The Tragedies Of Shakespeare Essay Example For Students

The Tragedies Of Shakespeare Essay The Tragedies Of Shakespeare Your noble son is mad Mad call I it, for to define true madness,What ist but to be nothing else but mad? (Wells and Taylor, 665)In Act two, scene two of William Shakespeares play Hamlet, Poloniususes these words to inform Hamlets parents of their sons insanity. He thencontinues on, telling Gertrude and Claudius that the cause of this madness islovesickness over his own daughter Ophelia (665). From the privilegedperspective of the audience, we know that Polonius is mistaken and that Hamletis far from insane, but rather, playing mad for a purpose of his own. Madnessin Shakespearean plays, and in tragedies in particular, is rarely what it seemson the surface. Instead, both madness and the characters experiencing it arelayered with meaning; like an onion, layer after layer can be peeled off,eventually allowing a glimpse at the core concealed within. We will write a custom essay on The Tragedies Of Shakespeare specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now Shakespeares treatment of the character Hamlet is typically multi-faceted and complexHamlet appears insane, ostensibly over Ophelia, however,his madness is feigneda cover for internal conflicts, rooted not in thwartedaffection, but rather in desire to avenge his fathers murder. Hamlet even goesso far as to say his apparent madness is an act when he says I am but madnorth-north-west; when the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw(667). Shakespeare often used madness, either feigned or actual, as a teachingtool or vehicle to advance his plot. Sometimes this madness was feigned, asevidenced by Hamlet and Edgar (the legitimate son of Gloucester in The Tragedyof King Lear), but other times it was genuine insanity. Ophelia and LadyMacBeth are obvious examples of Shakespearean characters that have slipped intomadnessOphelia due to the loss of all those dear to her, and Lady MacBeth fromguilt over the part she played in King Duncans murder. In Hamlet, Opheliasmadness ultimately leads to her demise, and this, in turn, plays a part inHamlets willingness to engage in what will be his final battle. In this sense,it helps advance the play towards its climax. While Lady MacBeths madness also leads to death, its focus is more onteaching than propelling the story to conclusion. While Lady MacBeth isinitially seen as a cold, conscienceless, calculating woman, intent onadvancing her husband politically (by any means necessary), her characterchanges as the play progresses. Early on in the play, she is full of ambition;indeed, upon reading MacBeths letter, she complains about his nature andinaction:Yet do I fear thy nature,It is too full o th milk of human kindnessTo catch the nearest way. Thou wouldst be great,Art not without ambition, but withoutThe illness should attend it. What thou wouldst highly,That wouldst thou holily; wouldst not play false,And yet wouldst wrongly win. (980)The social and moral lesson here isnt difficult to get: too much ambition leadsto downfall, either through enemies or through ones own conscience. LadyMacBeths descent into guilt and subsequent madness illustrates this well. King Lear, yet another Shakespearean character that goes mad, also diesat the end of his play, however, he differs from Lady MacBeth and Ophelia inthat it is heartbreak that causes his death, rather than suicide. Lear furtherdiffers in that he, unlike Ophelia and Lady MacBeth, regains his sanity in thecourse of the play. Unlike either of them, his madness is a catalyst for selfrealizationemotional growth and personal insight hitherto undeveloped. Thevery privilege of his position as king had sheltered him from the real worldaround him, and stunted any growth that might have normally occurred. In hiscase, madness served a positive function rather than a destructive one. Ibelieve it also served to protect him, psychologically if not physically, fromthe horrors going on around himat least until he was capable of dealing withthem. .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f , .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f .postImageUrl , .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f , .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f:hover , .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f:visited , .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f:active { border:0!important; } .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f:active , .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u0d2498e3f53f0086042455024d5c804f:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: The Themes of the American Dream, Racism, and White Privilege in Between the World and Me, a Novel by Ta-Nehisi Coates EssayThese instances of actual madness differ markedly from characters suchas Hamlet and Edgar, both of whom use madness as a cover to suit their ownpurposes. Hamlet, mentioned earlier, affects madness as a ploy to distractthose around him from his true intent, namely, avenging his fathers murder bykilling Claudius.Edgars motives, on the other hand, are different; byplaying the part of a bedlam beggar, he hopes to camouflage himself, and thuspreserve his life from the fratricidal impulses of his half brother, Edmond(955). The madness of these characters is presented in different ways: Opheliawanders about, singing bits of bawdy songs and