In The Taming Of The Shrew, Shakespeare Creates Humour Through His Cha

In The Taming of the Shrew, Shakespeare creates humour through his characters by creating false realities (as demonstrated by Petruchio's behaviour and attire in the scene of his wedding) and by the use of subterfuge and mistaken identity (shown in the final scenes with the transformation of Kate and Bianca's respective personas). He also uses irony quite extensively, especially towards the end of the play (as can be seen in the final ?wager' scene). The concept that ?things are not always as they seem' is quite evident in the events surrounding, and including, Petruchio's wedding ceremony. This particular scene in the play demonstrates how the use of false realities (a real situation falsely presented in order to deliberately deceive) can be used to create humour. Biondello describes Petruchio's appearance to Baptista, and by doing so sets up the expectations of the audience. He says that Petruchio comes wearing: New hat and old jerkin; a pair of old breeches thrice turned; a pair of boots that have been candle-cases, one buckled another laced; an old rusty sworde...with a broken hilt and chapeless; his horse hipped...with an old mothy saddle (Act III Scene II) This depiction of Petruchio conforms to Shakespeare's technique of using false realities, in order to create humour. This can also be seen in the false identity that Petruchio puts forth in his quest for dominion over Kate (that of the eccentric egomaniac). However, these false realities are not enough by themselves, as the audience has nothing to go by but what they see before them, and so they are not to know that this is not Petruchio's true personality, and so Shakespeare employs another essential element of humour: he lets the audience know what is truly transpiring, while the characters themselves remain oblivious to the truth. He does this using a soliloquy, in which Petruchio states the strategies he shall use in order to tame Kate: She ate no meat today nor none shall she eat...and as with the meat some undeserved fault I'll find about the making of the bed... This is the way to kill a wife with kindness...he that knows better how to tame a shrew, not let him speak (Act IV Scene I) This soliloquy serves to reinforce the fact that ?things are not always as they seem'. So the knowledge gleaned from this soliloquy means that we find the other events involving Kate and Petruchio even more amusing, as we can see that it is nothing more than an elaborate game of chess, instigated by Petruchio. Another example of where we find humour being generated by the fact that ?things are not always as they seem' is the relationship between Kate and Bianca. Here Shakespeare uses the device of mistaken identity and combines it with a strong sense of irony. On the outside, Kate appears harsh, cruel and frightening to all of the characters. Even her father is scared of her monstrous temper, begging anyone to marry her. Yet as her relationship with Petruchio grows, her true identity emerges and our perception of her changes. She becomes much less of a shrew, her mistaken identity, and begins to become more obsequious and agreeable, her true identity. Despite all of her outward appearances, she is truly a good person in her heart. Yet Bianca's scenario is different. She is perceived as a sweet and gentle person, a false conception, devoting herself to her studies and never wanting anything else out of life. Yet once she achieves her goal, to be married, her true self appears. She becomes q uarrelsome and apathetic. She becomes almost what her sister was. It is here that Shakespeare once again creates humour through the concept that ?things are not always as they seem'. The irony that comes from seeing the reversal of characteristics and the drastic change in our perceptions of Kate and Bianca provide a sense of amusement, and self-righteous satisfaction at the way the tides have turned. An example of this is in the final scene where Petruchio and Lucentio place a wager on the obedience of their wives (Kate and Bianca respectively). Of course Lucentio loses due to Bianca's disobedience and near-contempt for her husband, while Petruchio and his newly transformed Kate, proceed to win a

DDay1 essays

DDay1 essays In this book report I read the book D-Day and tells u about the time before and the grueling battles that led up to the most memorable and most important day of this century, June 6, 1944, that was D-Day. Also I will mention key points and describe to you what intricate planning and grueling strategy that out smarted the German What really decided the outcome of the war was determined by three things the number of allies, the number of soldiers that where positioned right so that they could defend each area equally, but the problem with the German forces was that they conquered so much land that they couldnt defend it all and that was one main reason the they lost the war. The last main reason was who had more and better weaponry. Which the Germans had a big advantage for the first part of the war. The weapons that they had was the V-2, it was the worlds first medium-range ballistic missile, it wasnt military weapon at all, but a terrorist device. They also had invented the ME-262 twin jet fighter ready for serial production. Its cruising speed was 520 miles per hour, more than 120 miles an hour faster than any plane the allies could send against it, and it mounted four 33mm canon it was known as the Blitz Bomber . When Hitler saw the 262s capabilities he was very impressed, but he wanted something that could bomb London. Another big thing that the Germans used was the B-17 bombers. Hitler was very pleased with them and they were perfect for the 262s to escort them. For example Hitler used the B-17 at the raid of the Berlin March. He used 1,250 B-17 and had 14 groups of jet fighters (262s) and he didnt lose not one plane. The Americans on the other hand had some weapon advantages that had been invented by the British, an American ally, that proved good in the long run such as the LST and the LCT. LST stands for L...

Financial Crisis and Lehman Brother Collapse Essay - 1

Financial Crisis and Lehman Brother Collapse - Essay Example To this end, the paper will critically evaluate all the factors responsible for the global financial crisis and identify whether there were factors that were only related to the financial sector or not. The paper will therefore conclude on whether the financial sector was solely responsible or not Financial Retail Products and the Profit Motive Prior to the financial crisis of 2007, it was believed that mass marketing of retail financial products in high income countries after the early 1980s was safe (Froud, Johal, Montgomerie, & Williams, 2010). This was a general belief that this constituted the democratization of finance and ownership in modern Capitalist society. This is because poor people and middle class persons who could not normally afford to own some kinds of properties could acquire properties through the acquisition of various financial products and services. The supporters of this school of thought believed that it was a shared framework that enabled all people in the society to own what they wanted to own. â€Å"Mainstream finance represented financial innovation in circular and technological terms as that which perfected the market.† (Engelen, Erturk, Froud, Leaver, & Williams, 2008, p. 4). This means that the growth of technology and the enhancement of the financial sector led to the growth and expansion of the debt systems and debt structures (Froud J. , Johal, Montgomerie, & Williams, 2009). This grew the trend of financial intermediation and created more financial retail products. However, this process gave way for the evils of exploitation by numerous financial intermediaries (Froud, Johal, Montgomerie, & Williams, 2010). This created a major problem that fed into the system of the credit crunch. â€Å"Empirical evidence of the United States shows that extension of credit and asset ownership in an unequal society is self defeating because it does not abolish the tyranny of

