Wednesday, October 30, 2019

U.S. law-making and implementation Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

U.S. law-making and implementation - Essay Example However, the process of law making is not as easy as it appears since it involves lengthy processes, as well as political involvement, which makes law making and implementation very complex. Law making starts with only one member making a proposal based on legislation idea from outside or inside the congress. Members of the congress receive drafts from academics, the state legislature, interest groups, executive branch departments, the president, and the federal agencies. When members like the concept that is in the draft, they will introduce it as their own idea or they can distance themselves from it and introduce it by request. This means that they introduce the bill just because of professional courtesy and not because they embrace the ideas in the proposal. A legislative proposal made by the president is given advance publicity or he announces it formally when giving a speech in a state of the union or when giving a press conference. An example is president Obama’s proposal on Gun control and the 2010 act on healthcare. However, a proposal emanating from the president does not have privileges of passing into a law automatically; it must pass through the proc ess as any other bill. Politics from both sides of the government have a great influence on the passing of a bill. Although, for the case of the president, he can rely on his party for support, there is still a great challenge because the other party might fail to support the bill (U.S. G.P.O. 3). Furthermore, the checks and balances of American traditional law making process limit the president’s powers by not allowing him to pass his own legal proposal into law without hustle. Hence, for the bill to pass, he must lobby ferociously just as the other legislative advocates do to protect and respect the independence of the American legislature from the executives. For instance, the legislative proposal on gun control by

Monday, October 28, 2019

Sufism & Its Effects On Islamic Culture Essay Example for Free

Sufism Its Effects On Islamic Culture Essay â€Å"Sufism is the journey and the realization of truth, and a Sufi, is the seeker of truthâ€Å" (Janghda, 144). Therefore, in order to understand the lives of Sufis and their contribution to Islam, one must first comprehend the meaning of Sufism. â€Å"Sufism is the spiritual practice by which one can achieve ultimate spiritual gratification. The term ‘Sufism’ has been derived from various words, such as ‘Safa’ which means ‘pure’ and ‘Saff’ which means high in rank† (All About Religion). All these meanings have one thing in common which is also apparent by the looks of a Sufi, uniqueness. That Sufis do not fit the general perception of a man or woman, they were people who gave up the world’s material belongings and it’s luxuries to explore the inner self. â€Å"One must live in the world, not be of the world†, Jamal ad-Din al-Rumi. Love is the basis of Sufism, like most of the religions of this world and the core objective of Sufism is to find the oneness. A Sufi must realize that God exists everywhere, as the creator and the creation. Tasawwuf is a practice in Sufism in which one purifies oneself by the remembrance and obedience of God. It is the complete detachment from the worldly issues and devoting your mind, body and soul to God. This practice is similar to conventional Islamic practices such as zikr and prayer. Thus to achieve a status of a Sufi, one must go through many levels, such as killing your ego, breaking away from the material wants and loving everything, as all is created by God. Sufism has no boundaries as it a spiritual religion; it seeks truth through divinity and not sections. Instead of mentors or preachers who have learned about religion through people, a Sufi seeks his own answers. There are no value of favoritism and preference, all creations are equal. Sufism is not just a religion, it is a way of thinking and a lifestyle, and thus one must be open-minded, tolerant and humble to start the journey. Without these traits one cannot achieve spiritual enlightenment. â€Å"Therefore, most of the well known Sufis that have passed have known to not conform to the society they reside in, providing knowledge about Islamic mysticism to their people through poems, stories and various texts which are still enchanting and informing people till this day† (Arbery, 15). Farid ud-Din Attar was a similar mystic, born in the city of Nishapur in Iran and also buried in a tomb in Nishapur (The Free Dictionary). Although he lived over centuries ago but some of Attar’s works are still read and appreciated even now. His name Attar, meant herbalist who was also his profession, as he was a well-known medic. He would see hundreds of patients daily, prescribing herbal medicines that he himself prepared to his patients. In his days of youth, he travelled comprehensively through Egypt, Damascus and even performed pilgrimage at Mecca in search for wisdom. After a long journey, Attar came back to his hometown and embarked on his Sufi journey. During this time, Attar wrote tremendous texts but his most well known is Maqamat-e Toyur (The Conference of the Birds). Attar’s ability to look beyond the texts and find a deeper meaning in not just readings but in every daily doings made him a better author and poet, his teachings and poems still are relevant for that alone reason. Attar passed away in old age, even though the details of his death are weary but a traditional tale does narrate the demise of Attar. In this folk tale, Attar had been made a prisoner by the Mongol when they invaded Nishapur. During that time, an unknown person came to the Mongol king and offered a thousand pieces of silver in turn of Attar’s freedom. When Attar heard this, he recommended the king to not take such a ransom, and the king did just that in greed. Later, another man came to the emperor and offered him a bundle of straws in exchange of Attar’s freedom, to which Attar advised the king to take the offer, as that is what he was worth. When the Mongol king heard this, he decapitated Attar in anger (Arbery, 74). The authenticity of this tale is not important but the message it has is very valuable. It shows that a man of such knowledge of religion, mysticism and medicine, thought of himself as only worthy of a bundle of straws rather than thousand pieces of silver. Therefore, a Sufi must be self-less to attain the truth. The truth is that the body of a person is just a shell, in which the soul resides, a soul that mirrors God. Even if you kill the body, which is of no value, the soul will live on forever.

Saturday, October 26, 2019

Cheating Essay -- Education Cheating Cheater Essays

Cheating There is an ever broadening problem spreading throughout colleges all across America: cheating. Is it a serious offence or just a harmless crime? Cheating is on the rise, but schools and colleges are not far behind with ways of dealing with it. Mark Clayton deals with this issue in his essay entitled â€Å"A Whole Lot of Cheatin’ Going On.† Clayton’s essay is heavily quoted along with an obvious absence of his ideas. The reader is supposed to believe that his quotes accurately represent his views on the matter at hand. Clayton’s essay is primarily pathos due to the amount of quoted ideas. The essay starts off quoting a freshman at University of Texas: â€Å"’Cheating is an answer. It might not be a good answer, but none the less it is an answer.’† (20) Clayton goes on saying that the student does not believe in cheating but was only trying to prove a point. Clayton later quotes an associate provost at Rutgers University who describes how cheating is on the rise. Clayton says, â€Å"He and others blame poor role models and lack of parental guidance for the growing acceptance of cheating in colleges.† (20) Neither Clayton nor the associate provost proves themselves to make a pathos statement such as this one. Clayton never states why the reader should trust what he has to say or what he believes. All of his information comes from quoted material; so what makes his position any more credible than the average Joe with access to the internet or a library? Ethos is integrated well with Clayton’s personal feelings by stating, â€Å"[P]ervasive change in societal values [can make] students easily be snared if they lack a strong moral compass.† (20) However, Clayton goes right back to his quotes after having only one de... ...y, I’ll go next week. You do the reading this week, I’ll do it next week.† (24) These students and others usually do not find sharing work to be a form of cheating. They simply help each other. However, colleges with honor codes feel that by placing students in an honest environment, they are more likely to be honest themselves. On the whole, Clayton does a good job at presenting a problem, explaining it, and even describes what is being done about it; however, he does not do a good job at presenting an argument on his own. His entire view on the matter at hand is expressed through quotes with little-to-no emotional views of his own. He uses pathos, logos, and ethos throughout his article even though he heavily stands on the ethos of other people. I would consider this to be more of an informative essay that depicts just how much cheating really is going on.

Thursday, October 24, 2019

Poduct Life Cycle

Note:- Company has stopped manufacturing this model. The Rajdoot Deluxe has a powerful 175 cc, 9 BHP engine with electronic ignition. This tough and highly durable motorcycle has making it a total economy bike by virtue of its low running costs, easy serviceability and high re-sale value. WiWith over 16 lakh bikes on the road, Rajdoot continues to be the favourite of the Indian masses. Its relevant technology for the Indian road condition makes it suitable for all types of terrain.The Rajdoot Deluxe with 4-gear transmission for excellent riding comes in exciting colours with chrome plated mudguard and is the favorite so far. | TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS OF RAJDOOT DELUXE| Engine| Type| 2 Stroke| Displacement| 173cc| Bore x stroke| 61. 5x58mm| Max. Power| 9/5000 rpm| Max. torque| 1. 37/3500 rpm | Starting | Kick start| Transmission| 4 speed, const. mesh| Clutch | Wet, multi disc| Chassis| Frame| Double cradle| Tyres – Front| 3. 00Ãâ€"19-4PR| Tyres – Rear| 3. 0x19-4PR| Sus pension – Front| Telescopic Hydraulic | Suspension – Rear| Hydraulic Coil Spring| Fuel tank capacity| 9. 2| Dry weight| 114. 0| Dimensions| LxWxH| 2095x760x1115| Ground clearence| 175| Wheelbase| 1280| Electricals| System| 12 AC| Ignition| Electronic CDI| Source: http://www. yamaha-motor-india. com/| Ads by GoogleProduct Lifecycle Control Software to manage the entire product lifecycle and data. www. softexpert. com/product-controlStart your own businessIn Computer Education industry Join hands with Aptech www. aptech-education. comPresenting Mahindra e2o The Next Gen Electric Car The Future Of Mobility Is Here www. mahindrae2o. com/know-more| Two Wheeler Showroom  » Motorcycles  » Scooters  » Scooterettes/Mopeds  » Sports Bikes Browse by Capacity Two Wheelers by Brands http://topforeignstocks. com/foreign-adrs-list/the-full-list-of-indianadrs/ http://www. indiainfoline. com/MarketStatistics/ADR http://www. equitymaster. com/stockquotes/adr. asp