making such irrelevant andnonsensical statements as They say the owl was a bakers daughter. Lord, weknow what we are, but not what we may be. (679), while Hamlet dresses crazilyand plays with Polonius mind, initially greeting him as a fishmonger (665), andlater spouting insane sounding, yet carefully chosen pointed comments. Poloniusindeed, thinks Hamlet mad, yet at the same time, notices the barbs in hisspeech: Yet he knew me not at first, . . . he is far gone, far gone. . . Though this be madness, yet there is method int. . . How pregnant sometimeshis replies are! (666). Lears temporary insanity manifests itself in odd behaviorspeaking todogs not present in the room (Tray, Blanche, and Sweetheartsee, they bark atme. (962)), wandering about in the woods fending for himself, and makingflower garlands. While this behavior is utterly uncharacteristic of a dignifiedelderly king, it is this release, the freedom to fend for himself, that allowsLear to finally attain self knowledge. Edgar, having narrowly escaped the hunting parties sent out after him,realizes that as long as he is himself, he will never be safe. To that end, he decides to affect the costume and demeanor of a bedlambeggar (thus escaping detection and almost certain death), saying: I will preserve myself, and . . . will take the basest and poorest shape that ever penury in contempt of man Brought near to beast. My face Ill grime with filth, Blanket my loins, elf all my hairs in knots, And with presented nakedness outface the winds and persecutions of the sky. (955)He noted that bedlam beggars throughout the country have provided him precedent,being generally left alone by townspeople, though sometime pelted and driven outof town by those same people. All in all, it was a small price to pay for thepreservation of his life. Lady Macbeths madness, almost not a true madness, like those of Opheliaand Lear, but rather a nervous breakdown caused by guilt, manifests mainly insleepwalking before ultimately ending with her suicide. She wanders thehallways at night, muttering Out, damnd spot; out, I say. . . . The Thaneof Fife had a wife. Where is she now? What, will these hands neer be clean?(996). She further sees visions during the day, never at peace, starting at theleast little thing. Eventually, she succumbs to the internal torments andcommits suicide by leaping from a building. Whether real or feigned, irrespective of the manifestation, all of theseinstances of madness serve a purpose greater than merely being madness for thesake of madness. Each of these characters teaches us something, or, throughtheir own actions, causes us to look inside ourselves for some insight. Victorian audiences expected as much, and the lessons and insights are, for themost part, as valid today as they were when Shakespeare first put pen to paper. Of the various devices Shakespeare used to convey these messages,madness is one of the more effective. All these years later, Ophelias deathstill wrings a tear, causing us to fume at its futility. Lady MacBethssuicide still seems a fitting punishment for her actions, while Learsderangement, though temporary, poignantly draws our attention to thepointlessness and heartbreak of family feuds. Somehow, the great speeches madeby other characters to rally troops (e.g., the St. Crispin day speech by HenryV) just dont have the same visceral impact as seeing a once strong characterin the grips of insanity. .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e , .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e .postImageUrl , .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e , .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e:hover , .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e:visited , .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e:active { border:0!important; } .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e:active , .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ua8844afc1a21bc2ec791fbe41518d66e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Diabetes EssayOften, Shakespeare uses the psychological aspect of this to advantagenot only on the audience, but on other characters within the play itself. Gertrude, for example, perhaps more open to Hamlets words out of pity for hismadness, shows remorse for her actions: Thou turnst mine eyes into my verysoul, And there I see such black and grained spots As will not leave theirtinct (676). Shakespeare was masterful when it came to tying strands of the plottogether using insanity. Edgars Poor Tom act not only preserved his life,but in doing so, it allowed him to right some of the wrongs caused by Edmond. Gloucester would not have been open to Edgars care after being blinded, but hewas grateful to accept the company and guidance of Tom. As Tom, Edgar wasable to not only prevent his fathers attempted suicide, but to snap him out ofthe despair and self pity he was trapped in (966). Furthermore, the persona ofPoor Tom allowed Edgar to be alive to duel with Edmond at the very end of theplay. Edmond admits his wrongs (What you have charged me with, that have Idone, And more much more. (972)), and attempts to stop Cordelias hangingbefore he dies. Ophelias drowning, a tragedy that would likely not have occurred hadshe not gone mad, deeply affected both Hamlet and Laertes, causing them both tobe eager to duel when a duel was proposed. This very duel was to conclude withHamlet finally taking