Motion of Dismissal Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Motion of Dismissal - Research Paper Example Details of section 2-619 of the Illinois codes of civil procedures It is evident from the daily business activities regarding mortgages, that all mortgage transaction contains an acceleration clause. This clause in different instances requires the lender to make provisions to the borrower with a default notice, and the intent to accelerate. There is also an emphasis that the lender should provide the instructions, which can be taken as a remedy of the default date, and a new date set within 30 days in which the borrower must remedy the default (Lauterpacht and Greenwood, 1999). Lenders often ignore the clause; this is a condition, that actionable by a court of law in a foreclosure action. However, the precedent condition must be considered before another action. Such instances force the lender to follow the guidelines outlined in the mortgage acceleration clause before finding the foreclosure. Failing to follow the above guidelines do not invalidate the mortgage, though it may cause temporal dismissal of the foreclosure claims, therefore, resetting the borrower’s clock for the distress. In Illinois State, the 2-619 motion results from modification of the 2-615 motion and the 2-1005 motion. That is; they dismiss for failure motion on state claim, and the summary judgment motion. They both have a defensive nature, thus disposing the issues of facts and law. The motion adheres to the sufficiency and truth of the claim though it does not purpose the asserted affirmative matters (Lauterpacht and Greenwood, 1999). Affirmative matters refer to defenses that, either refutes critical conclusion, or negates a cause of action. Section 2-619 makes provisions for affirmative defenses; one can bring it regardless of the fact that it is retaining past the point of filling a 2-619 motion. Filling a Defamation Complaint Libel is a false statement from an individual, which in turn causes suffering to the other person. Defamation refers to a libelous statement in a print s tate. Traditionally, a print refers to a statement published in a newspaper or a letter, but in the recent days, it refers to the internet, and other mass media. Technology has been an element which is leading to increase in cases of defamation. Ideal examples are social networking sites such as Facebook, which brings the highest level of defamation that ever in the history. A court of law requires one to prove defamation through the following: 1. There must be a false statement from the defendant to the plaintiff 2. The statement must have reached a third party, through provable means. This means that the defendant must communicate the statement to the other person or persons. 3. The statement has to be harmful to the plaintiff 4. There must be damages on the part of the victim Making false statements If there is a false statement published about a public figure, it is the responsibility of the public to prove that the statement has a malicious intention in making the untrue statem ent. There are different standards for public figures, as they expect statements based on their public status. There have been arguments on the definition of public status, but there they not yet fruitful. The current definition from leading philosophers’ state that, public figure is something the public value in ones character. In many

Combine Analysis of a Rose for Emily Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Combine Analysis of a Rose for Emily - Essay Example Similarly Faulkner also incorporates this theme in order to depict the bitter reality of human beings who are on their way to destruction as the writer believes that human existence is now devoid of emotions and feeling where man is living a mechanical existence and waiting for the ultimate escape i.e. death as it is also observed that the story commences with the funeral of Emily and ends with the death of Homer. Moreover this can also be deduced from the description of Emily in the story as it describes Emily as a living dead creature i.e. although she is alive yet she is hollow or empty on the inside hence she is almost dead. As it is also stated in the text, â€Å"She looked bloated, like a body long submerged in motionless water, and of that pallid hue. Her eyes, lost in the fatty ridges of her face, looked like two small pieces of coal pressed into a lump of dough† (Faulkner 14). Theme of death also stresses on the reality of life that this world is a temporary place and ultimately everything is going to collapse and meet its end. The theme of isolation in this prose is indirectly linked with theme of death and decay as Harold Bloom also says, â€Å"Emily is isolated from the community. Her isolation is so thorough that she does not or can not have a suitor from Jefferson†¦ her isolation eventually grows to resemble a living dead in which her closest companion is a corpse† (90). This theme also depicts the irony of human existence i.e. although an individual is surrounded by people yet he is alone. As it is inferred from Emily’s situation who has lived all her life in Jefferson yet the people of that community are strangers for her. Even her cousins are not a source of comfort and support. Hence it shows that every individual in this world is living a selfish and isolated existence. Love is defined as an intense emotion that leads an individual to behave irrationally as it blinds him to all logic and reasoning. A similar case is observed in A Rose for Emily because her actions of keeping the dead body of Homer can be interpreted as an act of desperation on Emily’s part and also reveals her insecurities about being left alone. Hence she finds solace in keeping Homer’s dead body and sleeping with his corpse. Bloom also believes that, â€Å"while it may be an unconventional one â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is a love story. The revelation that Emily has slept beside Homer Barron’s corpse for 40 years let us know that his killing was motivated more by love than some other reason such as pride or revenge† (90). 2. Symbolism Faulkner’s use of symbolism acts as a tool of foreshadowing and helps in the development of the plot. Initially the ‘Rose’ in the title suggests love as it is a cliche that a rose is a symbol of love and affection. However it is later revealed to the readers that the rose is either the symbolic representation of Emily’s irrational love a nd affection for Homer that led her to kill him and keep him with her or Emily’s Father’s love for her daughter that made him believe that no one was good enough for his daughter and hence he decided his daughter was better off alone rather than married. The description of