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Change Management Essay

New consultants are hired to help Riordan Manufacturing in creating a processing for monitoring client’s information that would involve all workers to utilize the same client’s administration process. In part one of this project the consultants would require evaluation of the organization’s intranet site and verification of information. This process would help them in creating an improved administration plan which would consist of many components. For example, proposal of a plan to help execute changes during the upcoming year and clarification of the evaluation processes while ensuring the modification plan is completed. In the second part of this project, the consultants will make a reference to a communication tactic for the proposed change and the effect that would potentially have on the organization. The consultants are to come up with a change management plan and a communication plan for Riordan Manufacturing. Section I: Change Management Plan Riordan Manufacturing is an organization that operates on a bureaucratic system. Separate divisions have managers who are reporting to higher up management. However, even these upper managers, eventually, would have to report to the president and CEO of the organization, Dr.  Michael Riordan. The bureaucracy has a system in place that is similar to the matrix system. Riordan Manufacturing divisions consist of people who carry out specific jobs and every division has its own informal systems, which are created by building working relations jointly. Riordan Manufacturing inspires workers to report any problem or issue that they might have directly to their superior. This would encourage every worker to openly deal with the administration, work in a great environment where interactions could be apparent and attitudes can be positive. Worker behavior would improve greatly because of the open door policy and open interaction because they would be able to express their concerns. When workers feel encouraged to express themselves at liberty, it increases the commitment to the organization and job satisfaction. Even though Riordan Manufacturing needs to create new client administration process, it should continue to accept the matrix structure that is currently in place. By creating a new client administration method it would enable everyone to assess the information of all clients. Retaining the existing matrix system would allow them to ontinue on improving team efforts to progress in the completion of the work that is expected of every division of the Riordan Manufacturing organization. Riordan Manufacturing is a plastics manufacturer with over 500 employees and it is headquartered San Jose (California), and has locations in Albany (Georgia), Pontiac (Michigan), and Hangzhou (China). Riordan Manufacturing products comprise plastic products, such as drink cans, custom-made components, as well as fan mechanisms. Their major clientele are auto and plane component, bottle, and appliance manufacturers, as well as a Department of Defense. To ensure that Riordan Manufacturing delivers these products to their clients, they must implement outstanding and positive worker behavior. Worker’s behavior affects they work performance and their reaction to their work environment, their managers, and clients. Riordan’s tradition comprises of fairness, self-confidence, commitment, imaginative and team-work oriented atmosphere, job performance evaluations, incentives, academic assistance, benefits, vacations, day care assistance, as well as the employees compensation insurance. Riordan appears to be a manufacturing organization that is trying to become a first choice for their customer as a plastic component provider. However, as many other organizations, Riordan Manufacturing could experience issues that would need to be addressed and modified. These issues could hinder the organization’s progress and improvement especially in today’s economy. For example, some workers are unable to deal with the changes and they could become reluctant to perform their jobs. Some employees are avoiding changes because of insufficient information on the changes that are being implemented, being taken out of their comfort zone, insecurity, personal views, job security, peer pressure, as well as a lack of confidence. Even though the employees could show resistance to the change managers would help them to deal with the situation and assist them during the transition to ensure that the implemented change becomes efficient. Managers could implement the change by relying information clearly, by being open, recognizing employees concerns, and respecting the employees. Managers should provide support by allowing them to have a face to face meeting in regards to the changes and explain the benefits of the changes by providing additional training. Also, managers must place the reluctant employees with others who are familiar with the changes that are being implemented. This would help the reluctant employees see that the changes would be worthwhile and beneficial to the organization and its advantages, as well as a possibility of their own jobs to become easier. With any change in management systems we will be expecting some resistance as discussed earlier in our presentation. Once the initiative to change is underway and in progress we will analyze the employees’ reaction to the interruption in their daily activates to identify areas that the employees may be having trouble integrating for the first 6 weeks. Allowing employees sufficient time to dissect and troubleshoot some of the unfamiliar process will give them the opportunity to challenge themselves for growth opportunities and additionally allowing them to develop noteworthy questions and concerns that will assist us to tailor the program to their individual needs. Most major changes in initiatives used to improve profitability normally fail due to incorrect guidance and project mismanagement expertise, which we intend to improve with our 12 month program that we call â€Å"Rehab†. Following the first six weeks of introduction the unveiling of our 40 hours of seminars will commence, which will be used to inform employees of how the system is more beneficial to them, and how the Data Management, Business intelligence, and Data Warehousing will be significantly more applicable to the end-user, which will increase their productivity that will additionally benefit the organization’s bottom-line. One key consideration that will be discussed with the employees is their drop in productivity during the first year of the Change Management implementation; we are fully aware that organizations don’t change – people change. Using our world renowned process takes time to fully be incorporated in the daily operations; we will be fully engaged onsite with our four member management team, who will be localized and embedded in your organization to assist all employees in-depth with this drop in performance for the duration of our contract. With over 25 years successfully working with companies of various sizes across the business sector, you can trust in our process methods to keep your business moving in a positive direction a while minimizing people risk. Prior to idea of making an improvement to our data management system we would depend on the accuracy of the employees, with the Data management system we will be able to track and monitor everything from Recordkeeping, monitoring, situational monitoring, and performance monitor. The improvements will allow us to do safe guard against violations of right by allowing access to documents externally, use data received to create lessons learned that we can use to train incoming staffers, build a better reputation for our stakeholders by giving them access to necessary information, and last but not least the ability form documents to be tampered will be drastically reduced. We are only looking at a successful change; the idea of failure is not foreseeable. Section II: Communication Plan  The form used to communicate a change to employees is just as important as the change and message in itself. In this case, the appropriate channel of communicating the change to the employees is a meeting with a PowerPoint presentation. The face to face communication will provide an opportunity for the employees to bring up concerns about the change and ask questions. The employees should be encouraged to be comfortable voicing their concerns. The PowerPoint presentation can be presented in order for everyone to see the goals, plans, and details of the change. These channels of communication will provide the employees with the information about the change while the person presenting it can offer reassurance and answers to questions. The group will have a visual to receive the message and the person who is presenting will be able to give face to face discussions regarding concerns and assurances. Potential barriers to communicating this change include the possibility of misinterpretation of some of the information presented, different point of view and expectations among the employees, and assumptions made by employees and presenter. Strategies for overcoming these barriers include the presenter encouraging people to ask questions, clarifying information, anticipating possible questions and asking those questions. The group needs to be comfortable asking questions and should be encouraged to do so. Any misinterpretations need to be clarified. And the person presenting can come up with questions that people will likely ask and bring them up in the discussion to encourage others to be involved in communication.

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

Beer and Brandy essays

Beer and Brandy essays Parody is defined as a literary or musical work in which the style of an author or work is closely imitated for comic effect or in ridicule. The elements of parody are apparent throughout many of the episodes of The Simpsons. The episode that I thought showed the best elements of parody, when contrasted to a movie is the episode called, Bart of Darkness which parodies the Alfred Hitchcock movie Rear Window. The similarities I will examine are the setting, and the similarities of the female characters. I believe that though seen by many as a low humor cartoon, The Simpsons incorporates many aspects of high humor as well. This is achieved through the parodying of a classic film such as Rear Window. As the movie Rear Window begins it shows the thermostat, to give the impression that it is a incredibly hot summer day. Because of the heat, most of the people keep their windows and blinds up to help manage the hot temperatures, and this leaves everyones personal lives open for any voyeur to intrude upon. With nothing better to do within the small confinements of his one room apartment than sit around with a broken leg, Mr. Jefferies sits at his window and becomes familiar with his neighbors daily routines, and activities. The setting in The Simpsons episode is set up in a similar, but more humorous way. In the Simpsons episode the heat is established be scenes such as Homer in the kitchen with a tent built around the refrigerator to make a cooler area for him and Bart. Nonetheless it is depicted as an incredibly hot day. It is because of the heat, that the Simpsons get a pool, and the pool is responsible for Barts broken leg. After Bart breaks his leg, he is confined to a very sm all room, with nothing to do, but be nosey. Bart looks at everyone outside, from his window, in the very same manner that Mr. Jefferies does in his apartment. Bart, like Mr. Jefferies,...

Monday, October 21, 2019

Free Essays on Poe - Insanity In His Characters

Poe uses a myriad of settings and plots in his stories and poems. The common thread is that his narrators appear to be insane. This is exhibited in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado†, â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart†, and â€Å"The Black Cat.† Montressor, the narrator of â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado,† exhibits insanity. At the beginning of the story, Montressor speaks with intense anger and remorse. The reader is then told that the incident occurred fifty years ago. Obviously, a person who would hold a grudge for fifty years so strongly that he desires to kill a man, this narrator has psychological problems. Also, the way that Montressor meticulously planned out the murder of Fortunato shows that he is obsessive and has psychological problems. The murder that Montressor killed him, by chaining him up to a wall and building a wall around him, is a warped, cruel way to kill him. Montressor exhibits insanity in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado.† The second narrator that exhibits insanity is the anonymous narrator of â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart.† The narrator was driven to callous murder of the poor elderly man because of a strange eye. The narrator even doubts his own insanity stating, â€Å"But why will you say that I am mad?† (Poe) Yet the irony is, had not the narrator immediately assumed that he had to defend himself against us thinking that he is mad, that in itself promoted the very idea to the reader, that he is mad. He later on states, â€Å"Now this is the point. You fancy me mad,† (Poe) confirming the initial hypothesis that he is insane. At the conclusion of the story, the narrator is arrested by the authorities because he imagines hearing a heart beat that no one else hears. The anonymous narrator of â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart† is without a doubt insane. The third narrator that exhibits insanity is the anonymous narrator of â€Å"The Black Cat.† The author begins the story stating, â€Å"I neither expect nor so... Free Essays on Poe - Insanity In His Characters Free Essays on Poe - Insanity In His Characters Poe uses a myriad of settings and plots in his stories and poems. The common thread is that his narrators appear to be insane. This is exhibited in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado†, â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart†, and â€Å"The Black Cat.† Montressor, the narrator of â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado,† exhibits insanity. At the beginning of the story, Montressor speaks with intense anger and remorse. The reader is then told that the incident occurred fifty years ago. Obviously, a person who would hold a grudge for fifty years so strongly that he desires to kill a man, this narrator has psychological problems. Also, the way that Montressor meticulously planned out the murder of Fortunato shows that he is obsessive and has psychological problems. The murder that Montressor killed him, by chaining him up to a wall and building a wall around him, is a warped, cruel way to kill him. Montressor exhibits insanity in â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado.† The second narrator that exhibits insanity is the anonymous narrator of â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart.† The narrator was driven to callous murder of the poor elderly man because of a strange eye. The narrator even doubts his own insanity stating, â€Å"But why will you say that I am mad?† (Poe) Yet the irony is, had not the narrator immediately assumed that he had to defend himself against us thinking that he is mad, that in itself promoted the very idea to the reader, that he is mad. He later on states, â€Å"Now this is the point. You fancy me mad,† (Poe) confirming the initial hypothesis that he is insane. At the conclusion of the story, the narrator is arrested by the authorities because he imagines hearing a heart beat that no one else hears. The anonymous narrator of â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart† is without a doubt insane. The third narrator that exhibits insanity is the anonymous narrator of â€Å"The Black Cat.† The author begins the story stating, â€Å"I neither expect nor so...