action and avenging his fathers murder. In turn, Claudius would likely have been more suspicious of Hamlet andhave attempted to murder him more quickly than he did had he not felt pity forHamlets evident madness. Thus, several strands of the story are interwoven,all leading to the climactic death scene that ends the tragedy. In short, madness in Shakespeare, particularly in Shakespearean tragedy,is never what it appeared to be on the surface. It is always a vital aspect ofthe plot, interwoven throughout, having layer upon layer of meaning. Poloniuswas uncannily accurate when he stated of Hamlet Though this be madness, . . . there is method int; on a broader scope, that very sentiment can be applied toall of Shakespeares applications of madness, and not just to the characterHamlet. There is a method and a meaning for every incidence of insanity, andindeed, often more than one. Insights we might glean from an examination ofthese meanings are among Shakespeares lasting gifts to us, even many hundredsof years later. This is a profound gift, and one to be treasured. Work CitedWells and Taylor. William Shakespeare The Complete Works. New York: Oxford University Press, 1988. English

Heinreich Schutz essays

Heinreich Schutz essays Heinrich Schtz is the most important composer in the early Baroque period and the most important German composer up until the time of J.S. Bach. He is the first to command the respect of other composers on an international level and to achieve international acclaim. Through the example of his works and teachings, he played an important part in establishing the traditions of high craftsmanship and intellectual depth in music. There is some debate, among scholars, as to when exactly Heinrich Schtz was born. In a personal memorandum ...of January 14, 1651, to Elector Johann I, [Schtz] mentions the day of St. Burkhard as his birthday (SLstritz, Germany, now Bad Kstritz near Gera, on October 8th, 1585 and baptized the next day October 9th. As there are records of this, it seems even more likely that these records are more accurate than the memorandum. Schtz was born to a prominent bourgeois family of Franconian origin that had resided in Saxony since the mid-15th century. He was born in the same year as Richelieu... [and was]...21 years younger than Shakespeare and 21 years older than Rembrandt(SLtz, owned a local Inn that was eventually left to his son, Heinrichs father, Christof. Albrecht would move away to Weissenfels, where he would become a prominent and esteemed Council chamberlain in Weissenfels. Albrecht would acquire another Inn, Zur gldenen Ring(SL At the time he moved to Weissenfels, Christof already widowed and re-married to the daughter of the local Burgomaster, had fathered eight children in addition to the three left with him from his late wife. Of these new eight children, Heinrich was the second born and the ...

One topic or theme that compares and contrasts traditional and more Essay - 1

One topic or theme that compares and contrasts traditional and more recent innovations in our understanding of equality and diversity - Essay Example abilities approach in managing diversity revolves around the ability to measure people’s abilities and what they can achieve as well as what they can become, in order to allocate the right amount and the right kind of resources in their development or welfare (Comim, et al, 2008, p.84). Capabilities are seen as opportunities for well being and therefore, justice is seen in terms of how an individual will achieve his well being (Kaufman, 2006 p.2). According to Hernandez and O’Connor (2009, p.165), the HR department has a lot of power in determining which titles will be given to who and who will get how much in their pay and this means that the HR department has a strong rein on how people develop in the organization. Managing diversity in the workplace is one of the biggest challenges and yet exciting processes in the workplace. Managing diversity is essential in meeting organizations goals and implementing its strategy (Wilkinson, 2009, p.232). According to Cornelius (2002, p.153), having workforce that is entirely diverse starts at recruitment and the HR department should and must have the right strategy for achieving this. With this regard, there are both traditional and modern approaches to managing diversity. Traditional methods of managing diversity were mostly from the US and were focused on creating a work environment that took care of ethnic differences. Managing diversity has, however, changed and today, not only it is a global management issue but it has taken a new route. Modern diversity management focuses on managing talent and making sure that people abilities are given equal opportunity without regard to their race, health or cultures. The difference between traditional strategies in managing diversity and the current approach is that the current methodology does not give minority groups in the work place more opportunity just because they are a minority. For instance, in the older strategies for managing diversities in the workplace, a

