him back. It was trying to awaken him from a dream. No! Let me be! He did not want to awaken. He sensed demons gathering on the perimeter of his bliss, pounding to shatter his rapture. Fuzzy images swirled. Voices yelled. Wind churned. No, please! The more he fought, the more the fury filtered through. Then, harshly, he was living it all again†¦ The helicopter was in a dizzying dead climb. He was trapped inside. Beyond the open door, the lights of Rome looked farther away with every passing second. His survival instinct told him to jettison the canister right now. Langdon knew it would take less than twenty seconds for the canister to fall half a mile. But it would be falling toward a city of people. Higher! Higher! Langdon wondered how high they were now. Small prop planes, he knew, flew at altitudes of about four miles. This helicopter had to be at a good fraction of that by now. Two miles up? Three? There was still a chance. If they timed the drop perfectly, the canister would fall only partway toward earth, exploding a safe distance over the ground and away from the chopper. Langdon looked out at the city sprawling below them. â€Å"And if you calculate incorrectly?† the camerlegno said. Langdon turned, startled. The camerlegno was not even looking at him, apparently having read Langdon's thoughts from the ghostly reflection in the windshield. Oddly, the camerlegno was no longer engrossed in his controls. His hands were not even on the throttle. The chopper, it seemed, was now in some sort of autopilot mode, locked in a climb. The camerlegno reached above his head, to the ceiling of the cockpit, fishing behind a cable-housing, where he removed a key, taped there out of view. Langdon watched in bewilderment as the camerlegno quickly unlocked the metal cargo box bolted between the seats. He removed some sort of large, black, nylon pack. He lay it on the seat next to him. Langdon's thoughts churned. The camerlegno's movements seemed composed, as if he had a solution. â€Å"Give me the canister,† the camerlegno said, his tone serene. Langdon did not know what to think anymore. He thrust the canister to the camerlegno. â€Å"Ninety seconds!† What the camerlegno did with the antimatter took Langdon totally by surprise. Holding the canister carefully in his hands, the camerlegno placed it inside the cargo box. Then he closed the heavy lid and used the key to lock it tight. â€Å"What are you doing!† Langdon demanded. â€Å"Leading us from temptation.† The camerlegno threw the key out the open window. As the key tumbled into the night, Langdon felt his soul falling with it. The camerlegno then took the nylon pack and slipped his arms through the straps. He fastened a waist clamp around his stomach and cinched it all down like a backpack. He turned to a dumbstruck Robert Langdon. â€Å"I'm sorry,† the camerlegno said. â€Å"It wasn't supposed to happen this way.† Then he opened his door and hurled himself into the night. The image burned in Langdon's unconscious mind, and with it came the pain. Real pain. Physical pain. Aching. Searing. He begged to be taken, to let it end, but as the water lapped louder in his ears, new images began to flash. His hell had only just begun. He saw bits and pieces. Scattered frames of sheer panic. He lay halfway between death and nightmare, begging for deliverance, but the pictures grew brighter in his mind. The antimatter canister was locked out of reach. It counted relentlessly downward as the chopper shot upward. Fifty seconds. Higher. Higher. Langdon spun wildly in the cabin, trying to make sense of what he had just seen. Forty-five seconds. He dug under seats searching for another parachute. Forty seconds. There was none! There had to be an option! Thirty-five seconds. He raced to the open doorway of the chopper and stood in the raging wind, gazing down at the lights of Rome below. Thirty-two seconds. And then he made the choice. The unbelievable choice†¦ With no parachute, Robert Langdon had jumped out the door. As the night swallowed his tumbling body, the helicopter seemed to rocket off above him, the sound of its rotors evaporating in the deafening rush of his own free fall. As he plummeted toward earth, Robert Langdon felt something he had not experienced since his years on the high dive – the inexorable pull of gravity during a dead drop. The faster he fell, the harder the earth seemed to pull, sucking him down. This time, however, the drop was not fifty feet into a pool. The drop was thousands of feet into a city – an endless expanse of pavement and concrete. Somewhere in the torrent of wind and desperation, Kohler's voice echoed from the grave†¦ words he had spoken earlier this morning standing at CERN's free-fall tube. One square yard of drag will slow a falling body almost twenty percent. Twenty percent, Langdon now realized, was not even close to what one would need to survive