Sunday, October 20, 2019

Fujiwhara Effect - Two Hurricanes Interacting

Fujiwhara Effect - Two Hurricanes Interacting The Fujiwara Effect is an interesting phenomenon which can happen when two or more hurricanes form very near each other. In 1921, a Japanese meteorologist named Dr. Sakuhei Fujiwhara determined that two storms will sometimes move around a common center pivot point. The National Weather Service defines the Fujiwhara Effect as the tendency of two nearby tropical cyclones to rotate cyclonically about each other. Another slightly more technical definition of the Fujiwhara Effect from the National Weather Service is a binary interaction where tropical cyclones within a certain distance (300-750 nautical miles depending on the sizes of the cyclones) of each other begin to rotate about a common midpoint. The effect is also known as the Fujiwara Effect without an ‘h’ in the name. Fujiwhara’s studies indicate storms will rotate around a common center of mass. A similar effect is seen in the rotation of the Earth and moon. This barycenter is the center pivot point around which two rotating bodies in space will spin. The specific location of this center of gravity is determined by the relative intensity of the tropical storms. This interaction will sometimes lead to tropical storms dancing with each other around the dance floor of the ocean. Examples of the Fujiwhara Effect In 1955, two hurricanes formed very near each other. Hurricanes Connie and Diane at one point seemed to be one huge hurricane. The vortices were moving around each other in a counterclockwise motion. In September 1967, Tropical storms Ruth and Thelma began to interact with each other as they approached Typhoon Opal. At the time, satellite imagery was in its infancy as TIROS, the worlds first weather satellite, was only launched in 1960. To date, this was the best imagery of the Fujiwhara Effect yet seen. In July of 1976, hurricanes Emmy and Frances also showed the typical dance of the storms as they interacted with each other. Another interesting event occurred in 1995 when four tropical waves formed in the Atlantic. The storms would later be named Humberto, Iris, Karen, and Luis. A satellite image of the 4 tropical storms shows each of the cyclones from left to right. Tropical storm Iris was heavily influenced by the formation of Humberto before it, and Karen after it. Tropical Storm Iris moved through the islands of the northeastern Caribbean during late August and produced locally heavy rains and associated flooding according to the NOAA National Data Center. Iris later absorbed Karen on September 3, 1995 but not before altering the paths of both Karen and Iris. Hurricane Lisa was a storm that formed on September 16, 2004 as a tropical depression. The depression was located between Hurricane Karl to the west and another tropical wave to the southeast. As hurricane Karl influenced Lisa, the quickly approaching tropical disturbance to the east moved in on Lisa and the two began to show a Fujiwhara Effect. Cyclones Fame and Gula are shown in an image from January 29, 2008. The two storms formed just days apart. The storms briefly interacted, although they remained separate storms. Initially, it was thought the two would exhibit more of a Fujiwhara interaction, but despite weakening a bit, the storms stayed intact without causing the weaker of the two storms to dissipate. Sources: Stormchasers: The Hurricane Hunters and Their Fateful Flight Into Hurricane JanetNOAA National Data CenterAnnual Summary of the 2004 Atlantic Hurricane SeasonAnnual Summary of the 1995 Atlantic Hurricane SeasonMonthly Weather Review: An Example of the Fujiwhara Effect in the West Pacific OceanNASA Earth Observatory: Cyclone GulaCyclones Olaf and Nancy

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Hansen's Disease (leprosy) Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Hansen's Disease (leprosy) - Term Paper Example The oldest civilizations of China, Egypt and India were among the first to have documentation of a disease quite similar to leprosy, forcing scholars, doctors and scientists alike to assume that that was what the disease actually was. However, leprosy today is not what people had to deal with thousands of years ago. Due to the lack of medical attention, leprosy was more common and severe, causing infected people to be forced into separate leprosy colonies. Before our common era, leprosy was feared due to people believing that it was a curse or a punishment from God. Many infected people saw death sooner than they should have because they were killed for having the infection, as people did not want them spreading the curse or punishment around. â€Å"In Europe during the Middle Ages, leprosy sufferers had to wear special clothing, ring bells to warn others that they were close, and even walk on a particular side of the road, depending on the direction of the wind (Mallac, 2001).† However, due to how contagious the disease is, patients were treated similarly in more modern times, though this was out of concern for others developing the disease. Special hospitals were created solely for patients suffering from leprosy. It was in 1873 that Henrik Armeuer Hansen, a doctor from Norway, first identified under a microscope the germ that causes leprosy, which is how leprosy received its formal name. This germ is mycobacterium leprae, and was the first bit of proof that leprosy was indeed caused by a germ, and not by a curse or from sinning. After this discovery, doctors and scientists set to work to discover cures and treatments for leprosy. Before the 1940s, leprosy patients were treated with oil from the chaulmoogra nut. Some patients benefited from the painful treatment, but very little was known about the long term effects. Between the 1920s and the 1970s, numerous medical breakthroughs took place in regard to discovering medication for leprosy

Friday, October 18, 2019

The Tell-Tale Heart and A Rose for Emily, gothic but with a twist Essay

The Tell-Tale Heart and A Rose for Emily, gothic but with a twist - Essay Example in the backdrop of 19th century England, but as we progress through the story, we find certain unmistakable Gothic elements that are present in every layer. It is not merely the dark, brooding, rather claustrophobic atmosphere of the backdrop itself, there is something of the Gothic darkness in the characters too. Like his successor Austen who so successfully interwove the setting with the mindset of the characters, Faulkner uses the house in which Mrs. Emily Grierson lived to portray the working of her mind. On the other hand, â€Å"The Tale Tell Heart† by Edgar Allan Poe is the usual uncanny supernatural fare that Poe is known and loved for. Yet, what strikes as similar in those two vastly different stories is the treatment of the backdrops. In both the stories, we find that the setting in which they are portrayed does not exactly affect, but rather reflect the demeanor and lifestyle of the protagonists. It is rather difficult to establish the Gothic-ness of the backdrop of Faulkners story. True, the house of Miss Emily Grierson is palatial and reminiscent of lost splendor, derelict and almost haunted by the lone resident, but the real darkness and epic grandeur that befits a truly Gothic tale is missing. The same can be said about Poe â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† too: it certainly lacks the grandeur that is expected in the setting of an epic tale, the story having unfolded in a common dwelling house in London. However, what the stories lack in the way of a backdrop, they make up in the narrative and characterization. The characters are authentically Gothic, with all the madness and darkness and the rest of the Gothic paraphernalia. A perusal of both the stories give the impression that the settings are

Functions of article 3 ECHR; Provision or enforcement of standards Essay

Functions of article 3 ECHR; Provision or enforcement of standards - Essay Example This is a question that might get so many awkward answers if a clear interpretation of the article is not given. The first question any person would ask before answering this question is whether the convention has any jurisdiction to influence laws on crime and social support in countries outside Europe. The provisions of Article one of the ECHR have been a tough nut to crack particularly because the stipulations in the article are a little confusing and to some extent ambiguous. The bone of contention in this article is usually the extra-territorial authority of the convention. Miller set to establish the boundaries of the convention authority and found out that the extra-territorial authority of the convention was in question1. She admitted that that article one of the convention doesn’t give the clear amplitude of the convention’s jurisdiction and continued to stress that the convention’s participation in the ‘war on terror’ campaign only soured t he wound rather than disinfect it. In a bid to avoid the contentious issue of its jurisdiction, the convention has referred to its ties with other internationally recognized bodies such as the United Nations. For example in the Behrami v. France case and the Saramati v. France case, the ECHR where the issue of the convention’s jurisdiction was raised and the convention decided to counterattack these concerns play playing the card of its relations with the UN charter. Ryngaert examined the time where the scope of ECHR’s jurisdiction that was presented when looking at the Al-Skeini v the United Kingdom case2. The case was brought to the attention of ECHR by six Iraqi natives who had close family and social ties with some Iraqi citizens whose lives were ended by British soldiers in a town that is south of Iraq know as Basrah. The six brought the case to the ECHR in form of an appeal claiming that the UK had gone against the sentiments articulated in articles three and two of the convention as the soldiers inflicted pain and killed the Iraqis in one of their detention facilities. Articles two and three are against the brutal treatment of any individual and the separation of an individual with his or her life. However, the main concern when handling the case was not whether UK had indeed breached the stipulations of articles two or three but whether the location where these acts were committed fell under the legal jurisdiction of the ECHR. After presiding over that case an opinion that people outside ECHR’s reach who have been affected by a breach of the conventions acts could bring the perpetrators of the heinous acts into the ECHR’s immediate jurisdiction for prosecution. However, the ECHR did not confirm these allegations. The ECtHR& ECHR has the mandate to conduct its endeavours to the citizens of the 47 signatory states of the COE but doesn’t add the convention and its court can practise outside the states under the COE3. Jus t by looking at the jurisdiction concerns of the convention the answer to the question is already a big resounding no. But what if we turn a blind eye it the conventions issue of jurisdiction and assume the convention had the global jurisdiction. Would it have the capacity to provide the standards of criminal law and social support then? The reason for the establishment of the ECtHR under the ECHR was to ensure