Critical care nursing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Critical care nursing - Essay Example The drugs prescribed demonstrate that the endeavor was to keep her blood pressure within normal limits, to keep her cholesterol levels in check and prevent any further cardiovascular complications, primarily as a measure to reduce the risk of a heart attack (NIH). The prescribed drugs are standard regimen to keep the blood thin, control blood pressure and reduce hyperlipidemia. However, 5 days post-discharge, the woman was presented again at the emergency department with the primary complaint being that of sudden onset of breathing difficulty. According to her husband’s statement, the woman had probably forgotten to take some of the prescribed medication, had undergone stress due to current heat wave, and had exerted herself while making preparations for the ensuing Christmas celebrations. Vital signs as registered on arrival at the emergency facility included a respiratory rate of 28, heart rate of 130 suggestive of rhythm sinus tachycardia, a B.P. of 140/100, oxygen saturati on of 94% on 6 litre oxygen via facemask and a capillary refill value greater than 3 seconds. On palpation her skin felt cold as well as clammy. Upon lung auscultation, bilateral fine crackles were discernible. Immediate treatment recommended and provided at this stage was in the form of GTN (Nitroglycerine) infusion and an IV diuretic, frusemide at a dose of 40 mg after which she was shifted to the ICU. In the ICU, sinus tachycardia was observed along with a HR (Heart Rate) of 133. ECG (electrocardiograph) revealed resolving acute anterior septal myocardial infarction with present Q wave. She had marked hypotension with a value of 85/70 and JVP was estimated at 6 cms above the sternal angle. Echocardiography revealed an ejection fraction of 50% with poor diastolic filling. Respiration was shallow and tachypnoeic with a RR of 35. Despite a supplement of 10L/Nonbreathing mask oxygen therapy, she continued to maintain poor oxygen saturation at 80-90%. Her pain score was determined as 5/10 and the urine output was 200mls. GTN infusion was discontinued and she was put on dobutamine at a dose rate of 500 mg/100 mls in 5% dextrose titrated to a MAP of 70 mm Hg. Mask CPAP was initiated. The woman’s age, BMI and the clinical symptoms presented clearly show that she is at a clear risk of a sudden onset heart attack which has occurred according to her presented symptoms on admission at the emergency facility. Such acute heart failure syndromes (AHFS) are a recognized reason for the high rise of cases needing hospitalization over the last few decades due to rising incidence of lifestyle diseases (Coons et al, 2009). The risk of mortality is high in such cases and therapy has to be instituted immediately. The above patient’s history, signs and investigative laboratory scores clearly show that she is suffering from acute onset heart failure. Her low BP (85/70), evidence of sinus tachycardia (HR 133), poor diastolic filling suggestive of reduced left ventricul ar ejection fraction (LVEF), low RR (35) and poor oxygen saturation despite artificial support are clear markers for her diagnosis (Coons et al, 2009). Although the above signs are sufficient for establishing diagnosis of AHFS, it has been suggested that newer diagnostic markers such as cardiac troponin and B-type natriuretic peptide levels can assist in establishing a positive diagnosis and should be employed (Pulkki et al,

Applied Skill for Human Services Essay Example for Free

Applied Skill for Human Services Essay The field of Human Services is broadly defined, uniquely approaching the objective of meeting human needs through an interdisciplinary knowledge base, focusing on prevention as well as remediation of problems, and maintaining a commitment to improving the overall quality of life of service populations. The Human Services profession is one which promotes improved service delivery systems by addressing not only the quality of direct services, but also by seeking to improve accessibility, accountability, and coordination among professionals and agencies in service delivery. (http://www.nationalhumanservices.org/what-is-human-services). Human services professional is a generic term for people who hold professional and paraprofessional jobs in such diverse settings as group homes and halfway houses; correctional, intellectual disability, and community mental health centers; family, child, and youth service agencies, and programs concerned with alcoholism, drug abuse, family violence, and aging. Depending on the employment setting and the kinds of clients served there, job titles and duties vary a great deal. The primary purpose of the human services professional is to assist individual and communities to function as effectively as possible in the major domains of living. A strong desire to help others is an important consideration for a job as a human services worker. Individuals who show patience, understanding, and caring in their dealings with others are highly valued by employers. Other important personal traits include communication skills, a strong sense of responsibility, and the ability to manage time effectively. (http://www.nationalhumanservices.org/what-is-human-services). When you think about it we all are in the human service field in some way or another, helping someone across the street, picking up something someone dropped for them, helping for the holidays, these are all ways of helping your fellow man/woman. The bigger difference is the profession of human service goes further to do this every day not just on a random whim. When it comes to helping a family on the brink of splitting up because abuse, violence, or  any other unthinkable