Womens Engagement in Politics

Womens Engagement in Politics Why are there relatively few women engaged in political activity? Introduction It is evident that women are underrepresented in government and in general do not engage in political activity in the same numbers as men do. Various explanations have been used to explain this phenomenon: entrenched discrimination on the part of candidate selectors, elite theory as well as the Supply and Demand Model. This paper visits each explanation in turn finding some value in each. Finally, the argument is made that another possibility is that the system has been created by men for men. When states and constitutions were created in today’s developing countries, women did not have the right to vote, own property or engage in any political activity. Therefore, one could argue that the terms of the social contract on which liberal democracies are based are male- centric and do not allow for the equal representation of women. Theoretical Perspectives: Women and Democracy Beyond the basic interpretation of democracy as â€Å"rule by the people†, scholars have noted that democracy has evolved, changing over time and space and responding to evolution in public affairs. As explained by Meny â€Å"it is commonly accepted that democracy has varied over time, evolving from a rather elitist and restrictive form to a more open and participatory form of government† (Meny, 2002, p.10). Dahl identifies three evolutionary waves, or â€Å"transformations† of democracy, from the Greek city- state to the republic and finally to the nation- state (Dahl, 1989). Furthermore, Dahl identifies the basic criteria for a democratic process as: effective participation, voting equality at the decisive stage, enlightened understanding, control of the agenda by the people, and equal opportunity (Dahl, 1989). Effective participation is the requirement for citizens to have an equal chance of expressing preference for the political outcome, and their choice should be weighed as equal to that of any other citizen. Enlightened understanding means that citizens should be informed in their choice and have an understanding of the system. At first glance, therefore, one would be surprised with the arguments posed by some Feminists that standard definitions of democracy such as the above are discriminatory against women and legitimize a gender- biased system. Waylen asserts: â€Å"democracy defined in these ways becomes a ‘political method’ simply an institutional arrangement to generate and legitimize leadership† (Waylen, 1994, p.332). To help us understand statements like these, we should consider the distinction between different kinds of â€Å"equality† and the historic inequality democratic systems have imposed on women. There is an important distinction between equality of opportunity and equality of result. If a system merely aims at equality of opportunity then giving women the right to vote and come forward as candidates would be an end in itself; but if equality of result is sought, then one would see that external factors diminish the value of equality of opportunity (Karam ed. 199 8). A historic overview of â€Å"democracy† reveals that as a system in application, it is embedded with inequality. The democrats in ancient Greece excluded women, slaves and immigrants and considered foreigners to be â€Å"barbarians† and therefore inferior to the Greeks. At a minimum, democracy requires that people have the right to vote, and this right was not given to women until recently: 1919 in West Germany, 1920 in the USA, 1921 in the UK and 1971 in Switzerland (just to name a few examples of developed and democratic states). In accounting for this inequality, Feminists emphasize the concept of patriarchy and the distinction between the public and private sphere. Patriarchy[1] means â€Å"rule by fathers† and mainstream political theory argues that this system has been obsolete and no longer n existence since more than three hundred years ago. Feminists, however, have always been pointing out that it still exists. Pateman argues that patriarchy has been replaced by â€Å"fraternity†[2] through the establishment of the social contract. Patriarchy has its foundations in the separation between the public and the private sphere, thereby keeping women confined in the private sphere, removed from politics: â€Å"The division of public and private life as one that differentiates the woman (private) from the man (public) is the overarching ideological tool of patriarchy† (Corrin 1999 quoting Eisenstein 1984). Liberal Democracy This system aims to check both the tyranny of the majority and the abuse of power by a government, usually through a system of checks and balances. The system merely aims at equality of opportunity (and not equality of result or of condition) and accountability through voting. It assumes that society consists of a plurality of interests which compete with each other over influence over political outcomes. As a result of this competition a stalemate may occur which means little or piece meal change to the system can be achieved and thus the status quo perpetuates. This model embraces the distinction between the public and private sphere. [3] Feminists therefore criticize liberal democracy and assert that inequalities between husband and wife reduce the value of political life for women. Feminists also feel that a â€Å"gender- neutral† approach to citizenship (as is proposed by liberal democracy) actually serves to exclude women. Phillips argues that concepts such as the individual, citizenship, rights etc are male categories (Phillips, 1991). Participatory Democracy This model requires social equality and emphasizes participation. It challenges the private- public distinction and proposes that for democracy to be meaningful in the public sphere there must also be democracy in the private sphere. Feminists agree that voting is not enough and that there must be discussion and participation. However, feminists argue that this model also creates an elite of â€Å"active† citizens. As certain categories of women such as housewives have less free time, they are less able to be â€Å"active† in public affairs and would therefore be disadvantaged. Elite Theory Elite theory assumes that throughout history there has been a group of people who â€Å"rule† and the rest who are ruled by them. Essentially this theory is about power and its distribution. Gaetano Mosca argues that the existence of the elite and its dominance depends on its organizational position and abilities. Mosca believes that the more organized minority will prevail over the less organized majority. Mosca distinguishes between an upper stratum elite (small group of political decision- makers) and a lower stratum of the elite, who perform lesser political functions. Mosca saw elite- formation as inevitable; if the mass were to rise against the elite and replace it in government, another small group would rise from within the masses and prevail over the rest. Mosca saw elite theory and democracy as compatible (Rush, 1992). Michels drew upon Mosca’s â€Å"iron law of oligarchy† and argued that like all other organizations, political parties are dominated by their leadership. Pareto diverges from the Marxist notion that the elite are defined in economic terms, and argues instead that it is human attributes such as motivation and abilities which define it (Rush, 1992). Political Recruitment The Selection Process Norris and Lovenduski identify three levels of analyzing political recruitment: a) systematic factors such as the legal system, the electoral system and the party system, which set the context for analysis, b) context- setting factors such as party organization, rules and ideology, c) factors influencing directly the recruitment of individual candidates such as resources and motivations of applicants and the attitudes of â€Å"gatekeepers† (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). The recruitment process is generally evaluated by testing whether the system is democratic (involving local activists and grassroots members), whether it is fair (treating all applicants equally), whether it is efficient (as a decision- making process) and whether it is effective in producing candidates of a high standard (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). There are six main types of selection process and these are: 1) informal- centralized, where constitutional mechanisms may be in place but in essence patronage controls outcomes and rules are largely symbolic 2) informal – regional where factions bargain in order to get good positions for their candidates, 3) informal- localized where the decision over which selection procedure will be used depends on local groups and therefore procedures vary and the system is open to manipulation by small groups 4, 5) formal- centralized/ formal- regional where party leaders at national or at regional level have the power to choose candidates and 6) formal- localized where constitutional rules and guidelines create a standard procedure and all applicants are treated equally (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). According to Norris and Lovenduski: â€Å"in the long term the main change in recruitment within British parties has been in process rather than power. There has been a gradual evolution from an ‘informal- localized’ system based on patronage in the nineteenth century towards more ‘formal- localized’ system today based on more meritocratic standards† (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995, p.5). Supply and Demand In analyzing trends in political recruitment, Norris and Lovenduski present the Supply and Demand Model : â€Å"based on a ‘supply and demand’ model, the study distinguishes between the factors influencing the ‘supply’ of candidates willing to come forward and the factors influencing the ‘demand’ of party selectors in making their decisions† ((Norris and Lovenduski, 1995, p.14). On the Demand side, selectors choose based on perceptions of the candidates’ abilities, experience etc. Such perceptions can be affected by discrimination and stereotyping either in a positive r in a negative way. Direct discrimination is judging people as members of groups instead of as individuals. Imputed discrimination amounts to selectors favouring certain categories of candidates e.g. women or racial minorities (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). On the Supply side, selectors may argue that certain categories of people such as