Thursday, October 17, 2019

The Merchant of Venice Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Merchant of Venice - Movie Review Example It is a mixture of comedy and drama, a story about love and hate, written between 1596 and 1598. This 2004 color DVD-Video can be easily found at any DVD store or library, with English language (Dolby digital 5.1) and French subtitles, it is a delightful 131 minutes entertainment. The English screenwriter, documentary film maker and director Michael Radford born in India, in 1946, to a British father and Austrian mother. He has directed the remarkable film Il Postino (Academy award nominated director), and numerous other ones as White Mischief and Dancing at the Blue Iguana. His reputation as a director is very well recognized and the critics of his adaptation of The Merchant of Venice are superb (Michael Radford, from Wikipedia). Simultaneously, the French cinematographer Benot Delhomme makes honor to his brilliant career by enriching the film with his talent. Delhomme graduated in 1982 from Ecole Nationale Suprieure Louis Lumire, and he has an extensive list of films, such as "Trois garcons sur la route" (1983), "Artemisia" (1996), "The talented Mr Ripley" (1998) and "Miss Julie" (1999). His awards include Camerimage Golden frog nom in 1993 for "Mui du du xanh", Csar award nom 1998 for "Artemisia", and Chicago IFF Special Jury Prize 2001 for "Ni neibian jid ian" (Internet encyclopedia, 2007). The cast is remarkable. ... ude Zuleikha Robinson (as Jessica), Kris Marshall (Gratiano), Charlie Cox (Lorenzo), Heather Goldenhersh (Nerissa), Mackenzir Crook (Lancelot Gobbo), Gregor Fisher (Solanio), John Sessions (Salerio), Ron Cook (Old Gobbo), Allan Corduner (Tubal), Anton Rodgers (The Duke), and David Harewood (Prince of Morocco). The play is dated in 1594-97 and the costumes and the set are very well done. The set includes public areas of Venice, the Belmont home of Portia, the house of Shylock, a court of justice in Venice. The plot emphasizes the resentment and mistrust that divide the Jewish and Christian communities of Venice in that period. Shylock, a moneylender and usurer rich Jew, carries and old feeling of resentment against the Christian Antonio, a merchant of Venice, who has insulted him numerous times in public. But he agrees to lend 3000 ducats for three months to Antonio as a way to make friends with Christians. However, the promise involved in the money transaction is that if the money is not repaid in time, he will fine a pound of Antonio's flesh. Meanwhile, in Belmont is Portia, a rich heiress that attracts numerous suitors by her wealth, beauty and virtue. Her father had predetermined that she must marry the man that chooses the casket (1 out of 3) that contains her picture. The Duke of Moro cco and the Prince of Aragon have tried and failed by choosing the gold and silver casket respectively. Bassanio's friend Lorenzo elopes with Shylock's daughter, Jessica. She converts to Christianity and escapes from his father's house with part of his possessions. Bassanio gets in love with Portia, and after choosing the correct casket they married. Portia's maid Nerissa marries Bassanio's friend, Gratiano. In the meantime, Bassanio's ships failed to return on time for him to give

Argument of evaluation Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

Argument of evaluation - Assignment Example when he should have enjoyed his retirement) and the circumstances under which Reagan conducted his presidency, it is clear how great his influence was, which is still felt today, which most people do not know but which everybody somehow benefited. All previous presidents will be evaluated on how good they were on both domestic and international affairs. On the domestic side, issues like the economy, employment, taxes, and governance will be used as criteria to measure their achievements. On the international front, the main criteria to be used will be conduct of foreign policy and international agenda like globalization, trade issues, and foreign wars (whether limited wars or proxy wars). President Ronald Reagan will be compared to the other great presidents in terms of his accomplishments, how he measures up against public opinion polls, how all other foreign governments view his administration, the long-term effects of his actions while in office, and how history will probably judge him, even in the years to come. An example of his enduring legacy is the adoption of the word â€Å"Reaganomics† which means lowered taxes and less of the government interference in business (Dunn 51) and in peoples lives, and a strong

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

The Merchant of Venice Movie Review Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Merchant of Venice - Movie Review Example It is a mixture of comedy and drama, a story about love and hate, written between 1596 and 1598. This 2004 color DVD-Video can be easily found at any DVD store or library, with English language (Dolby digital 5.1) and French subtitles, it is a delightful 131 minutes entertainment. The English screenwriter, documentary film maker and director Michael Radford born in India, in 1946, to a British father and Austrian mother. He has directed the remarkable film Il Postino (Academy award nominated director), and numerous other ones as White Mischief and Dancing at the Blue Iguana. His reputation as a director is very well recognized and the critics of his adaptation of The Merchant of Venice are superb (Michael Radford, from Wikipedia). Simultaneously, the French cinematographer Benot Delhomme makes honor to his brilliant career by enriching the film with his talent. Delhomme graduated in 1982 from Ecole Nationale Suprieure Louis Lumire, and he has an extensive list of films, such as "Trois garcons sur la route" (1983), "Artemisia" (1996), "The talented Mr Ripley" (1998) and "Miss Julie" (1999). His awards include Camerimage Golden frog nom in 1993 for "Mui du du xanh", Csar award nom 1998 for "Artemisia", and Chicago IFF Special Jury Prize 2001 for "Ni neibian jid ian" (Internet encyclopedia, 2007). The cast is remarkable. ... ude Zuleikha Robinson (as Jessica), Kris Marshall (Gratiano), Charlie Cox (Lorenzo), Heather Goldenhersh (Nerissa), Mackenzir Crook (Lancelot Gobbo), Gregor Fisher (Solanio), John Sessions (Salerio), Ron Cook (Old Gobbo), Allan Corduner (Tubal), Anton Rodgers (The Duke), and David Harewood (Prince of Morocco). The play is dated in 1594-97 and the costumes and the set are very well done. The set includes public areas of Venice, the Belmont home of Portia, the house of Shylock, a court of justice in Venice. The plot emphasizes the resentment and mistrust that divide the Jewish and Christian communities of Venice in that period. Shylock, a moneylender and usurer rich Jew, carries and old feeling of resentment against the Christian Antonio, a merchant of Venice, who has insulted him numerous times in public. But he agrees to lend 3000 ducats for three months to Antonio as a way to make friends with Christians. However, the promise involved in the money transaction is that if the money is not repaid in time, he will fine a pound of Antonio's flesh. Meanwhile, in Belmont is Portia, a rich heiress that attracts numerous suitors by her wealth, beauty and virtue. Her father had predetermined that she must marry the man that chooses the casket (1 out of 3) that contains her picture. The Duke of Moro cco and the Prince of Aragon have tried and failed by choosing the gold and silver casket respectively. Bassanio's friend Lorenzo elopes with Shylock's daughter, Jessica. She converts to Christianity and escapes from his father's house with part of his possessions. Bassanio gets in love with Portia, and after choosing the correct casket they married. Portia's maid Nerissa marries Bassanio's friend, Gratiano. In the meantime, Bassanio's ships failed to return on time for him to give

Tuesday, October 15, 2019

Self-reflective Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Self-reflective - Essay Example Otherwise, it is termed as plagiarism. There are numerous styles of writing suited to the individualistic needs and requirements of the forum where the writing is published. Basically, there is a formal and an informal way of writing. The formal way of writing requires the writer to make use of complex words and be very particular about the selection of words, sentence construction and grammar. The informal way of writing provides the writer with more leverage. The writer is free to express his/her emotions in the writing. The informal way of writing is very much like the real life communication we make in the daily life. Full words may be replaced with slangs and there is frequent use of such expressive words as â€Å"hurrah, alas, and wow.† I personally like writing in the informal way more than in the formal way because the former provides me with more room to enrich my argument with emotions as compared to the latter. Every style of writing has a certain way to be organized with. For a paper to be properly organized, it is imperative that there is an introduction with a thesis statement that is the crux of the whole discussion that is to follow. The thesis statement should be short and precise and fully reflective of all aspects of the discussion. Each body paragraph starts with a topic sentence that represents the ideas to be discussed in the respective paragraphs. Ideally, there are three body paragraphs in addition to the introduction and conclusion. The conclusion sums up the argument made in the paper and provides a brief summary of the whole essay. This course helped me polish my writing skills a lot. Before taking this course, I used to be very confused and could not even start. Having taken this course, I have done sufficient practice and learnt enough to write a piece of writing independently. Before, I did not know how to start the paper. I have learnt that when an individual has to write, he/she should

