Sunday, December 29, 2019

Who Were the Vestal Virgins

The Vestal Virgins were venerated priestesses of Vesta, the Roman goddess of the hearth fire  (full title: Vesta publica populi Romani Quiritium),  and the guardians of the luck of Rome who could intervene on behalf of those in trouble. They prepared the mola salsa that was used in all state sacrifices. Originally, there were 2, then 4 (in Plutarchs time), and then 6 Vestal Virgins. They were proceeded by lictors, who carried the rods and ax that could be used to inflict punishments on the people, if necessary. Even today we believe that our  vestal Virgins  can root runaway slaves to the spot by a spell, provided the slaves have not left Rome.—Pliny the Elder, Natural History, Book XXVIII, 13. Selection of the Vestal Virgins The first Vestal was taken from her parents as though she had been captured in war, and led by the hand. It has been thought that the Vestal Virgins wore their hair in the seni crines style of brides where the six parts to be braided and piled up were separated by a spear. This first Vestal may have been taken by the second of 7 kings of Rome Numa Pomilius  (or, possibly, Romulus, the first king and founder of Rome), according to the 2nd century A.D. Roman antiquarian Aulus Gellius (A.D. 123-170). According to Plutarch, in his life of Numa, there were originally two Vestals, and then 2 pairs under Servius Tullius named Gegania and Verenia, Cannulae and Tarpeia, representing the Romans and the Sabines. A third pair was formed when a third tribe was added to Rome. Since Romulus is credited with creating the three tribes this is problematic. Koptev says that an ancient grammarian, Festus says the six Vestals represented a division into three primary and three secondary Vestals, one of each for each tribe. Their term as priestesses of the goddess Vesta was 30 years, after which they were free to leave and marry. Most Vestal Virgins preferred to remain single after retirement. Before that, they had to maintain chastity or face a frightening death. The Perfection of the Vestal Virgin Girls from the ages of 6-10, originally from patrician, and later, from any freeborn family, were eligible to become Vestals (sacerdotes Vestales). They may have originally represented the daughters of the chief/priest, according to William Warde Fowler in The Roman Festivals of the Period of the Republic (1899). Besides aristocratic birth, vestals had to meet certain criteria assuring their perfection, including being free of bodily imperfection and having living parents. From those offered, the selections were made by lot. In exchange for a commitment of 30 years (10 in training, 10 in service, and 10 training others) and a vow of chastity, Vestals were emancipated, and so, free to administer their own affairs without a guardian (that is, they were free of their fathers potestas), given honor, the right to make a will, luxurious accommodations at state expense, and when they went out lictors carrying rods proceeded them. They wore distinctive dress and probably seni crines, the hai rstyle of a Roman bride. The Vestals are accompanied by three togate attendants, of whom the first and last are lictors, each carrying the two rods that in this period apparently distinguish the lictores curiatii assigned to the service of the priests. They wear mantles closely wrapped and over their heads the suffibulum, the white head-covering fastened under the chin which appears in other reliefs representing the Vestal Virgins. The first four carry sacred objects: a small spherical incense jar, a simpulum (?), and two large rectangular objects, possibly tablets containing the sacred ritual.Rites of the State Religion in Roman Art, by Inez Scott Ryberg; Memoirs of the American Academy in Rome, Vol. 22, Rites of the State Religion in Roman Art (1955); p. 41. Special privileges were granted the Vestal Virgins. According to