women do not come forward as candidates. Motivation and constrained resources may affect potential candidacies. Also, demand and supply are inter-related; some may be deterred from coming forward out of fear of discrimination (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). Applied to the case of women, the Demand side proposes that women may have lower resources in terms of money and time as well as lower levels of political ambition and confidence. On the supply side, selector may employ direct or imputed discrimination against women: â€Å"the basic problem is that selectors are not enthusiastic about women candidates. They believe the electorate does not want them. They do not see women as having the same commitment as men. They do not know how to categorize them †¦ in short, they apply different standards† (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995, p.115 quoting Mitchell 1982). Party Selection In the Conservative Party, following the Chelmer Report 1972 the rules guiding procedures were revised. This slightly strengthened the role of party members at the expense of the constituency executive committee. In 1980 the Conservative Central Office introduced managerialist selection boards to scrutinize candidates on the Approved List before they could apply. These boards aimed to produce better quality candidates and fairer procedures (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). The Labour general party modernization in the 1980s included selection rules reform. Thus, there was a mandatory reselection for incumbents, a formalized selection procedure and power shifted downwards to an electoral college of all members. To encourage more women candidates the Party altered short listing rules and introduced more training programs (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). For the general election 1997 Labour introduced women-only shortlists whereby a proportion of local parties were required to shortlist only women candidates for selection. The policy was then withdrawn as it was found in breach of the Sex Discrimination Act 1975. The Electoral System According to Norris and Lovenduski â€Å"the British electoral system is commonly seen as contributing towards the localism of the selection process, by strengthening the links between individual MPs and their constituency† (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995, p.28). The British first- pass- the post system is based on a 651 plurality, single member districts and opportunities are determined by the number of seats. Voters can vote for or against individual candidates, but have no say over who is placed before them as a candidate (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). The incumbency turnover further constrains opportunities to enter parliament. The rise of â€Å"careerism† whereby MPs enter parliament at a younger age and see their position as a career further supports this proposition. The party system is a further constraint; traditionally the UK was considered a two- party system, but this has gradually been weakened in the post- war period (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). Conclusions: Accounting for Women’s Under representation The Discrimination Argument Some feel that women are discriminated against by part selectors: â€Å"discrimination by gatekeepers is probably one of the most common explanations of the social bias in our parliament† (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995, p.123). However, it is difficult to establish proof of this discrimination. Others feel that at present the system is open to women and explain the under representation in terms of structural constraints such as lack of confidence or the difficulty to combine family life with a career in politics (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995). There is also the argument that selectors may not be biased themselves, but may feel that the electorate has biased perceptions. Therefore, to avoid ‘losing’ they do not select ‘risky’ candidates such as women or ethnic minorities. In general, ‘winning’ candidates are perceived as local, white, middle class and male: â€Å"perceptions of anticipated electoral gains and losses reflect, and thereby reinforce the dominant class and racial biases within parliament† (Norris and Lovenduski, 1995, p.136). The Elite Theory argument An application of elite theory to liberal democracies at present, confirms the validity of this model. Electoral systems may mean that the voters do not have a genuine choice and that this lies in the hands of the selectorate, usually party officials: â€Å"studies in a number of countries show that in socio- economic terms the differences between successful and unsuccessful candidates are not great and that the selection of candidates is often in the hands of a small group of party leaders and activists† (Rush, 1992, p.66). The Social Contract Revisited Nadezhda Shvedova identifies the difficulties women face in achieving equal representation in government: political, socio-economic, and ideological/psychological obstacles (Karam ed. 1998). Political obstacles include: the type of electoral system ( Shvedova believes proportional representation is better for increasing women’s representation), prevalence of the â€Å"masculine model† of political life e.g. the â€Å"predator mentality† that is supposedly alien to women, and lack of party support. Arguments of socio-economic obstacles usually stem from the theory that higher development brings more democratization; Ideological/psychological obstacles are the traditional social roles assigned to women and men, women’s lack of confidence, the perception of politics as a â€Å"dirty†, and the way in which women are portrayed in the mass media. In newly democratized countries mechanisms such as quotas have been devised to ensure equal representation. Quotas are introduced to make sure that women constitute a certain percentage of the members of a public body such as a candidate list, committee, parliament assembly, or government. They usually aim at achieving at least a â€Å"critical minority† of 30-40% for women (Karam ed. 1998). The three most common forms of these mechanisms are: constitutional quotas which reserve seats in the national parliament for women, election law quotas which are written in national law, and political party quotas which are adopted by political parties to achieve a certain percentage of women as candidates. According to Dahlerup, â€Å"History seems to prove that the implementation of a quota system is made easier in a new political system than in an older one, where most seats might be ‘occupied’, and consequently a conflict may arise between the interests of new groups versus those of the incumbent† (Karam ed. 1998). Countries that have implemented quotas for women are : Uganda, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Eritrea, Tanzania, Belgium, Italy and Namibia (Karam ed. 1998). An example of a newly democratized state where women played an important role in creating the institutions and the foundations of the state is South Africa. According to Seidman â€Å"During the South African transition women activists played a surprisingly important role in the negotiations, in the elections, and in designing the new state. Women’s participation is already leading to new approaches in policy making and, I will suggest, to the construction of a new vision of gendered citizenship† (Seidman 1999, p. 288). This illustrates the ambiguous relationship between development and democracy, and the relationship between the role played by women in freedom or independence struggles and their subsequent role in the new state. . However, it is more difficult to implement such mechanisms in older democracies where rules of procedure and systems are entrenched. Another reason is that the liberal democratic model creates systems that are less â€Å"gendered† than the participatory democracy model, for example, would. This may not have been done to purposely discriminate against women; it may be more about the general ideology of liberal democracy. A good illustration would be the case of the USA where the founding fathers of the American Constitution aimed at creating a â€Å"free† society. â€Å"Free† however, does not imply equal in resources or in condition. Liberal democracy can be therefore criticized because the state will strive to achieve the equality of disadvantaged people; it is more likely to act as a neutral mediator or even observer in the free, pluralist system, where the strongest group/ elite will prevail. It therefore follows that in such a system, reforms to improve the r epresentation of women in political activity will be piece-meal and gradual. References Corrin, C. (1999). Feminist Perspectives on Politics, Essex, Pearson Prentice Hall. Karam, A. (ed) (1998). Women in Parliament: Beyond Numbers, Stockholm, International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA). Waylen, G. (2003), Gender and Transitions: What Do We Know?, Democratisation, 10 (1), p. 157- 178. Waylen, G. (1994), Women and Democratisation: Conceptualising Gender Relations in Transition Politics. World Politics, 46 (3), p. 327- 354. Seidman, G. (1999), Gendered Citizenship: South Africa’s Democratic Transition and the Construction of a Gendered State, Gender and Society, 13 (3), p.287-307. Phillips, A. (1991), Engendering Democracy, Cambridge , Polity. Pateman, C. (1988), The Sexual Contract, Cambridge, Polity. Meny, Y. (2002), De la democratie en Europe: Old Concepts and New Challenges, Journal of Common Market Studies, 41 (1), p. 1-13. Dahl, R. (1989), Democracy and Its Critics, New Haven; London, Yale University Press. Rush, M (1992), Democracy and its Critics, Harvester Wheatsheaf, Prentice Hall. Norris, P. and Lovenduski, J. (1995), Political Recruitment: Gender, Race and Class in the British Parliament, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. 1 Footnotes [1] Adrienne Rich defines patriarchy as â€Å"a familial- social, ideological, political system in which men by force, direct pressure, or through ritual, tradition, law and language, customs, etiquette, education, and the division of labour, determine what part women shall or shall not play† (Corrin 1999, p.8 quoting Rich 1997). [2] Fraternity means â€Å"rule by brothers† and is seen by Feminists such as Pateman as equally discriminative against women as patriarchy [3] Plato and Aristotle had made this distinction in their writings (Phillips, 1991)