Monday, October 14, 2019

Dancing with self beauty alice walker Essay Example for Free

Dancing with self beauty alice walker Essay What is a scar? A scar is something that can be covered but never erased. Scars can change a person’s self-esteem and self- worth, relationship with people, and your perception of yourself. A scar can help you find beauty deep down inside just like Alice Walker did. Scars cannot tear you down you are the only one can, its either you live a lie or just accept the true you, which one would you choose? Walker also had problems with self-esteem in her life when her brother shot her in the eye with a BB-gun that left one of her eyes blind. According to walker her life was over â€Å"For six years I do not stare at anyone, because I do not raise my head†. I grew up a tomboy who played with nothing but boys and maybe one or two girls. I was always happy, and a just a big jokers until I started my middle school year and identified hair on my chin. I have suffered with this problem for the longest. I considered myself as different from most girls. When I got the hair on my chin I did not want to be bothered with anybody, I used to hold my head down and kind of slouch so no one wouldn’t see it. My whole attitude changed I went from the girl who used to love herself so very much into the girl who couldn’t stand to look in the mirror. But that should’ve have changed me nor Walker because you can’t look down on yourself just because you have a scar you are who you are no matter if it’s there or not. The scar also changed the relationship with her siblings. From the article Everyday life by K. Nola Mokeyane she said â€Å"sibling’s relationships are important component of children’s social and emotional development. The Child Welfare Information Gateway notes that through their relationship with their siblings, children learn skills such as conflict resolution and negotiation; healthy relationships also provide siblings with a support network. As with anything in life, siblings relationships have positive and negative aspects. Walker started to develop to like on sibling more than the other brother. One of the siblings brought both positive and negative change in her life. The brother who shot her with the BB gun when she was younger and made a big difference in her life and she just was less closer to him just like any other siblings in life. â€Å"What the matter with your eye? † they ask, critically. When I don’t answer with (I cannot decide whether it was an â€Å"accident† or not), they shove me, insist on a fight. My brother, the one who created the story about the wire, comes to my rescue. But then brags so much about â€Å"protecting† me, I become sick. It seems like she is still never forgave her brother for what he had done to her eye and began to not really like him as much. Since her brother was kind of a part of the accident so she kind of liked him better. For some reason he understood her more. â€Å"He is my favorite brother and there is a strong bond between us. Understanding my feelings of shame and ugliness he and his wife take me to a local hospital, where the â€Å"glob† is removed by a doctor named 0. Henry. There is still a small bluish crater where the scar tissue was, but the ugly white stuff is gone. † I to can relate to her by this I had a problem with the hair under my chin still to this very day and my mother wanted to help me out by getting lazer hair remover but I insist on doing so because it really wouldn’t make a difference if I got it removed or not, sometime down the line it still was going to be there no matter what I did. It is so much that family members are siblings can do for you, but you are the one who really have to decide what you are going to do with yourself. People don’t make you and how they change you, you do. According to Answers in Writing â€Å"Sometime we imagine ourselves as different than what we really are one way at least we picture ourselves as this, yet in reality we do not fit this picture. We think we are kind gentle, when in truth we have very little patience for things. We may see ourselves, it is good to see ourselves as exemplary students, but we hate to be wrong. However we picture ourselves, it is good to see ourselves for who we really are. Perception can be altered, whether it is how we see the world or how we see ourselves. All it take is a little honesty, without trying to make ourselves feel better, which is what we usually do when we see what we call faults in ourselves. We try to feel better about it, and this often means we find ways to alter behavior. We try to change how we are to supplement our perceived faults. We are far better off just seeing ourselves for who we are, leaving it at that. Walker use to be the prettiest girl that knew she was pretty and now she is kind of confused. She is worried about what other people think which is stopping her from seeing the positive in her life. â€Å"Years later, in the throes of mid-life crisis, I ask my mother and sister whether I changed after the â€Å"accident†. No, they say, puzzled. What do you mean? † What do I mean? Walker was question herself about who she really was are did she change and she wanted to see what other people such as her family and how they viewed her too. But it was all in the mind of how she saw herself. â€Å"That night, as I do every night, I abuse my eye. I rant and rave at it, in front of the mirror. I plead with it to clear up before morning. I tell it I hate and despise it. I do not pray for sight. I pray for vision. † She must have really seen herself as this person who so ugly until she got it removed but that didn’t change her she had to see herself from within. Many times I put myself in situation where I just look in the mirror and wish some things would go anyway but it doesn’t, you can put make up on, put hair on your head but it want change anything. Walker finally sees herself as this beautiful person. She keep questioning herself â€Å"You did not change they say. † But she finally realizing everything when she is by her daughter and she is talking to her daughter. Walker says â€Å"Since the birth of her daughter she has worried about her discovery that her mothers’ eyes are different from others people’s. Will she be embarrassed? I think. What will she say? Every day she watches a television program called Big Blue Marble. It begin with a picture of earth as it appears from moon. When walker was putting her baby to sleep her daughter Rebecca focus on her eye. She began wanted to protect herself but her daughter didn’t see her eye as such ugliness her daughter tells her there is a world in her eyes. From the perception of her daughter she began to accept herself. â€Å"Yes indeed , I realized, looking into the mirror. There was a world in my eyes. And I saw it was possible to love it. In conclusion scar is something that can be covered but never erased. Scars can change a person’s self-esteem and self- worth, relationship with people, and your perception of yourself. It would not make you who you are you can only make you who you are. Theirs is nothing no one can do to change it. You can never change something and in my eyes she never changed. She still look back and think about her eye.