Burial customs and the pollution of death in ancient Rome: procedures and paradoxes, by Francois Retief and Louise P. Cilliers,  it was required that people be buried outside the city (beyond the Pomoerium) except for a privileged few that included the vestals. The Functions of the Vestals The Vestals chief function was the preservation of an undying fire (ignis inextinctus) in the shrine of Vesta, goddess of the hearth, but they had other functions as well. On May 15, the Vestals threw straw figurines (Argei) into the Tiber. At the beginning of the June Vestalia festival, the inner sanctum (penus) of the circular shrine to Vesta, in the forum Romanum, was opened for women to bring offerings; otherwise, it was closed to all but the Vestals and the Pontifex Maximus. The Vestals made holy cakes (mola salsa) for the Vestalia, according to ritual prescriptions, from special salt, water, and grain. On the last day of the festival, the temple was ritually cleansed. The Vestals also kept wills and participated in ceremonies. The last known chief Vestal (vestalis maxima) was Coelia Concordia in A.D. 380. The cult ended in 394. Control Over and Punishment of the Vestal Virgins The Vestals werent the only priestly office Numa Pompilius instituted. Among others, he created the office of Pontifex Maximus to preside over rites, prescribe rules for public ceremony, and watch over the Vestals. It was the Pontifex task to administer their punishment. For some offenses, a Vestal might be whipped, but if the sacred fire went out, it proved a Vestal was impure. Her impurity threatened the safety of Rome. A Vestal who lost her virginity was buried alive in the Campus Sceleratus (near the Colline gate) amid solemn ritual. The Vestal was brought to steps leading down to a room with food, a bed, and a lamp. After her descent, the steps were removed and dirt heaped on the entrance to the room. There she was left to die. Virginity of the Vestal The reasons behind the virginal status of the Vestals have been scrutinized by classicists and anthropologists. The Vestals collective virginity may have been a form of binding magic preserving the safety of Rome. As long as it remains intact, Rome would remain safe. Should a Vestal be unchaste, her brutal ritual sacrifice would punish not only her but whatever might be polluting Rome. Should a Vestal become ill, she must be tended by a married woman outside the sacred area (aedes Vesta), according to Holt N. Parker, citing Pliny 7.19.1. From Why Were The Vestals Virgins? Or The Chastity of Women and the Safety of the Roman State, Holt N. Parker writes: Contagious magic, on the other hand, is metonymic or synecdochic: The part is to the whole as the image is to the represented object. The Vestal represents not only the idealized role of Woman -- a fusion of the archetypal roles of la Vergine and la Mamma into the figure of la Madonna -- but also the citizen body as a whole....A Roman woman existed legally only in relation to a man. A womans legal status was based entirely on this fact. The act of freeing a Vestal from any man so that she was free to incarnate all men removed her from all conventional classifications. Thus she was unmarried and so not a wife; a virgin and so not a mother; she was outside patria potestas and so not a daughter; she underwent no emancipatio, no coemptio and so not a ward. Sources Why Were The Vestals Virgins? Or The Chastity of Women and the Safety of the Roman State, by Holt N. Parker.  American Journal of Philology  125.4 (2004) 563-601.Dictionary of Roman Religion, by Leslie and Roy Adkins.Francois Retief and Louise P. Cilliers,  Burial customs and the pollution of death in ancient Rome: procedures and paradoxes,  Acta Theologica, Vol.26:2 2006Three Brothers at the Head of Archaic Rome: The King and His Consuls, by Alexandr Koptev;  Historia: Zeitschrift für Alte Geschichte, Vol. 54, No. 4 (2005), pp. 382-423.