act against a child will you help or just turn a cold shoulder, a human service worker has made a choice to put themselves as an advocate for the child/family to intervene and provide a safe haven or way out and away from the problem. When looking at Todd and Reggie, they really are going through a lot separately let alone together as a couple. You know off the bat that this will not be a quick couple of sessions and call it a day, these guys have a lot of things going on from death to substance abuse to being homosexual, which has been not as taboo as it has been in the past few years. The need separate counseling to air out their own personal issues then once that has been dealt with then try tackling couples therapy. Categories give order to life, and every day, we group other people into categories based on social and other characteristics. This is the foundation of stereotypes, prejudice and, ultimately, discrimination. A stereotype is an exaggerated belief, image or distorted truth about a person or group — a generalization that allows for little or no individual differences or social variation. Stereotypes are based on images in mass media, or reputations passed on by parents, peers and other members of society. Stereotypes can be positive or negative. A prejudice is an opinion, prejudgment or attitude about a group or its individual members. A prejudice can be positive, but in our usage refers to a negative attitude. Many of the prejudices and discrimination are passed down to the other generations. When the media and parents perpetuate degrading stereotypes and images about certain groups of people tend to discriminate others who belong to such groups. People with authoritarian personalities tend to prejudice as well since their thinking has its base on unconscious fears. Ethnocentrism makes people to evaluate other peoples culture based on their own and they are usually suspicious of outsiders. Group closure which involves keeping clear boundaries between groups with different characteristics could be another cause. The conflict theory suggests that the people who belong to the majority, the high social class and the privileged groups try very hard to hold on such positions. Any kind of competition especially from the minority can bring violence and conflict between them. In America, for example, black patients may go to a white counselor with negative expectations and biases. A recommendation to them would be to seek grief, alcohol, and substance abuse counseling aside from what they are getting. There may also be other programs Reggie could  look into for employment help as he is not really finding anything with the STARS program. It seems as if Reggie and Todd may need time apart before they can become a couple, They really need to sit down and be honest with each other and see if this really going anywhere or are they just hanging on in hopes something changes for the better. Resources http://www.nationalhumanservices.org/what-is-human-services http://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/199805/where-bias-begins-the-truth-about-stereotypes

Anti Abortion - The Truth of Abortion :: social issues

Anti Abortion - The Truth of Abortion "And, behold, one came and said unto Him, Good Master, what good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life? And He said unto him, Why callest thou me good? There is none good but One, that is, God: but if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. He saith unto Him, which? Jesus said, THOU SHALT DO NO MURDER, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Honour thy father and mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." ~ Lord Jesus Christ Quote, Matthew 19:16-19, King James Version Bible †¢ Introduction : To know and feel truth is essential to understanding. You may say, "...not another religious person..." but I say unto you, I come about this conclusion through pure reason. Of course, this is a tender subject, but that goes to reason. For it is essential for truth and feeling to come together in the expression and beholding of understanding. †¢ Abortion and Choice : We have freewill to either magnify goodness or not. We have freewill, as has been given to us by our Creator, to do good or evil. Hence, I nor anyone else – not even God – has the right to deny another from any course of action – in this case, abortion. †¢ Abortion Stance : Truth is eternal regardless of situation. Though, as I have clarified above, do not have the right to deny another of choice, I do and will utilize my right in voicing my stance against it – that abortion is murder. I understand there are pregnancies by rape, and I know it is wrong to, not only, forbid an abortion, but it would also be cruel. Still, I remain with belief that abortion is murder. I understand there are pregnancies that endanger the mother's life, and I know it is wrong to, not only, forbid an abortion, but it would also be cruel. Still, I remain with belief that abortion is murder. I understand there are pregnancies that are unwanted, which have occurred by the voluntary engagement in the activity of reproduction. Whatever the case may be, which results in an unwanted pregnancy through voluntary engagement in the activity of reproduction, the couple has acted irresponsibly. For when a couple engages in the activity of reproduction, it comes with the possibility of responsibility in assuming parenthood.