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Scorsese And His Use Of Red

Scorsese And His Use Of Red The eminent and much revered director Martin Scorsese first achieved critical acclaim with his 1973 picture, Mean Streets. The film was an independent production which also began his long standing collaboration with the actor Robert DeNiro. Without major studio backing, Scorsese operated with a very small budget, yet he overcame this setback with exceptionally strong acting creative and performances, powerful and striking visuals. Mean Streets is a brutal, moody and sharply detailed story about life in New York Citys Little Italy, as seen through the experiences of a group of small time hoodlums. Scorsese brings his own obsessions into all his movies, and Mean Streets is no exception. His ambivalence towards group and family loyalties, macho values, and the notion of success and the price it demands are all evident, helping to set up the unstable, confused and destructive world of the film, and in particular the main protagonist Charlie. Vital to the creation of this world is the rec urrent incorporation of the colour red into the mise en scene. Different colours has been used as a filmic code by numerous directors however this was not possible until colour film was technologically feasible, As a code, colour takes its cue from social codes: red is associated with passion and violence; blue with coolness and melancholy (Lacey: 38). One of the ways in which colour is used is to focus the audiences awareness within the mise en scene. It is done with bright colours, which draw the eye more than pastel shades. Colour is obviously linked with lighting. Film directors may suffuse their film with a particular coloured light: red in Taxi Driver [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] and blue in Blue Steel (1989, Kathryn Bigelow). The effect of this is to link various themes in the film. (38 Lacey) The colour red has a instinctive impact when we first see it, not just in the form of blood, but also on fire trucks, stop signs, police lights and stoplights. Red lights constantly indicate warning and or danger unless they are in a red light district, where they imply a different kind of prohibited activity as seen in Taxi Driver. Scorsese frequently encoded the colour red into his films for many reasons. On the New York, New York special edition DVD introduction, he said that his codification was influenced by the films of the Classical Hollywood period which had the stamp of Hollywood of the 1940s and 1950s. Some of things he mentions are: the artifice of the film, the sets themselves, the obvious sets, sometimes the sets were painted, you could see it wasnt real. The street kerbs that were supposed to be in New York were too high. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] But we understood it to be a different kind of reality, a parallel universe in a way, to the reality I knew [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] in the streets or at home. That didnt mean that the films are any less true, you see. And that doesnt necessarily mean that, because theyre coded in a sense [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] a code that occurs. The happy endings werent quite realistic or true. There was something else going on emotionally in those films that were very true to the human condition. I tried to bring that out, but place it against and upon the old template. I decided the way to handle New York, New York would be to deal with the artifice right up front. As you can see from his interview is that he was implying that his films were heavily coded just like the films from the Classical Hollywood period. In this paper I will attempt to decode his films with principal emphasis on his use of the colour red. Scorseses profound stylised use of the colour red was inspired by The Red Shoes (1948, Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger) which is included his Top Ten English Language Film List which exemplifies the use of light and color.[1] In an interview Scorsese remarked that the use of color in the movie isnt realistic. But it really reflects the heightened world of the ballet, the heightened world of theater. Color is always something that is going to be an aesthetic comment, no matter how you do it.[2] It is very clear, as the use of red in the film is very dominant in The Red Shoes. Such as the theatre curtains are red and so are Vicki Pages hair. The color exhibits a sexual power and an artistic passion. (LoBrutto: 29) The use of red in the film therefore does not represent sin or violence like in some of Scorseses films. The colour red connotes numerous diverse meanings, one of most well-known being alarm or danger, perhaps it is because it is the colour of blood. During the first few scenes in Mean Streets, Scorsese introducers us to the four main characters by colour coding their clothing. Firstly, Tony, who we see walking into the toilets of his own bar, where much of the action takes place, we notice on him, moments before he uses force to remove a heroin user from the toilets, and attacking a drug pusher a prominent red shirt. This subtly demonstrates his harsh, violent nature, and unites him with the bright red Hell that is his bar and his world. In other words his red shirt coordinates with the infernal red glow of his bar, denoting his sinful, damaging existence within its realm. After all, only a man of perilous intent with a taste for danger would fulfil his dream of caging a pet lion and a panther in his basement, illegally or not. Furthermore, the distinctive red shirt worn by Johnny Boy introduces him in a similar light to Tony, as a dangerous, unyielding individual. His mindless prank of exploding a red mail box immediately after he appears on screen only reinforces his reckless character suggested by the shirt, and unites him with the malevolent life of Tonys bar. Additionally in Mean Streets, Michaels superior involvement within the group of friends is signified by his striking red tie. The garment itself connotes his strong business aspirations and his destination for higher things, probably as a third rank mafia hood, whereas the colour connotes his brutal, dangerous nature, the result of which being the eventual bloodbath that marks the films ending. Indeed, one could not examine the colour red in Mean Streets and ignore the extensive use of blood in the films final sequence. In contrast to the other three characters, when we first see Charlie, he is wearing a white vest which subliminally separates him from everyone else. The first shot of the film is of Charlie waking up; as he stands up and walks across to his mirror we see two crosses. Firstly the one he is wearing around his neck and the second on his wall. This Christian symbolism, together with his white vest symbolises his purity. Through out the film Charlie comes across people who are wearing red and tempt him into sin. This is best exemplified by the black dancer in Tonys bar who is wearing nothing apart from red underwear. The close up shot of the red underwear worn by the dancer on stage reinforces the moral dilemma Charlie faces between his religion and his social aspirations. The existence of this red underwear present, in Scorseses terms, the notion of her being a whore as opposed to the virginal white dress worn by Vickie in Raging Bull, or Betsy in Taxi Driver, who appeared like an angel, or even Charlies white vest at the beginning of the film. The red underwear implies that the girl is immediately connected to the immoral world of Mean Streets, and therefore brands her a whore. However, the red also connotes Charlies obvious desire for the girl, an emotion strong enough for him to dance with her. Nevertheless, the dance is immediately followed by Charlies own penance of burning his finger on naked flame, a ritual of his we are first introduced to in the opening scene in the church, which again reminds us of how his religion has helped confuse his moral state of mind. Indeed, Charlies Catholic upbringing contributes greatly to his rejection of the black dancer from Tonys bar, even though he desires her. Comparably, J.D.s Catholic persuasion leads to his rejection of The Girl from Whos That Knocking At My Door, which is due to his need for a virginal bride. This example is particularly harsh, as his refusal is a consequence of her previous rape, which in his eyes means she is a whore. Whos That Knocking at My Door and Raging Bull play like diagnostics of the Madonna/Whore complex. The black and white cinematography only heightens the sexual stereotyping. As I have mentioned above that Vickie in Raging Bull, or Betsy in Taxi Driver wear white, Scorsese makes all his blondes wear white when we first see them in his films, such as Sharon Stone in Casino. The white clothing adds t o their virtuousness and virginal aesthetics before they are corrupted by the main male protagonists- very often played by DeNiro himself. The blonde in a white clothing could also be a reference to Alfred Hitchcock, as he also used to present his blonde female characters in white when we first see them. In Raging Bull, Jake Le Motta even buys his wife a white dress and white sunglasses as he wants her to be the virginal and virtuous type, as throughout the film he believes that she is cheating on him. In Mean Streets, the colour red serves as a metaphor for the hostile nature of the protagonist Charlie, his world and the destiny of him and those surrounding him within the film. Moreover, the brining red of Max Cadys sports car is perfect example of how the colour red has been incorporated as a subtext in Scorseses remake of Cape Fear. The gruesome, violent acts performed by Cady throughout the film, together with his brutal nature, are suggested by his extreme choice of vehicle. This frightening aspect of the colour red could be reference to The Counterfeit Traitor (1962, George Seaton). As Scorsese said of the film once- for kids brought up on the black-and-white battlegrounds of newsreels, the use of color here especially the color red, which is very important gave the film a presence and an immediacy that frightened us.[3] As this quote shows that the colour red was sometimes used by Scorsese to scare his audience. This heavy use of red clothing is not only present in Mean Streets but almost all of Scorseses protagonists wear red such as DeNiro, Pesci and Stone in Casino wear it at various moments in the film. Scorsese in an interview said that on the streets of Little Italy that- The one thing you couldnt wear was the colour red. I remember wanting a red jacket, and my father said, Only pimps wear red, youre not having one and thats that. Wearing red was also a sure way to attract police attention.[4] As this quote shows Scorsese is very aware of the various associations with wearing red clothing, such as you might be associated with pimps and that you might attract police attention. This adds credence to the moral dilemma that Charlie faces in the film. The introduction of Michael considering the religious themes in the film his character could be a reference to Lucifer as he hunts them down and shoots them during the films climax at the end is important when considering Scorseses use of the colour red with relation to the rest of Mean Streets. Firstly, he delivers a large red box of Marlboro cigarettes to Charlie, which he places on the table between the two characters. The cigarettes are positioned centrally on the screen, automatically capturing the audiences attention. Initially, Charlie complains about the brand of cigarettes, but accepts them after Michael explains that for these prices Charlie, you shouldnt complain. Therefore, we assume Scorsese focuses on the cigarettes, by means of their red colour and positioning in the mise-en-scene, in order to present the ineffectual nature of Charlie within the realm of his world. Surely, forsaking his preferred choice of cigarettes is a minor, yet noticeable sacrifice; one he must make to be a part of the gangster life. As I have mentioned, Michael Powells influence is all over Scorseses work. His distinct usage of the colour red is a direct homage to Powell. It is interesting that Powell twice counselled Scorsese against the colour red. The first time was When Powell saw 8mm test footage of DeNiro sparring, he remarked that The red boxing gloves are too red. And Scorsese agreed and that was one of the reasons why [he] decided to make the film [in] black-and-white.[5] Another reason why Scorsese did not shoot the film in colour was because A number of boxing films were in production such as Rocky II, The Main Event, a remake of The Champ, and Matilda and so Scorsese wanted to go another way (LoBrutto: 223) and be original. Another scene that inspired Scorseses use of red, in The Red Shoes, was the main protagonists use of bright red lipstick which he used for Francine in New York, New York. As LoBrutto wrote that Francines deep red lipstick is accurate for the period but another opportunity to dominate many of the images with the color of his obsessions of hot tempers more than sexual temperature. (LoBrutto: 210) As the quote shows that this time Scorsese used the colour red not to symbolise violence or sin but as a sexual code. The colour red was no doubt a major colour not only in Mean Streets but also in Taxi Driver, particularly the scene set in the brothel. Red can imply danger, but in the case of the ambience of the brothel, the colour red could also imply wilful or morally wrong behaviour. The night time setting and the low key lighting has been significantly used in Taxi Driver and the constructed space closely echoes the look of film noirs. The red low key lighting produces a sombre and mysterious mood and emphasising deep shadows to create tension in the scene. During the final climax in Taxi Driver, the face of Travis and Sport have been clearly highlighted by the strong light effects from indoors and with red light emanating from the neon lights of the street even though there are not that many street lights when we saw an exterior shot of the building. At one moment during that sequence of the film we see a halo of white light dimly reflected over Travis shaved Mohican head which neutralises hi s violence and gives him the appearance of an (avenging) angel. As since white by tradition represents purity and innocence. Since red light draws the audiences attention, the function of flashing red lights increases the power of the colour such as the rotating red and blue light from the police car at the end of Taxi Driver. The colour red is not only used at night but also in the daytime. In these cases, Scorsese fills the mise en scene with bright red objects. For example when Henry crosses the street, to teach Karens neighbour a lesson for touching her, by beating his face with the end of his gun: the car, the flowers, the toolbox and even the house itself are all bright red. This scene shows that even the peaceful leafy suburbs are not safe during the day time when there are hoodlums present and that no one is safe from them. Also when Henry first explains how Jimmy hijacks trucks without using any force, we see Jimmy completely covered in red lighting. Or when Henry spends a paranoid day driving around his neighbourhood, prepping a batch of cocaine for delivery, and he keeps calling home to ensure his brother is properly stirring the bright red source (a symbolic reference to blood). In Taxi Driver, this technique is apparent throughout the film, with the streets of New York presented as an inferno of evil and treachery or as Bickle calls it: an open sewer full of filth and scum. Scorseses use of expressionistic colour shows us how Bickle observes the nocturnal world around him. Contrasting to the darkness, neon lights appear extra bright, and many shots are taken of blurry colours seen through water on the windshield. This palette of colour once again takes the audience inside Bickles mind. During the scene were Travis shoots the pimp, Scorsese employs the use of surrealistic colour. Everything inside the building seems grungy and dirty, and the extra bright red colour of the blood stands out over everything else. This theme was again used by Scorsese in After Hours, which again happened predominantly at night with various neon lights incorporated into the mise-en-scene. Both Minnelli and DeNiro in New York, New York wear red clothing which again connects their characters with the red symbolism of the city. By making the city red, Scorsese represents the city as malevolent. In Mean Streets, Taxi Driver and Goodfellas the city is colour coded in bright red. This is especially true in New York, New York, the city, no matter if it is interior space or exterior is predominantly red, and yet the opposite can be seen in the film. As DeNiro and Minnelli meet outside of the city in the woods, their clothing and setting is white or pale. This sudden change in colour instils in the audience the contrast between the peaceful and pure rural space with the sinful inner-city space. Not only is red an important colour in Christianity but also brown. In Scorseses Last Temptation of Christ (1988), he uses a very monochromatic brown colour to emphasise Jesus humanity and to contrast Jesus the poor peasant with the power and riches of Rome which are decorated in red and gold. However like his other films, red is another major colour symbolising the final spilling of Jesus blood. Of course in this respect, red is a prominent colour in many Jesus films, none more than Mel Gibsons The Passion of the Christ. Whilst the film opens under a blue filter, the rest of the film is subject to the bright red blood of Jesus. Religion is also at the heart of Scorseses remake of Cape Fear. Max in the film is sent to the family by God to test them. Each member of the family displays a tendency toward immoral behaviour or what they perceive to be immoral behaviour. Such as when Sam is asleep, Leigh is seen grooming herself in the bedroom mirror and day dreaming of other men, at which point Max appears outside the house, backed by a dazzling display of fireworks which is a sexually charged image as the night sky is associated with the feminine and fireworks can represent the male orgasm. The colour red is again important in the film as when she and Sam go out to investigate she guiltily wipes the red lipstick from her lips. It almost seems that her sinful thoughts provoked Maxs presence. Maxs superhuman ability to withstand pain is yet another religious clue. He is superhuman because he is what he claims to be, a messenger from God sent to test the family, he even says: Youre a VIP on Earth. Im a VIP in heave n. This is why he is able to fight back against the three thugs despite a beating that would render any human demobilised. Another religious use of the colour red can be found in the scene in which Sam hallucinates crucifixion wounds in his hands which can represent that his soul has been saved. This can not be said about many of Scorseses characters in his other films as most have committed too many sins to be saved or die before they can be saved such as the final climax in the lift in The Departed. As LoBrutto noted, Red is also identified with blood, the Passion of Christ, the Crucifixion, and the suffering Jesus endured on earth for the salvation of mankind. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] The stigmata are wounds that bleed openly, corresponding to the feet, hands, side and brow of the crucified Christ. A substitute for a baptism of holy water is blood. (LoBrutto: 64-65) So therefore a character can be born again via blood baptism, for example, Travis during the climax of the film is covered in blood and therefore born again as he saves the girl. As LoBrutto also wrote: Scorsese was revealing his obsessions with Old Testament values: revenge, redemption, and the ancient rite of purification by blood. (LoBrutto: 64-65) These themes Scorsese has obsessed about for his entire career as they appear repeatedly in his films. As a young man, Scorsese wanted to become a priest, but he decided to become a filmmaker after his many visits to the movie theatre. He proposed that films are a new secular religion and that they can offer the viewer and the director redemption and salvation.[6] That is why in Mean Streets, it is not surprising that Charlies confessional speech in church at the beginning of the film focuses on the forgiveness of sin, an important theme that runs throughout the film, often in his narration. His tormented dialogue begins with the narration of Scorsese himself: Lord, Im not worthy to eat your flesh, to drink your blood. This profound image demonstrates immediately the importance of religion to the character of Charlie, and indeed Scorsese, as he himself explains: My voice is inter-cut with Harvey [Kietel]s throughout the film, and for me that was a way of trying to come to terms with myself, trying to redeem myself. In this sense we realise exactly how personal the film is to Scorsese, as a creative form of art, and as a source of redemption, and are able to make a comparison between Charlie and himself. Furthermore, Charlies narrative reference to blood relates to the blood red imagery apparent throughout the film, in this case utilising it to realise Charlies discomfort with his religion. As Charlie stands to move to another part of the church, we are presented with an aerial long shot of the chapel, whereby the dark red of the chairs seem almost like a tide of blood from the countless confessions typical to that of Charlies, in which the blood of Christ has been spilt in vain. Indeed Charlie explains before this scene his perception that: you dont make up for your sins in church, you do it in the streets and at home; the rest is bullshit. Consequently, we are aware that religion is not so much a belief of Charlies, but merely a formality, and as in Boxcar Bertha religion is an insidious, pervasive, destructive idea, inescapability allied to the forces of greed and manipulation. Moreover, the overt use of red candles surrounding Charlie in the church, which is similar to that in Iriss confessional scene in Taxi Driver, is symbolic of the burning hell he experiences, much of which is due to his overpowering dilemma with his religion. He explains that pain in hell has two sides. The kind you can touch with your hand the kind you can feel in your heart, and the spiritual side. And you know the worse of the two is the spiritual. Whilst he is uttering these words, the action on screen reverts from the church to the burning red of Tonys bar. Immediately we realise a connection between the hell Charlie describes in church, and the hell we perceive of his social climate, the colour red being a vital link in presenting this hell. Colour can affect us subliminally, and this is best exemplified in the modern day by restaurants fast food restaurants like Burger King have a lot of bright colours including red -which makes you want to buy the food quickly and leave whilst expensive restaurants use mainly neutral colours which make you more relaxed and stay for longer. Therefore the effect of the use of red in Tonys bar, in Mean Streets, could also then represent their fast pasted lifestyles in New York. The emphasised red glare evident within Tonys bar metaphorically can also instils a sense of hell being an unbearable inferno; suggesting an atmosphere full of sin and corruption, the occupants of which are doomed. Even when Scorsese showed Mean Streets to Michael Powell, Powell advised him the second time (the first being the red mitts in Raging Bull) told him that he overused the colour red in Mean Streets and that he should remove some of the red lighting, which Scorsese refused. [7] This expressionistic use o f red lighting can be examined in films as far back as 1927, when Fritz Lang emphasised the hellish qualities of the underground slave factory in Metropolis by bathing the entire mise-en-scene in ominous red tint. Whereas Langs use of red reinforces his overtly expressionistic style, Scorseses appears simply as a flash of expression, which combined with the strong, documentary style realism of Mean Streets, seems all the more significant. Furthermore, the long motion tracking shot on entering Tonys bar works well with the glaring red effect, establishing a tense, almost nauseating atmosphere, which emulates perfectly with the hell described by Charlie; a feeling that is further intensified by the use of soundtrack, in particular Jumping Jack Flash by the Rolling Stones. The sequence is similar in style to that of Goodfellas, whereby the camera slowly closes in on Jimmy, and using just only 30 frames of film per second. Although his character has no verbal narrative in this scene, the expressive combination of slow camera movement and contemporary music highlight Jimmys tension and anger, enabling the audience to share his hatred, and assume his intention to get rid off Mauri. This slowing-down of the film has become a trade mark for Scorsese as he uses it in almost every single film he has made, even in his earliest short films like The Big Shave. In Mean Streets, the red walls of the restaurant Charlie visits later in this extract is also an important device of Scorsese, used to subtextually progress the narrative through the elaborate mise-en-scene. On one level we could understand this use to be symbolic of Charlies frustration due to his long awaited possession of the restaurant. However, with relation to the red of Tonys bar it suggests, contrary to Charlies belief, the venture may not be a way of escaping his hell. In other words his moving from one red inferno, that of Tonys bar, to another, the restaurant, neither improving nor solving his problems. As Roger Ebert wrote in his Great Movies essay on the film, The real world is shot in ordinary colors, but then Charlie descends into the bar run by his friend Tony, and it is always bathed in red, the color of sex, blood and guilt.[8] This quote can also applies to the bar in Goodfellas, The Bamboo Lounge, which is also lit with a similar red glow with the red lighting of the bar lounge making the characters face completely red. Or on Henrys first date with Karen, when his influence and generous tipping allows them to skip the line at the Copacabana, the entire club is awash in red lighting. A similar technique is employed in Taxi Driver, where the red walls of the Palentine building suggest Betsy will not be the answer to Traviss problems, and she will not relieve him from the Hell in which he suffers. Scorsese has continually used red lighting to create an insidious inferno for his immoral protagonist to dwell. In the book Gangster Priest: The Italian American Cinema of Martin Scorsese, Robert Casillo writes that the red in Goodfellas is associated with blood, violence, suffering, and passion. It can even be read as more simple than that. Nearly every shocking deed of all shapes and sizes is emphasised onscreen by a splash of bright vibrant red. When the mafia men do something as gruesome as beat a man to death for insulting Pesci, they do it in a bar room filled with red lighting. And when he comes alive in their trunk as they try to dispose of the body, the cars brake lights casts an unbelievably strong red glare on DeNiro and Pesci. They are literally a washed in a bright red smoke filled mise en scene when burying their victim Billy. The malevolent extent of their crime highlighted by this expressive use of lighting, and the immoral world they share is inflamed upon us. The se quence even ends with a highly unusual fade to red. When they have to go back six months later and dig up the same body, things get even more abstract. Its as if their collective sins have stained the film stock permanently. There is no other colour apart from red in that scene. All of these scenes gave the impression to the audience of the images of Hell, which increased the insinuation of violence. As LoBrutto noted that as much as Scorsese enjoyed musicals and comedies it was the morality and street justice of the gangster film [that was] most reflective of the life he lived in Little Italy. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] He was raised in a coded culture that fenced out all others. [à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦] He was tortured by conflicts presented by his two masters the church and the cinema. (LoBrutto: 63) As Charlie struggles with finding the right path in Mean Streets, the film begins with a shot of a projector showing us the film we are about to see. It is as though the characters now that they ar e in a movie and so Scorsese ties in the church and the cinema at the same time. Scorseses overtly violent style often involves an overwhelming amount of blood on screen, from his early short film The Big Shave, to Cape Fear, and here it helps to present a horrific image of the pain and penance experienced by Johnny Boy and Charlie for their sins, and highlight the extremely harsh consequence for Teresa who is oblivious to the extent of her brothers trouble. The Big Shave was widely read as a metaphor for the Vietnam War. On screen a young man enters a pristine white bathroom and walks up to a mirror just like Charlie does in the opening scene of Mean Streets in which he walks up to a mirror and scratches his face. The man in the bathroom begins to apply the puffy white shaving cream on his face which again connects to the notion of innocence and purity. Whilst shaving, one of the razor strokes pierces the skin and he begins to bleed. Confused, he continues his morning shave but now each lash of the blade tears into his tender flesh deeper and deeper. Soon his plain features are totally cut open. A daring ear to ear swipe of the razor literally slashes his throat open. Blood covers him and falls around him, the bright red contrasting the perfect spotlessness of the bathroom. The same way Scorseses blondes contrast at the beginning of his films as they wear white and the setting is filled with red. At the end of The Big Shave, there is ev en a fade to red just like the ending of the scene in which DeNiro, Pesci and Layoota bury Baits. As if the blood of the self torture soaks into the celluloid and fills the entire frame. So therefore The Big Shave is representative of USAs irresponsible participation in the Vietnam War, especially their self destructiveness. As LoBrutto noted that The Big Shave shifted the emphasis from personal to political (LoBrutto: 62) and so the red of the blood now represents the spilled blood of Vietnamese and American soldiers. In Mean Streets, we finally realise the true hell that constitutes Little Italy, and understand the violent outcome when anyone tries to subvert the statue quo. In addition, Scorseses powerful, gut-wrenching sequence in Taxi Driver, where Travis savagely takes out an entire brothel has been acknowledged for its abundant overflow of blood. Indeed, the MPAA was ready to give it an X rating for violence. They suggested he tone it down the red blood, in order to get an R rating. So, Scorsese put the scene through a special chemical treatment that made the blood darker. The darker version of the red blood turned out almost more powerful than the splattered ketchup style colour of the original. In Scorseses view, it made the scene more sickening and disturbing, but he got his R rating. And yet it is still the colour red as Jean-Luc Godard put it: Its not blood, its red.[9] Scorsese also uses the colour red for his opening titles as he himself has recognised that the burning credits and foreboding red glare of the opening of King Vidors classic western Duel in the Sun (also in his top ten English Language film list which exemplifies the use of light and color[10]), has affected his use of red at the beginning of his films and he also said how as a child he was amazed how the use of colour could produce such a powerful effect. Possibly one of the most blatant incorporations of the colour red in Scorseses work is the credit sequence in Raging Bull, whereby the prominent red letters of the films title and DeNiros name is set against the gloomy black and white image of the boxing ring. The boxing rings ropes split the screen into four distinct parts representing four different parts of his lif