Saturday, December 21, 2019

Libya s Transition Of The Arab Uprising Essay - 1587 Words

I. Introduction Just a few years ago, Libya had one of the highest standards of living of any African country. Now Libya is in political turmoil with multiple groups and governments trying to gain power. In 1969, Muammar Gaddafi seized power of Libya by a military coup. The authoritarian ruler stayed in power for four decades until 2011 when he was killed in an armed rebellion assisted by Western military intervention. The UN intervened in Libya for human rights reasons, not to facilitate a regime change. Shortly after Gaddafi was killed, foreign assistance disappeared leaving Libya fragile and hostile. The Libyan civil war began as a part of the Arab uprising, with two main opposing forces, the government and rebel militias. The military groups that had once fought to topple Gaddafi began to turn on each other in an attempt to gain power and oil wealth. Libya is now more ideologically divided than ever and in need of a plan to revive its nation. Libya’s transition to a democracy will involve many steps, considering its current lack of any centralized government. A multidimensional approach including peacekeeping, nation building, and developmental assistance is likely to have the most success in repairing Libya’s government. Through close monitoring, the Libyan government could be a functioning democracy in as little as five years. II. Past Democratic Injustices For 42 years, Libya was a military dictatorship ruled by Muammar Gaddafi. This type of government destroyed anyShow MoreRelatedThe Successes and Failures of the Mission1135 Words   |  5 PagesWithin the context of the Arab Spring, the case of Libya is original because of two following reasons: (1) the struggle for power between citizens and the elite group , and (2) more importantly, Libya was the first country that the United Nations had enforced the law of intervention, spearheaded by the U.S. and their allies. The revolution in Libya considerably awoke the attention of international community, particularly that of great powers. The military intervention into Libya is said to use â€Å" allRead MoreEssay about Arab Spring, Social Movement?1148 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿Arab Spring? Social Movement? Change in society is not always bad, a time of transition from one phase towards another is something that might bring a better condition for the future. Even if the transition period are filled with violence, the end result of the transformation can be either in the shape of new government or even a society change. The beginning of those transitions and transformation are triggered by an action call social movement. In this paper, the writer will attempt to describeRead MoreHistory : President Abdelaziz Bouteflika s Stroke2145 Words   |  9 PagesAlgeria from behind the scenes (Still waiting for real democracy, 2012 ). Concurrent with the country’s transition from Bouteflika’s authoritarian reign to le pouvoir’s shadow government has been the rise of private broadcast and social media. The Algerian populace now has four private news broadcast channels. While able to avoid the 2011 â€Å"Arab Spring† uprising in neighboring North African Arab countries Algerian news networks have heavily influenced them through social media (Algeria profile - TimelineRead MoreDemocracy As Student Mobilization : How Student Unions Will Change The Future Of Egypt5173 Words   |  21 Pagescollaboratively with local agencies and groups and actively promote the revitalization of distressed communities. The political disengagement of the Youth and their disaffection with political process are prime causes to encourage civic engagement of Arab universities. In a nutshell, scholarship of engagement means that individuals apply their scholarly gifts in partnership with community members in order to resolve pressing problems. Engaging students comes in many forms ranging from participationRead MoreInternational Security And The Role Of The United Nations3111 Words   |  13 Pageswill analyse what was the impact of the intervention in each scenario and how that affected the role of the UN in the international system. The situations to be analyzed are: the Libyan Civil War, the Rwandan Genocide and The Gulf War. Civil War in Libya The Libyan civil war of 2011 or also know as the Libyan Revolution, was one of the most significant modern conflicts of the 21st century. The citizens of the country were not really happy with the government policies and the overall way their countryRead MoreThe Objectives Of The National Military Strategy Essay1980 Words   |  8 Pages During the negotiations in Cuba missile crisis there was a soft message from Khrushchev ensuring that the U.S.S.R. will remove the missiles from Cuba if the U.S. promises not to invade. McNamara in the film â€Å"Eleven lessons from the life of Robert S. McNamara Fog† mentioned that he and President Kennedy wanted to keep the nation out of war, although elements of the cabinet within the White House wanted to invade Cuba. Moreover, during the naval blockade of Cuba, President Kennedy ordered no firingRead MoreUnited Nations Role in Conflict Management in Africa: a Case Study of Darfur11729 Words   |  47 Pagesmillion people have died as a direct or indirect result of war. In June 1998, over 50 Ethiopian civilians were massacred when the Eritrea Air Force attacked undefended civilian locations, in Adigrat. He further stated that the unsuccessful Hutu uprising against the dominant Tutsi, in Burundi, had a mortality of about 150,000 to 250,000. Odibendi concluded by saying th at religious strife between the Christians and Moslems, following the imposition of Sharia law in 1999, claimed an estimated 1000Read MoreCatal Hyuk2725 Words   |  11 PagesCastration Sian Qian Period of the Warring States Kong Fuzi Analects Ren, li, xiao Laozi Dao, Daoism Legalism Qin Shi Huangdi Great Wall Chinese Script Conscription Liu Bang Han Wudi Hegemony Yellow Turban Uprising Tribute Silk MAPS: Chang’an Great Wall Xiongnu Korea Bactria Taklamakan Desert South China Sea Samarkand Sumatra Java Guangzhou Bukhara CHAPTER 9: State, Society, and the Quest for Salvation in IndiaRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 Pages161 6 Locating the United States in Twentieth-Century World History †¢ Carl J. Guarneri 213 7 The Technopolitics of Cold War: Toward a Transregional Perspective †¢ Gabrielle Hecht and Paul N. Edwards 271 8 A Century of Environmental Transitions †¢ Richard P. Tucker 315 About the Contributors †¢ 343 _ IN TR OD UC TIO N Michael Adas B y any of the customary measures we deploy to demarcate historical epochs, the twentieth century does not appear to be a very coherent