An Analysis of The Thurber Carnival Essay -- Thurber Carnival Essays

An Analysis of The Thurber Carnival  Ã‚     Ã‚  Ã‚   The Fables for Our Time contained in Thurber's The Thurber Carnival are, in my opinion, particularly good examples of a writer successfully 'breaking frames' in order to create humor and satire. In this essay I am going to explore the main methods Thurber uses to create humor and satire in the fables "The Shrike and the Chipmunks" and "The Unicorn in the Garden"2. Firstly though, what do I mean by the 'broken frame'? This is a reference to the idea that the violation of our 'frames of reference', and the recognition of the incongruity caused by it, is the basic element of humour. If the incongruity needs to be explained, the humour will be lost. Kant expresses this idea when he says "Laughter is an affection arising from a strained expectation being suddenly reduced to nothing"3. Thurber violates several different types of expectation in his attempts to create humour and satire. These range from expectation of the rules of fable and other literature, to expectation of characterisation, and expectation of the familiar saying. "The Shrike and the Chipmunks", is first and foremost a parody of the traditional fable. It has all the traditional ingredients: the anthropomorphised Chipmunks, corresponding with stereotyped human characters, the building of suspense over a perceived right and wrong type of behaviour, a corresponding climax, and a moral at the end. Anthropomorphism is a common technique of humour. Umberto Eco explains that this is so that the audience can laugh at the 'broken frame', without the discomfort of empathy with the frame breaker. "It is for this reason that the animalisation of the comic hero is so important"4. But quite apart from this use, Thur... ... 1-9. Kant, Immanuel. Critique of Judgement, Book II. E307 Photocopy. pp. 196-203. Thurber, James. The Thurber Carnival. Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Penguin Books, 1983.    End Notes 1. Umberto Eco, "Frames of Comic Freedom," in Carnival!, ed. T. A. Sebeok (Berlin: Mouton Publishers, 1984), p. 4. 2. James Thurber, The Thurber Carnival (Harmondsworth, Middlesex, England: Penguin Books, 1983). Fables for Our Time pp. 278 - 305. "The Shrike and the Chipmunks" pp. 290-291. "The Unicorn in the Garden" pp. 304-305. 3. Immanuel Kant, Critique of Judgement, Book II, E307 Photocoy. p. 199. 4. Eco, p. 2. 5. Thurber, p. 290. 6. Thurber, p. 290. 7. Thurber, p. 291. 8. Thurber, p.305. 9. Burton Bernstein, Thurber: A Biography (Great Britain: Lowe & Brydone, 1975), p. 308. 10. Eco, p. 2.      

Frankenstein and Blade Runner †Texts in Time Analysis Essay

Many themes and ideas continue to reoccur among different texts in time. However studying two texts in conjunction allows one to observe how composers manipulate ideas in order to more accurately connect to their context, and reflect the concerns and values of the time. Through the comparative study of Mary Shelley’s 1818 gothic novel Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus and Ridley Scott’s 1981 neo-noir cyberpunk film Blade Runner (Director’s Cut), one can observe how in these two didactic and prescient tales, ideas of the dangers of unrestrained scientific progress and the Promethean overreaching of man are explored, with differences in values presented reflecting the different contexts between the texts. Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein was created in an era of rapid technological change. By 1818, the Industrial Revolution had deeply influenced the fundamental nature of society, while Enlightenment inspired ideals of logic and autonomy of reason were prominent in society. Her text accordingly reflects this, as seen in the protagonist Victor Frankenstein; â€Å"I am imbued with a fervent longing to penetrate the secrets of nature. † This metaphor alludes to his passionate and desperate urge to uncover the secrets to the creation of life. Shelley however critiques his intrusive scientific pursuit and horrid creation by juxtaposing it with the beauty of nature. This is seen in the bucolic descriptions of nature’s sublime; â€Å"Mighty alps, whose white and shining pyramids and domes towered above all. † Nature calms and dehumanises Victor throughout the text, but Victor pursues science to the extent that nature loses its consoling ability, and thereafter the Arctic becomes a pathetic fallacy to mock Victor’s psychological and mental isolation. This criticism is further emphasised through the epistolary narrative framework, which allows the text to begin in medias res. The first introduction to Victor is him in a state of complete ruin, and so the text is a forewarning of the ramifications of amoral scientific advancement. In a similar manner, Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner was created in a time of rapid technological progress through the 1970s and 80s. The emergence of the computer and communication age meant that the world became more centralised, with a growing concern that technology was destroying the environment. Set in Los Angeles in 2019, the opening establishing shot of the expansive city immediately demonstrates the negative consequences of untamed scientific advancement. The fire belching into the sky, the artificial city lights sparkling under a looming red-grey sky and the haunting synthetic pulses from the Vangelis soundtrack allude to Hades, making the city a vision of hell. The camera then zooms into the reflection of an eye, which depicts the artificiality of the world and introduces dystopian themes of paranoia and surveillance. Hence we can see that Blade Runner is representative of a grim future that Shelley’s scientific hubris warned us of nearly two centuries ago. However there are alterations in the ideas shown to befit the differing contexts of the texts. Mary Shelley argues that an excessive pursuit of science can lead to the ruin of an individual man, seen in Victor Frankenstein. She also argues that nature is larger than man, evident in her highly Romantic descriptions of nature’s sublime. Ridley Scott however argues that man is overpowering nature, owing to the global concerns of pollution and deforestation in the 1980s. Hence Scott implies amoral scientific advancement will lead to the detriment of society as a whole, and not just at an individual level. Unequivocally, both texts explore the idea of the promethean overreaching of man and his tendency to usurp the role of God, through the characters of Victor Frankenstein and Tyrell. The subtitle of Mary Shelley’s novel, The Modern Prometheus, refers to Victor Frankenstein, and his creation of the monster. A new species would bless me as its creator and source† His creation however leads him to transcend the boundaries of man and elevate him into a god-like status, and this leads to Victor’s complete societal and mental isolation, where he loses sight of his responsibilities and the consequences of his actions. Victor compares himself to God, while the monster says to Victor â€Å"I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel†, referring to himself as Lucifer. This means the text is given added complexity in that there is a duality between both characters, where neither Victor or the monster are innately good or bad, rather they containing capacity for both, as they become two sides of a single entity, forming a doppelganger relationship. Finally, the literary allusion by Victor; â€Å"how could I enter into a festival with this deadly weight hanging round my neck? † is a reference to the albatross in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, and shows the eternal punishment and guilt Victor faces from outstretching the boundaries of man and playing the role of God. Therefore it is apparent that in her text, Shelley attempts to warn of the dire consequences of man’s promethean overreaching of the role of God. Correspondingly, the idea of man overstepping of the natural order is heavily explored in Blade Runner. The film is the epitome of a dystopian world dominated by commerce. The initial low angle shot of the Tyrell Corporation’s grand ziggurat-like monolith reflects the rampant commercialisation and commodification of the world, while the blue light shining into the sky pertains to the usurpation of God’s role, and the diminishment of nature in modern society. The Tyrell Corporation’s dominance criticises the â€Å"greed is good† attitude of the 1980s, typified through the antagonist Eldon Tyrell; â€Å"Commerce is our goal here at Tyrell, ‘More Human than Human’ is our motto. † His thick glasses symbolise his failure to see the future consequences of his actions, much like Victor, and this adds to the eye motif of the film, where eyes are windows to the soul and measures of humanity – something which Tyrell clearly lacks. Roy Batty, the film’s role-reversed protagonist, is portrayed initially as a Satanic figure; â€Å"I’ve done questionable things†, akin to the monster being labelled â€Å"daemon† and â€Å"devil† in Frankenstein. However Scott makes a biblical allusion when Batty crucifies his own hand, and this relates him to Christ. Thus one can see how in both texts the composers warn of the dangers of usurping the role of god, showing the complexity and duality of man on Earth. Mary Shelley’s romantic values however mean that through the character of Victor, she aims to criticise the overreaching aspect of Enlightenment, warning that those who do will be eternally punished. Ridley Scott however aims to condemn the overcommercialisation and increasing greed in society, using Tyrell as a figure to represent man’s obsession for power, and in such he criticises the society that we live in. In these ways it can be seen how the overreaching of god in both texts is used differently to resonate with different contextual values. Therefore, through a comparative study of both Frankenstein and Blade Runner, we can see how the common issues of rampant scientific and technological progress and the usurpation of the natural order is explored in both texts, however these ideas are varied slightly in order to suit the differing contexts. Frankenstein aims at questioning Enlightenment values, while Blade Runner condemns materialism, unhinged genetic engineering and corporal greed, essentially critiquing society and presenting a dystopian vision of the future.

Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958) Essay Essays

Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958) Essay Essays Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958) Essay Essay Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958) Essay Essay Vertigo is a 1958 movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock that has stood the trial of clip in the horror genre. It is considered to be one of the seminal movies in the genre non merely because it set the tone for the movies to follow but besides because it exhibited legion characteristics and techniques that would function to revolutionize the manner in which films were made. The camera angles. usage of infinite. filming. particular effects and sound all contribute to the overall consequence achieved. As such. this essay will analyze each of the above with a position to reasoning that Hitchcock rejuvenated the horror genre with Vertigo and provided a maestro category in utilizing cinematic techniques for consequence. The first technique of note is the manner in which camera angles are used in order to make an ambiance of fright. giving the feeling that the characters are traveling in one barbarous circle. The usage of the camera â€Å"†¦ simulates panicked feelings of acrophobia ( fright of highs ) felt by Scottie Ferguson ( James Stewart ) . † ( Pramaggiore A ; Wallis. 2004. p. 127 ) . For illustration. at one point in the movie. a stairway is filmed from the really top. This non merely alludes to the cyclical nature of the narrative because the bell tower stairway is so round but besides narrows the shooting. The semblance of falling from a great tallness is fostered in this shooting and so in others. like that in which Stewart appears to be standing on the shelf. Furthermore. the camera angles besides link straight to the semblance of infinite: â€Å"†¦ serves as a templet for cardinal subjects: the topography of a metropolis and its environing countryside matched by quandary of sexual pick. guilt and compulsion. † ( Orr. 2005. p. 137 ) . The position from the bell tower ever appears to be black. therefore mirroring the overtones of the secret plan. The sound used besides highlights the cyclical nature of the narrative. In an interview in Sight and Sound. Scorsese pointed out that â€Å"†¦ the music is besides built around spirals and circles. fulfillment and desperation. Herrmann truly understood what Hitchcock was traveling for – he wanted to perforate to the bosom of compulsion. † ( 2004 ) . Scorsese’s appraisal is right and this is typified by the scenes in which Madeline and Judy fall to their deceases. The sound is similar in both cases and actively signifies the sarcasm that the get downing point of the film is besides the terminal. However. it is non merely the usage of music that has a important impact of the tone of the film but besides the silence. Hitchcock uses silence improbably good and merely provides duologue as and when he has to. For illustration. even the confession scene at the denouement of the film is non as full of vocabulary as it may be in other movies. Wordss are used meagerly and to do a point. Particular effects and cinematographic techniques are non used every bit meagerly as the duologue in an effort to convey the tenseness desired. Hitchcock doubtless used rear projection in Vertigo: â€Å"Foreground and background tend to look starkly offprint. partially because of the absence of dramatis personae shadows from foreground to play down. partially because all background planes tend to look every bit diffuse. † ( Bordwell A ; Thompson. 1996. p. 244 ) . This is an illustration of both of these characteristics and there are legion illustrations of this in the movie. such as the point at which Novak and Stewart snog against the background of the ocean. The histrions were filmed and so imposed on a natural background. therefore waiving the usage of shadow. As such. there is something innately unnatural about it. which follows the secret plan. The movie stock is besides color and this besides helps to extinguish the usage of visible radiation and dark. therefore enhances this peculiar consequence. In decision. there can be small uncertainty that Hitchcock rejuvenated the horror genre with Vertigo and provided a maestro category in utilizing cinematic techniques for consequence. There are legion techniques used within the film to assist lend to the cyclical and slightly claustrophobic atmosphere. Again. this serves to rise the tenseness. The saving usage of duologue and first-class usage of sound effects. when paired with the movie stock and clever camera angles. surely enhance the narrative and finally allowed Hitchcock to make one of the best cinematic illustrations of horror in history. Bibliography Bordwell. David A ; Thompson. Kristin. 1996. Film Art: An Introduction. 5th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill. Orr. John. 2005. Hitchcock and Twentieth Century Cinema. London: Wallflower Press. Pramaggiore. Maria A ; Wallis. Tom. 2005. Movie: A Critical Introduction. London: Laurence King Publishing. Scorsese. Martin. 2004. The Best Music in Film. Sight and Sound ( September 2004 ) . [ Online ] Available at: hypertext transfer protocol: //www. bfi. org. uk/sightandsound/filmmusic/detail. php? t=d A ; q=42 [ Accessed 10 May 2010 ] . Vertigo. 1958. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. USA: Paramount Pictures.