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Juliet: From Mouse To Woman :: essays research papers

In Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare the two main characters are Romeo Montague and Juliet Capulet. Both teenagers matured and changed during the play, but Juliet’s changes stood out the most. Juliet transformed in less then a week, which says she did not change much, but there is a definite difference in her personality from before she met Romeo to after she married him. There are many events in the book that support that idea. Most of which interact with her mother. Many events towards the ending of the play suggest she is very obstinate, which is quite different from the begging of the play before Juliet even thought of marriage or defying her parents and family. In Juliet’s first scene she is talking to her Mother and the Nurse. Her Mother brought up the topic of marriage and Lord Paris. This is when we first see a young girl who has just begun to grow up. She replies with the fact that she hasn’t considered marriage yet. Most girls of her age would have been wives by now, so it was slightly uncommon that she hadn’t even thought of her marriage. Also in this scene we see in her willingness and obedience, when she does not object to her Mother’s thoughts of her marring Lord Paris soon. When her Mother asks her if she could love Paris she replies, â€Å"I’ll look to like, if looking liking move. But no more deep will I endart mine eye than your consent gives strength to make it fly.† (I, iv, 102-105) I interpreted her to mean she will try to love him, but she will not look deeper than her mother wishes. She reminds me of a mouse in a way, meek and a pushover. This scene is right before the ball. Later when Juliet is at the ball she meets Romeo, and falls in love at first sight. Later Romeo follows her to her balcony where she confesses her love for Romeo to herself. Overhearing her, Romeo shows himself and also confesses his love for her. Taken over by her first feelings of love and lust, she defies her parents just by speaking to him in that manner. Before this, which was only about five or six hours ago, she would not have spoken to him at all, let alone that time of night. Romeo soon proposes to Juliet and she says yes.