Friday, December 13, 2019

A Letter from Buddha to his Disciple Free Essays

You have asked of me for help in how to heal your father of his sickness. I appreciate that your father is a good and righteous man and you are blessed to have had a good man for a father. But I cannot take away his pain. We will write a custom essay sample on A Letter from Buddha to his Disciple or any similar topic only for you Order Now That is something that no one can really do for if there is anything that is constant in every person’s life, it is suffering. Life is suffering. That is one of the noble truths. Learn this and it can just be the very thing that would bring you, your family, and even your father enlightenment. Also remember that sorcery and miracles promised by magicians will do you no good for it is against the Laws of Karma and can only bring harm. I have seen the suffering and ugliness caused by disease and the sadness caused by man’s mortality. (Moore-Brooder, 2005, p. 499) Truly if one would compare the life I led with my family one would say I am truly favored by the gods. When I was young I lived a life full of pleasures and worldly vices. But it can be a paradox on how one’s blessings are defined by pain and suffering. It was only after bearing witness to the many instances and forms of suffering, that I sought fulfillment of my existence and ultimately, enlightenment. Man’s life is incomplete without pain. Even from the time of birth both mother and child experience pain. But once one has transcended pain, he becomes a new man and thus, reborn. I give you my story of the mother Gotami-tissa whose son succumbed to disease. (Morgan, 1956, p. 23) She went from door to door seeking a miracle that would bring back her son’s life continually being told that such a thing was impossible. She came to me for help, wringing her hands and prostrating herself so that I may bring her son back to life. I asked her for mustard seeds. Not just any ordinary mustard seed, but she must collect seeds that came from homes that remained untouched by grief and death. Later on she came back to me and confessed that she was unable to get any seed for all the homes she visited have experienced death. Death is not a circumstance special to just one person. It is unavoidable and constant. By understanding this, she was cured of her grief and has been able to continue living as a new woman. In my teachings I have continually mentioned man’s mortality, his impermanence. Nothing on earth is permanent other than death. Its stealth is legendary and one never really knows when it will come. I urge you my son, to practice dharma in order that your life may be fulfilled and protected from bad karma. For if you do no wrong, why should there be consequences? Today we see many people doing everything within their power to attain their ambition. Some may perhaps reason out â€Å"it is not so wrong† but truly, if one would like to live on the side of right, one has to choose definitely between right or wrong without compromise. Live in freedom and self-mastery to fully enjoy the gift that is life. Bad things are constant. Suffering is constant. The only thing you can really control and gain mastery of is yourself. Learn to take the middle path in life for it is the way to happiness. Know that a life of extremes is bad and will ultimately bring more suffering. I exhort you to learn to look within yourself and develop an understanding and acceptance of what goes on around you. Aiming to change others can sometimes be a futile practice. I myself can teach what I have learned and woken up to realize, yet true enlightenment can only come from within a person himself. Some may perhaps say, I will seek enlightenment later or I have tried to understand life before but failed. But past failure is past and the future is uncertain in many ways. Indeed, it can happen that tomorrow or later in the day may be all of what remains of the future. Seek enlightenment now, and cherish the moment. So when death comes, you do not regret nor do you have fear of the next life for you die with knowledge of having lived not just a good life, but a righteous one. – Buddha References Morgan, K. W. (Ed. ). (1956). The Path of the Buddha Buddhism Interpreted by Buddhists. New York: Ronald Press. Retrieved September 23, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=5883323 Moore-Bruder. (2005). Philosophy: The Power of Ideas, Sixth Edition Ohio: McGraw-Hill Carrithers, M. (2001). The Buddha: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. Retrieved September 23, 2007, from Questia database: http://www. questia. com/PM. qst? a=od=101647070 How to cite A Letter from Buddha to his Disciple, Papers