Mark Twain’s Humorous Satire in Running for Governor Essay

Abstract: Mark Twain, a mastermind of humor and realism, is seen as a giant in world literature. His humorous satire had great impact on the following men of letters; critics also attached significant importance to it and put forward various interpretations. Noticeably, his humor? ous satire finds full expression in his famous short story, Running for Governor. In it, with humor and satire, he exposed the true features and hypocrisy of American democracy. The paper tries to analyze the basic elements which affected Mark Twain’s humorous satire, aiming at offering rational analysis of this humorous satire in Running for Governor as well as making Twain’s works readily understood. Key words: Mark Twain; realism; humorous satire; hypocrisy; American :106 I : A : -5039(2012)03-0206-02 1009 1 Introduction Mark Twain, the pseudonym of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, born in Florida, Missouri, on November 30, 1835, is the forerunner and reputed realist in the arena of American literature. He is an American writer and humorist, whose best work is characterized by broad, often irreverent or biting satire. His work is also known for re? alism of place and language, memorable characters, and hatred of hypocrisy and oppression. Because of his remarkable contributions to the nation, literary critics spoke highly of his achievements. For instance, these venera? ble titles â€Å"the Lincoln of American literature†, â€Å"the true father of our national literature†, â€Å"Mark Twain—Mirror of American† are used to highlight his pinnacles in literature. Samuel’s humor, if only in order to funnily make others laugh, I don’t think there would not have such a daimyo—†Mark Twain† on the literary scene in today’s world. Moreover, with his particular creative spirit and rather elegant â€Å"people’s language†, especially his excellent humor and satire, he is deeply praised by American people. Mark Twain wrote many short stories and these stories profoundly analyze and expose short? comings and ugliness of capitalist society. As for humorous satire, Running for Governor is a representative short story. The story creates an unreal independent nominee who suffers a series of nasty and shameless slander to expose the hypocrisy of American â€Å"Democracy† and the corruption and depravity of the cap? italist system under the guise of American â€Å"Democracy†. Mark Twain’s penetrating and remarkable portray of Bourgeois politicians profoundly reveals the hypocrisy of bourgeois democratic electoral system. Therefore, Running for Governor is an excellent humorous satire works, which is ideological and instructive. 2 Mark Twain’s Humorous Satire in Running for Governor. In Running for Governor, at the beginning of the story, Twain wrote: â€Å"A few months ago I was nominated for Governor of the great state of New York, to run against Mr. John T. Smith and Mr. Blank J. Blank on the independent ticket. I somehow felt that I had one prominent advantage over these gentlemen, and that was—good character. â€Å"1 Three specific characters appear, â€Å"I† is the indepen? dence Party’s candidate, who is an upright and honest man with sim? ple thoughts, The Republican candidate Mr. John T. Smith, and the Democratic candidate Mr. Blank J. Blank. People favor to talk about his usual first-person narrative method. This narrative method which he was so handy to use that it become a major artistic style he created. It strengthens the ex? change on Twain’s thoughts and feelings with the reader’s, and make Twain feel freedom to mobilize all language means to gain hu? morous and satirical effects. In American literature, Twain is not only a great humorist, but also an eminent master who developed a unique style of his own— colloquialism. His greatness lies in blending of humor with lively language. In the first rumor â€Å"perjury†, after Mr. John T. Smith and Mr. Blank J. Blank had well-founded accusations on â€Å"me†, they ve? hemently said: â€Å"Mr. Twain owes it to himself, as well as to the great people whose suffrages he asks, to clear this matter up. Will he do it? † These three words â€Å"the great people† are full of localism, also with humor to demonstrate â€Å"my† rivals’ extraordinary skills2. His words are colloquial, concrete and direct in effect, and his sentence structures are simple such as â€Å"will he do it†, but humorously sati? rize officialdom’s true features. His humor is not only of witty remarks mocking at small things or of farcical elements making people laugh, but a kind of artistic style used to criticize the social injustice and satirize the decayed romanticism. 3 Influences of Mark Twain’s Humorous Satire Twain’s works, both in content and form, with more American characteristics, demonstrate Americans’ thoughts and feelings and reflect the manifold movements of American society by using their own language and telling their own stories. Twain’s life is difficult, but he wrote a large number of literary works. From the spiritually empty and nothing-to-do people, to the unscrupulous politicians, : -12-05 2011 : -01-05 2012 : , , 206 : 2012 ? 