Friday, October 11, 2019

Recreational Vehicle Magazine Ad

Recreational Vehicle Magazine Ad The RV model I want to advertise is the most expensive, highline. Most people would think that expensive vehicles are not exactly what people need in the economy we’re having at the moment. However, I want to make a point that recreational vehicle is not a necessity, it is a luxury. Since it is a personal luxury, so why not make it luxurious. When I say luxurious, the vehicle has to represent the glamour of every little detail. We have to exceed the consumer’s expectations and bring it to the next level. Most consumers want something they can make it unique and design it if they’re given the opportunity.Plus, anything luxurious is more attractive than average. My Highline will have customized interior and/or exterior, spacious living space, reliable performance, and of course, its unlimited warranty. The suitable target audience for my project will be the middle age people. As the baby boomers generation ages, retirement is someth ing they are looking forward to. Traveling has been always on top of their lists as soon as they’re finished with their careers. At that point in their lives, they deserve a branded, one of a kind vehicle that they can have as their travel companion.Also, retired people do not really have children at home to think of and to spend money onto. They are at the age where they only spend on themselves trying to live their lives to the fullest. When advertising to the middle age group, the magazine that will be read by the target audience is something that has less clutter and straightforward with its content such as National Geographic Traveler Magazine. National Geographic Traveler Magazine is dedicated to the travelers. While there are plenty of travel magazines out there, the Traveler Magazine has a section of driving vacations where I want my ad to be inserted.Looking at the beautiful driving destinations posted on the magazine, consumers will be interested on looking at my lu xurious RV ad and people who can afford will probably get one. Fleetwood and Airstream are my two main competitors. Both companies have been around for more than two decades. Their names are popular with RV lovers. They are more experienced than American RV which is hard to compete with. On the other hand, they are not known for their luxury RVs. This is where American RV will persuade the consumers. I want to portray an image that only American RV has the best option of customization in the market.

Thursday, October 10, 2019

Morally chaotic world In King Lear

Shakespeare presents a variety of ways in which moral chaos is brought about, including the disruption of the natural order and the characters possession of typically corrupted morals, even going as far as questioning the morals of his own society. However, having different principles in a modern audience, we tend to have different interpretations of ‘moral chaos’ to that of a contemporary audience. In king Lear, Shakespeare arguably does create a ‘morally chaotic world’, particularly trough the notion of the ‘natural order’ being disrupted. The betrayal of the children against their fathers illustrates a significant disruption of nature, as it was considered natural and necessary for children to have unfaltering obedience for their parents, particularly their fathers. When Cordelia publicly refuses to obey her father’s wishes, she goes against the true qualities of a 17th century daughter in the natural order and it is arguably this initial rebellion that causes the suffering and tragedy throughout the rest of the play. According to feminist critics, Cordelia’s refusal to flatter Lear can be interpreted as an opposition to Lear’s authority and thus a direct challenge to the natural patriarchal order of the seventeenth century, the short emphatic sentence ‘Nothing’ stressing this assertiveness. We also see this betrayal of the father in the character of Edmund. By claiming ‘’I find it not fit for your o’er looking’’, not only does Edmund feign innocence, but he also portrays himself with overt concern for his father, reinforcing his false virtue. Edmund’s initial silence makes his soliloquy in the next scene in which he exclaims ‘’Legitimate, Edgar. I must have your land’’ exciting and surprising to the audience. The audience is privy to the Edmund’s scheming which creates a sense of dramatic irony, however in most productions; the Machiavellian Edmund is played as a ‘suavely intelligent, rather dashing figure’, creating a paradox as he is clearly evil yet alluring to the audience at the same time. Illegitimates were problematic for the rigid early modern social structure and were viewed as ‘extras’ that society struggled to accommodate. Therefore to a contemporary audience, the poor treatment of Edmund would come as no surprise; however a modern audience would interpret such extreme views on illegitimacy as immoral. As modern critic Foakes comments, â€Å"Edmund is the most dangerous and treacherous of the characters. Yet, he begins from a cause that we cannot identify as unjust†, illustrating how to a modern audience, Shakespeare does create a morally chaotic world through the poor treatment of Edmund, as the seventeenth century societal norms are so foreign from that of ours. Lear’s abdication can also be viewed as morally chaotic, as it was strongly believed in Jacobean society that Kings were chosen by divine right. In Lear’s pledge to ‘’express our darker purpose’’ the use of the adjective ‘darker’ to describe his actions illustrates the unnatural nature of such a decision. In Jacobean society, a king was an agent of God, and so it was seen as God’s responsibility to decide when his reign should end. A king’s handing power down the throne was against the divine order, and it was believed that Satan, through various evil spirits, was responsible for all attacks on the divine order. In Macbeth, a similar play, when King Duncan is murdered, the natural order is breached and chaos ensues: the day becomes as dark as night, Duncan’s horses turn wild and eat each other and a civil war breaks out. From a New Historicist stance, critics such as Tennenhouse argue that Shakespeare illustrates what happens when there is a ‘catastrophic redistribution of power’, therefore promoting the oppressive structures of the patriarchal hierarchy. However, other critics suggest that the tragedies occur because of society’s already ‘faulty ideological structure’, particularly emphasised in the David Farr production through the skewed girders, broken windows, sizzling strip-lighting and the eventual collapse of the flimsy kingdom walls. Moreover, Shakespeare appears to be presenting a morally chaotic world through the way in which the characters can be seen as possessing seen corrupted morals, motivated purely by materialism as opposed to moralistic values. We see this in the elegant and superficial speeches of Gonerill and Regan who claim to love Lear ‘Dearer than eyesight’, the hyperbole in these statements highlighting their manipulative nature and greed for worldly goods. Their actions throughout the rest of the play prove the fabrication of these initial promises. Johnson comments that King Lear is a play in which the ‘Wicked prosper and virtuous miscarry’. I find this view accurate as the audience can witness how the Machiavellian characters such as Gonerill and Regan are rewarded for their materialism, and given total rights over the kingdom, whereas the virtuous characters such as Cordelia and Kent are punished for their honesty and moralistic values, consequently demonstrating a world of chaotic morals. Lear himself is presented as morally ambivalent, similar to Claudius in Hamlet, initially valuing riches and reputation, which were the very things that fuelled his disillusionment and moral blindness. The love test he uses to bribe his daughters with ‘the largest bounty’ can be seen as an obvious attempt to buy their love and consequently boost his self-image. His rash reaction to Cordelia’s refusal to perform, pledging to ‘disclaim all paternal care’ illustrates how his hubris stops him from being able to differentiate between his honest daughter and his deceitful daughters. It also demonstrates the way in which the antagonists exploit the hamartia of the protagonist, heightening the tragic nature of the play. However, towards the end of the play, Lear’s character undergoes anagnorisis and so he comes to possess more virtuous principles. In Act 3, for the first time he recognises the plight of the ‘Poor naked wretches’ that are forced to ‘bide the pelting of [the]pitiless storm’, the alliteration in ‘pitiless’ and ‘pelting’ demonstrating the extreme suffering endured by those in poverty. Through Shakespeare’s emotive lexis, Lear is presented as regretful, empathetic, and compassionate, which directly contrasts with his initial selfishness and fixation with worldly things, and it is this contrast that presents a sense of moral confusion. On the other hand, through employing moral characters that remain virtuous throughout the play, Shakespeare doesn’t present a completely morally chaotic world. Cordelia’s character is the personification of virtue and morality, creating a direct juxtaposition with the immoral, Machiavellian characters such as Gonerill and Regan. When required to bargain her love for rights over the kingdom, she comments â€Å"I cannot heave my heart into my mouth†, portraying her honest nature. The idiom â€Å"heart in your mouth†, which suggests nervousness or fear, demonstrates that Cordelia does not see any reason to fear losing the land, emphasising her lack of materialism and strong moral compass. Expanding on this, Lear later describes her tears as â€Å"The holy water from her heavenly eyes†, the alliteration of ‘holy’ and ‘heavenly’ stressing her virtue and linking her to the Gods. Foakes comments â€Å"The optimistic thrust of Edgar's moralizing hints at the possibility of a happy ending. ’’ The play concludes with the moralistic character Edgar reigning over England, and although good characters such as Cordelia die, (which wasn’t received well by Shakespeare’s original audience), evil is ultimately eradicated whilst good triumphs. By the end of the play, Evil can even be seen to be eradicated by evil itself. Gonerill poisons Regan, and mentions in an aside after Regan feels the effects â€Å"If not I’ll ne’er trust medicine†, the secretive nature of this aside presenting her murderous and calculating nature. Shortly after, she commits suicide, which would have been seen as a great act of sin by a Jacobean audience, but ultimately evil defeats itself, evoking a rebalancing of morals and a move back towards the natural order. The play clearly descends from the embodied values of medieval morality plays, which was a popular form of drama in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. These plays present a direct conflict between good and evil, and ultimately the evil and chaos must be destroyed, and a moral lesson is learned. Overall, there are many aspects of King Lear that evoke a seeming moral chaos, however by the end of the play, as in all morality plays, the chaos is removed and moral order is restored, resulting in catharsis for the audience.