a fall like this. Nonetheless, more out of paralysis than hope, he clenched in his hands the sole object he had grabbed from the chopper on his way out the door. It was an odd memento, but it was one that for a fleeting instant had given him hope. The windshield tarp had been lying in the back of the helicopter. It was a concave rectangle – about four yards by two – like a huge fitted sheet†¦ the crudest approximation of a parachute imaginable. It had no harness, only bungie loops at either end for fastening it to the curvature of the windshield. Langdon had grabbed it, slid his hands through the loops, held on, and leapt out into the void. His last great act of youthful defiance. No illusions of life beyond this moment. Langdon fell like a rock. Feet first. Arms raised. His hands gripping the loops. The tarp billowed like a mushroom overhead. The wind tore past him violently. As he plummeted toward earth, there was a deep explosion somewhere above him. It seemed farther off than he had expected. Almost instantly, the shock wave hit. He felt the breath crushed from his lungs. There was a sudden warmth in the air all around him. He fought to hold on. A wall of heat raced down from above. The top of the tarp began to smolder†¦ but held. Langdon rocketed downward, on the edge of a billowing shroud of light, feeling like a surfer trying to outrun a thousand-foot tidal wave. Then suddenly, the heat receded. He was falling again through the dark coolness. For an instant, Langdon felt hope. A moment later, though, that hope faded like the withdrawing heat above. Despite his straining arms assuring him that the tarp was slowing his fall, the wind still tore past his body with deafening velocity. Langdon had no doubt he was still moving too fast to survive the fall. He would be crushed when he hit the ground. Mathematical figures tumbled through his brain, but he was too numb to make sense of them†¦ one square yard of drag†¦ 20 percent reduction of speed. All Langdon could figure was that the tarp over his head was big enough to slow him more than 20 percent. Unfortunately, though, he could tell from the wind whipping past him that whatever good the tarp was doing was not enough. He was still falling fast†¦ there would be no surviving the impact on the waiting sea of concrete. Beneath him, the lights of Rome spread out in all directions. The city looked like an enormous starlit sky that Langdon was falling into. The perfect expanse of stars was marred only by a dark strip that split the city in two – a wide, unlit ribbon that wound through the dots of light like a fat snake. Langdon stared down at the meandering swatch of black. Suddenly, like the surging crest of an unexpected wave, hope filled him again. With almost maniacal vigor, Langdon yanked down hard with his right hand on the canopy. The tarp suddenly flapped louder, billowing, cutting right to find the path of least resistance. Langdon felt himself drifting sideways. He pulled again, harder, ignoring the pain in his palm. The tarp flared, and Langdon sensed his body sliding laterally. Not much. But some! He looked beneath him again, to the sinuous serpent of black. It was off to the right, but he was still pretty high. Had he waited too long? He pulled with all his might and accepted somehow that it was now in the hands of God. He focused hard on the widest part of the serpent and†¦ for the first time in his life, prayed for a miracle. The rest was a blur. The darkness rushing up beneath him†¦ the diving instincts coming back†¦ the reflexive locking of his spine and pointing of the toes†¦ the inflating of his lungs to protect his vital organs†¦ the flexing of his legs into a battering ram†¦ and finally†¦ the thankfulness that the winding Tiber River was raging†¦ making its waters frothy and air-filled†¦ and three times softer than standing water. Then there was impact†¦ and blackness. It had been the thundering sound of the flapping canopy that drew the group's eyes away from the fireball in the sky. The sky above Rome had been filled with sights tonight†¦ a skyrocketing helicopter, an enormous explosion, and now this strange object that had plummeted into the churning waters of the Tiber River, directly off the shore of the river's tiny island, Isola Tiberina. Ever since the island had been used to quarantine the sick during the Roman plague of A.D. 1656, it had been thought to have mystic healing properties. For this reason, the island had later become the site for Rome's Hospital Tiberina. The body was battered when they pulled it onto shore. The man still had a faint pulse, which was amazing, they thought. They wondered if it was Isola Tiberina's mythical reputation for healing that had somehow kept his heart pumping. Minutes later, when the man began coughing and slowly regained consciousness, the group decided the island must indeed be magical.