02 ?  to the rulers of money and the rulers of spiritual morality became the objects of Twain’s ruthless ridicule, biting satire and criticism. As a distinguished master of humor and irony, Twain’s humor with his unique style, a combination of smart ideas with the art of satire have a practical significance for us to understand social, institution? al and human legacy in 19th century and help to recognize the evils of American society today. The autonomous status of American literature as a national lit? erature can hardly be questioned nowadays, but once American lit?  erature had a special relation to the British tradition. During 19th century, this period, American literature strongly tended to view the course it was taking as diverging widely from the English tradition while trying to give expressions to awareness informed by local in? fluence. Of the three writers Eliot chooses as the landmark of the coming of age of American literature to be found, in his opinion, at the moment when American writers were first acknowledged to be influencing other literature, one is Mark Twain. He is justly renowned as a humorist but was not always appre? ciated by the writers of his time more than that. Successive genera? tions of writers, however, recognized the role that Twain played in creating a truly American literature. His success in creating this plan but evocative language precipitated the end of American rever? ence for British and European cultures and for the more formal lan? guage associated with those traditions. His achievement: creating timeless art in the vernacular, helped advance American cultural in? dependence and diversity. 4 Conclusion Mark Twain is a remarkable representative of American realis?  tic literature in the 19th century, he is the first writer who had the literary creation â€Å"Americanization† and had the literary language â€Å"nationalize†. With hard work, he finished lots of literature works in his life. In his works of literature, he laughed at, satirized and criti? cized the power of money, the hypocritical morality, corrupted poli? tics, etc. It is full of Mark Twain’s humor, he criticized and satirized the social hideousness bitterly. Mark Twain detailed the social hid? eousness with his particular humor. It is full of relaxation, optimism and humorous style. Running for Governor is an outstanding representative of Twain’s political satirical novel in 19th century. Twain fabricated an unreal independent partisan â€Å"I† (not the author) who eventually had to abandon the campaign for New York governor because of abuse, rumors and personal attacks from the opponents through ex? aggerated, humorous satire, to profoundly reveal the dirty inside of â€Å"free election†, rip the U. S. â€Å"two-party system†, and expose a capi? talist â€Å"freedom of speech,† thus humorously satirizing the hypocrisy of the bourgeois democracy. 3 : Overseas English ? ? ? ? To sum up, fundamentally, Twain is a great humorist. He once said, â€Å"there are several kinds of stories, but only one different—the humorous. † So to be humorous in his writing I venture to say is his lifelong pursuit. It is also undeniable that Twain is the only giant who had brought both local colorism and humor to the world fame. Meanwhile he once claimed that he was a serious writer and was ac? tively concerned with moral ideas in many ways. However, when he found the darkness, corruption, injustice and the personal tragic en?  counters he had to withstand in particular, he became firstly serious and then bitter ironic. It follows therefore that we should take these elements into consideration when analyzing Twain’s writing charac? teristics as well as himself. In short, both the changing social reality and the unpredictable personal tragedies directly and eventually re? sulted in his humorous satire. In Mark Twain’s autobiography, he had summed up the experi? ence from his humorous novels:†It is impossible to humor for the hu? mor. Humor is just a flavor and snapshots. I have always told people that why I can persist for 30 years. † Thus we can see that Mark Twain had the humor and satire as his writing features, as the basis of writing his humorous novels. â€Å"4 Notes: 1 Wang Qun. Guide to Mark Twain[M]. Wuhan:Wuhan University Press,2007:64. 2 Sun Xun. Mark Twain and The adventures of Huckleberry Finn[M]. Beijing:China Juvenile and Children’s Books Publishing House, 2001:140. 3 Wang Qun. Guide to Mark Twain[M]. Wuhan:Wuhan University Press,2007:65. 4 Ibid. ,90-100 References: [1] Deng Xuxin. An Induction to Literature of English[M]. Wuhan: Wuhan University Press,2002. [2] Wu Weiren. History and Anthology of American Literature[M]. Beijing: Foreign Language Teaching and Research Press,1990. [3] Song Yuankang. A study Guide to American Literature[M]. 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