Abuse of elderly - Smart Custom Writing Samples

Abuse of elderly - Smart Custom Writing French architectureReliable history of French architecture begins with the Middle Ages, from the XI century, as reliable information about the earlier Celtic and Frankish cultures did not survive. In France, mainly in the south, in Provence and Dauphine, the remains of temples of the Gallo-Roman period are saved. Among numerous places of worship and fantastic beauty are two buildings – Chartres Cathedral and Pantheon. From the point of view of Art History these masterpieces attract universal attention. For this paper just these very buildings were chosen because of great popularity, unique history, out of the ordinary design etc. All these factors make the work given unusual, interesting for readers and informative for those who studies Art History. As France is home to the Gothic style, it is considered that foundation is the church architecture, French Gothic reaches its peak in the era of "rayonnat" style, vivid example of which is the cathedral of Chartres; Pantheon, in tu rn, is one of the most magnificent buildings in Paris of neoclassical style. This significant difference, which is expressed in design, materials, technology, lay-out, decoration and function was the reason for writing such paper. It also can be considered as a comparative characteristic among the reasons of showing the interest to this topic. Chartres Cathedral shows the highest achievements of Gothic architecture. The three-building plan is a Latin cross with a short three-nave and transept deambulatory. The eastern part of the temple has several semi-circular radial chapels. Three of them were markedly in favor of the boundary of semicircle deambulatory, the four other are less deep. At the time of construction the vaults of Chartres Cathedral were the highest in France, which was achieved through the use of based on the abutment of flying buttresses. Additional flying buttresses supporting the apse, appeared in the XIV century. Chartres Cathedral was the first in the construction of which was used this architectural element, which gives it a completely unprecedented external shape, increased the size of windows and the height of the nave (36 feet).[1] Feature of the appearance of the cathedral are its two very different towers. 105-meter spire of the south tower built in 1140 is in the form of unpretentious Romanesque pyramid. North tower of 113 feet has a base, the remainder of the Romanesque cathedral and the spire of the tower appeared at the beginning of the XVI century in the style of Flamboyant Gothic. Chartres Cathedral has nine portals, three of which have survived from the old Romanesque cathedral. Northern portal dates from the year 1230 and contains a sculpture of the Old Testament characters. South Portal, created between 1224 and 1250 years, using stories of the New Testament to the central composition, dedicated to Judgment. Western portal of Christ and the Virgin Mary, popularly known as the Royal, is dated 1150 and is known for depicting Christ in glory, established in the XII century. Entrances to the north and south transepts are decorated with sculptures of the XIII century. Total decorations of the cathedral ha ve about 10,000 sculptures of stone and glass. On the south side of the cathedral are astronomical clock of the XVI century. Before the failure of the mechanism in 1793, they showed not only time but also the day of the week, month, time of sunrise and sunset, moon phases and the current zodiac sign.[2] The shape of Pantheon is also the cross (pic. 2). It is located on top of the hill of Saint Genevieve. Pantheon is a temple with a large dome, built in honor of the patroness of Paris, St. Genevieve. It was built in 1758-1789 under the project of Soufflet in the heart of the Latin Quarter. During the French Revolution, it was decided to use it as a shrine to the outstanding French. It is a huge structure: its length of 110 meters, width 82 m, height 83 m. crosswise building is topped by a huge dome. Huge powerful facade, on the pediment is the famous inscription â€Å"AUX GRANDS HOMMES LA PATRIE RECONNAISSANTE† ("Grateful motherland to great people"). Soufflet decided to recreate the typical Gothic architecture sensations of light, space and proportion in the classic (if not Roman) forms. To this end, he took advantage of the plan in the form of a Greek cross, the nave and chapels which were designed as a system of flat arches and semicircular arches, supported by rows of colu mns in the interior. Bulk composition of the building develops the idea of central-domical facilities, of having in terms the outlines of a Greek cross. Central dome rises to a height of almost 120 m. Its goal in this project was the combination of strict regularity and monumental Romanesque vaulted ceilings with graceful ease of supporting columns and freestanding Corinthian columns. In its plan the church had the form of a Greek cross, with a facade placed huge temple pediment. Free-standing columns were unable to maintain the dome of the building, and it eventually had been propped up. The outer surfaces of the walls almost without decoration solved using the classical contrast of dismembered and undifferentiated mass.[3]   As it can be seen, both the Pantheon and Chartres Cathedral have the shape of cross in their planning and Gothic style of building in the base. No less remarkable is the interior of the Chartres cathedral. The spacious nave, unmatched in all of France, rushes to the magnificent apse in the eastern part of the cathedral. Between the arcades and rows of the upper windows of the nave is trifory, massive columns of the cathedral are surrounded by four powerful pilasters. Arcade of deambulatory surrounds the choir and altar area, which are separated from the rest of the carved wall. The wall appeared at the beginning of the XVI century and during next two centuries was gradually decorated with carved figures depicting scenes from the life of Christ and the Virgin. (pic. 3) The central part of the facade has retained a heavy Romanesque wall, which is embedded in the three magnificent portals, belonging to the XII century. In the central portal of the Royal track is "Christ in Glory" - on both sides of the figure of Christ are fantastic winged animals and beneath them is a wide belt with sculpted figures of saints. In the central p ortal of the south facade you can see the relief of "Judgment Day" (about 1210-20), differing with forms of generosity and deep spirituality of the images. It is considered as one of the best reliefs the heyday of the Gothic (pic. 4). In the center of the cathedral floor is designed as a circle inscribed in the "labyrinth" - figured laying of multicolored stones, which has been preserved only partially. The circle has a diameter of 12.89 meters and the length of the labyrinth is 261.5 m. The size of the labyrinth is almost identical to the size of the window rose of the western facade, and the distance from the western entrance to the maze is exactly equal to the height of the window. (pic. 5,6) Chartres Cathedral is one of the few Gothic cathedrals of France, who kept almost unchanged its glazing. It is decorated with stained glass of 12-13 centuries, occupying an area of about 2600 sq.m., it is the largest extant ensembles of stained glass of that era. In the cathedral there are 146 stained glass windows, which, except for some figures are shown in 1359 different story. (pic. 7) Stained glass windows decorate with "roses" of the main transept. Stained glass windows of Chartres Cathedral are extremely intensity a nd purity of color and range of subject images. Along with scenes from the Old and New Testaments, the prophets and saints - they take advantage of the upper band – at the bottom is about a hundred scenes from the life of kings, knights, artisans, who sacrificed stained glass windows in the cathedral, and one of the "roses" is dedicated to the peasants. Particular performance skill, memorable power of the image are windows depicting the Virgin Mary, stained window with scenes from the life of St. Evstafy and a portrait of Charlemagne. The richest external and internal decorations of the cathedral have a total of about 10,000 sculptures. The cathedral has a huge carved wooden altar, which shows forty stories on evangelical issues. A distinctive feature of the stained glass windows of Chartres Cathedral is an extraordinary richness and purity of the colors, the secret receipt of which was lost. For images typical extraordinary breadth of subject matter: scenes from the Old and New Testament stories of prophets, kings, knights, artisans, and even peasants. [4] Chartres Cathedral is built of very durable sandstone, which is mined in quarries of Bersher, 8 km from Chartres. Some blocks of stone in the cathedral walls are 2-3 feet long and a meter in height. Columns of the Pantheon create a prospect of a spectacular interior, richly decorated and refined with classical ornamentation and relief. The building is perceived as a monument to enlightenment, a bright mind, citizenship. Soufflet really managed to reach the Gothic lightness in classic guise. Numerous sculptures and murals on the walls are devoted to the history of St. Genevieve - the memory of a time when the building was of her name. To the central dome a huge Foucault pendulum showing the rotation of the Earth is suspended. Staircase at the entrance to the temple leads to the "pronaos" (porch) with 22 columns, which support the pediment. On the pediment is sculpture of the allegorical story of David d'Anzhera 1831, representing France, between Freedom and History. The walls are decorated with frescoes, the most famous of which are scenes from the life of St. Genevieve, executed by Puvis de Chavannes. The crypt, which is located under the church, keeps the ashes of many famous p eople: here the tomb of Victor Hugo (placed here in 1885), as well as the tombs of Emile Zola, Voltaire, Soufflet, Carnot and Mirabeau. 425 steps lead to the summit of cathedral, where magnificent panorama of the city is opened to the eye. At the exit from the Parthenon the semi-circular area with two symmetrical buildings on the right and left overlooks, and stretching far out Soufflet street between them with rising above the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Such a triumph of symmetry arose here at the behest of Soufflet, which was concerned not only about building the church, but also the spectacular organization of space around it. [5] To understand the function and value of construction of these buildings we need to turn to history. At the place of modern Chartres Cathedral were a lot of the churches. From 876 year the Holy Shroud of the Virgin Mary is kept in Chartres. Instead of the first cathedral, burned down in 1020, a Romanesque cathedral with huge crypt was built. He survived a fire in 1134, which destroyed almost the entire city, but was badly damaged in a fire of June 10, 1194. From the fire, made by lightning, survived only towers with the western facade and crypt. Miraculous escape from the fire of the sacred shroud was considered a sign from above, and prompted the construction of a new, more ambitious building. Chartres Cathedral preserved to this day virtually untouched. It escaped the devastation and plunder, was never restored and rebuilt. As to the Pantheon, it is of no less value. The Pantheon was built in 1758-1789 under the project Soufflet in the heart of the Latin Quarter. The building is conceived as the Church of St. Genevieve, but already in 1791 it was decided to turn the building into the Pantheon, a monument to the great men of France. In two-plus centuries this building became a classic, which was followed and subverted by next generation of architects. For the Baroque, with its pomp, pretentiousness and decorative fancifulness, the return to the strict simplicity of ancient Greece was almost a shock. Therefore, the project angered conservatives and delighted progressives. Soufflet decided to join in its creation the best achievements of world architecture, accumulated by that time. He created a magnificent six-Greek portico, crowned with a dome building, which the ancient Greeks did not know, made the interior a light and bright, as in the Gothic style but used vaulted ceilings of Romanesque. 5    Coming to conclusion we can say that both buildings are of great historical value and have a lot in common: both are cathedrals (in first planning), the lay-out is cross-formed shape with decorations and elements of corresponding era, decorations and frescos depict the scenes from the life. Architectural images are less unique, embody not private, transitory "spirit of the times", but more typically, the leading art sights and tastes of society. These qualities determine the value of outstanding architectural monuments as a historical source: they bring to us in its content not random, but typical, not private, but the main feature views of the era.

Cases for Analysis Coursework Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Cases for Analysis - Coursework Example 2. It is understandable why Yellowstone wishes to settle all the claims out of court. A trial would inform public opinion about the low quality of the mowers and would harm the company’s image. It is also understandable why the company’s lawyers keep the claims out of the court. Considering the fact that this is an abnormally dangerous defect, Yellowstone should act ethically and just publicly admit its fault, retrieve all the mowers from the shops and work on repairing them. However, the ones that should go to court and accept no settlement are the injured parties, the consumers who have suffered because of the defected products. 3. Again, it is understandable why Yellowstone would like to include the secrecy clause in the settlement agreements. If one party were to start talking about the defect of the mower and about the fact that the claim was kept out of the court in change for an impressive sum, Yellowstone would be forced to deal with one of the two situations: 1 . Their sales would grow, as a result of people looking at this like at a business opportunity: buy one defective mower, wait until it explodes, threaten the manufacturer with a lawsuit and get a refund from Yellowstone, or 2. Their sales would be drastically reduced as a result of the bad publicity. None of the situations looks good so that is why secrecy clauses are included in the settlements. The morality of this is doubtful and the reasons why the affected consumers accept this are even more questionable. Legally, such clauses are not prohibited and are, on one hand, acceptable. However, cumulating the fact that none of the defection cases is made public, the products continue to be sold, in spite of their obvious defects and the insertion of the secrecy clause in the settlements, the situation, on the whole, is not legal and the company’s marketing policy is based on deceiving the clients. 4. As it has been stated before, the answer to this question is No; the injured p arties are not acting ethically when agreeing not to disclose the products’ defect to others. They are consciously accepting the fact that somebody else may be injured. Moreover, in legal terms, these people are liable under the law of tort, as acting with recklessness towards the possible hundreds of victims. The Restatement (Second) of Torts defines reckless conduct as it follows: â€Å"The actor's conduct is in reckless disregard of the safety of another if he does an act or intentionally fails to do an act which it is his duty to the other to do, knowing or having reason to know of facts which would lead a reasonable [person] to realize, not only that his conduct creates an unreasonable risk of physical harm to another, but also that such risk is substantially greater than that which is necessary to make his conduct negligent.†2 Although this definition is close to negligence, no matter what tort is applicable, all the parties that agreed to the secrecy clause did not act ethically or legally correct. CHAPTER 2 CASE 4 In my opinion, the right guaranteed by the Fourteenth Amendment to the USA Constitution is violated in this case by Mississippi University for Women. Section 1 of the Fourteenth Amendment stipulates: â€Å"All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they

Air traffic controllers Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Air traffic controllers - Assignment Example In addition to that, the confrontation polarized American politics in ways that hinder the populace from dealing with the root of the country’s economic problems. Reagan took an enormous risk by firing the individuals on strike. Air travel was put in serious jeopardy, and the system took several years and cost billions of dollars (more than the amount demanded by PATCO) to return to normal (Daily Kos 2012) The number of workers taking part in walkouts in 2010 was two percent less than it had been in 1952 when the actors’ strike was led by Reagan. Unions therefore lack the leverage once associated with strikes, and have not been able to put pressure on employers to raise wages with the rise in productivity. Inequality has risen to a level that was not experienced since the 1920s when Reagan was in his boyhood (Daily Kos 2012). The event was and is still rightfully a moment that can be considered an attempt by the Republican Party to annihilate unions as well as the union movement. Since Reagan’s confrontation with PATCO, there has been a precipitous decline in the membership of unions, coupled with working class Americans experiencing stagnant salaries and wages, while the pay of senior executives who control big industries and corporations rises to unimaginable levels. During the last days of his 1980 election campaign, Reagan wrote to Robert Poli-PATCO’s president, expressing his understanding of the many concerns air traffic controllers experienced with regard to working conditions, pay, and outmoded equipment. He made a promise to avail up-to date equipment and working schedules that were not brutal, in accordance with public safety. PATCO endorsed Reagan, who on becoming president acted in contravention to his word (Daily Kos 2012). Based on the premises mentioned, Reagan was wrong to f ire the traffic controllers. Daily Kos. (2012).† Remembering