Thursday, December 5, 2019

A Great Composer Essay Example For Students

A Great Composer Essay Only one man could claim the title as probably the greatest composer in American history for writing so many unforgettable works: Aaron Copland. He lived a life inspired by many things as well as inspiring people all across the nation, and it really led to the opposite of being drawn into himself, as he described in the quote above. He was born in Brooklyn, New York on November 14 in 1900. He was the youngest of five children to Sarah and Harris Copland. A musical spark came out in Copland already at the age of 11 as he began piano lessons with his sister. His musical talents needed tutoring from a higher level of teaching and so he studied with a professional piano teacher, Ludwig Wolfsohn, at age 14. Copland said later, No one ever connected music with my family. The idea was entirely original with me. And unfortunately the idea occurred to me seriously only at 13 or thereaboutswhich is rather late for a musician to get started, (Charles Moritz 190). He graduated in 1918 and was able to devote all his time to writing and composing music. Wanting to further his knowledge in music, he was taught harmony and counterpoint by Rubin Goldmark. Understandably, the two men shared different views and Goldmark completely disagreed with Coplands styles, so to demonstrate his own stubbornness, Copland came back to Goldmark with a piece he wrote entitled The Cat and The Mouse, (Charles Moritz 191). Copland would then attend the newly established American Conservatory at Fontainebleau in Paris, and he was honored in being the first American student of the amazing teacher, Nadia Boulanger. After three years he returned to New York without any knowledge of how a composer got his works published or performed, nor how he planned on keeping himself financially stable. Copland ended his troubling when he was given a grant of from two Guggenheim Fellowships, and some women who found an interest in his compositions that gave him some donations so he could devote all his time to writing. His first major work upon returning to America was Symphony for Organ and Orchestra which he wrote just for the few performances of Nadia Boulanger; the first one in Carnegie Hall in 1925 and another in Boston. As the twenties roared on, Copland began to show how his musical career would truly follow the ever-changing style of America. During the 1920s, Aaron Copland went with the trend and experimented with jazz styles in his music, which proved to be extraordinary in the views of many. His choice for other pieces came through modern music about which he once said, I just happened upon it in the natural course of my musical exploration. This was apparent in the way he would use ideals of Neoclassicism in his Piano Variations. Copland then hit a downfall in about 1936. He wrote a few works which were harder to perform and not taken in by many audiences due to the use of much more advanced techniques which were uncommon for the time. Copland knew a change had to be made because he quickly saw how many composers were working themselves into a vacuum, so he would follow a new path of the more simplistic American way for much of his life. This simple to understand type of writing is what brought audiences back and made Aaron Copland great. He started writing functional music like The Second Hurricane and The Outdoor Adventure for kids, as well as Of Mice and Men, Or Town, North Star, and The Red Pony for movies; Music For Radio for radio; and a few American folk songs. .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e , .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e .postImageUrl , .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e , .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e:hover , .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e:visited , .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e:active { border:0!important; } .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e { 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; } .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e:active , .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e .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; } .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .uc1ea49d5aa056672e83244402f421b9e:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Chinese Takeaway Performed by Anna Yen EssayHe worked specifically with western themes in three major pieces, Rodeo (obvious Western setting), Billy the Kid (another setting in the farther west), and the ever so famous Appalachian Spring (set in Pennsylvania when it was still Americas frontier). Appalachian Spring proves how well connected Copland was with the United States as it has lasted for generations and is still herd today, but it was really an original shakers folk song called Simple Gifts. He continued a process of American influence with a few famous works from 12 Emily Dickinson poems, and from texts by Edwin Arlington Robinson, Ezra Pound, and E. E. Cummings. He did films based on late 19th century New York in a contemporary state of being. Copland spread his American affiliation outside the U. S. to include works like El Salon Mexico and Danzon Cubano related to the Northern Hemisphere. Aaron Copland would show leadership and have to prove his qualities in different situations. At about 1938, Copland became president of the American Composers Alliance and that was just the start to many organizations he would lead, help create, or partake in, such as being the head of the composition department at the Berkshire Music Center in 1940-1965. In 1946 he was also elected member of ASCAP and in 1948 he became the Director of the League of Composers. It was around 1953, and in the midst of an anticommunist craze, in which Senator Joseph McCarthy called Aaron Copland forth to be interrogated about his past relations with German composer Hanns Eisler and with U. S. political organizations that supported labor leaders Harry Bridges and Earl Browder (Liberty, Equality, Power 856). Copland proved to be a difficult witness and deflected the senators questions with ingenious answers, so that he was never called back by McCarthy. After 1960, he bought Rock Hill in the town of Cortlandt and began a slow decline in his musical performances and works. About 1965 Copland participated in a public television series called Music in the Twenties. Copland had fulfilled a life of endless achievements, as he had great impacts in promoting interests of American composers through organizations such as Copland-Sessions Concerts, American Festival of Contemporary Music, and American Composers Alliance. He was continually given many awards, like an Academy Award nomination for film score of North Star, an Academy Award for best original musical score in The Heiress, the Pulitzer Prize in music, the New York Music Critics Circle Award for Appalachian Spring, the Gold Medal of the American Academy Institute of Arts and Letters, the MacDowell Colony Medal of Honor, winning the RCA Victor Composer Competition with Dance Symphony, the Presidential Medal of Freedom (Americas top civilian honor), the Kennedy Center Honors, the Congressional Medal of Honor, the National Medal of Arts (given to him by President Reagan), the Commanders Cross of the Order of Merit from West Germany, the Howland Memorial Medal from Yale University, and the Department of Music at Queens College of the City University of New York was renamed Aaron Copland School of Music. After 1970, Copland continued lecturing and some conducting as he gradually stopped composing. He died at Phelps Memorial Hospital in Tarrytown , New York on December 2 after 90 years of musical genius and American glory. His ashes were scattered at Tanglewood, but the legend of Aaron Copland resides in us all forever.

Thursday, November 28, 2019

Star Wars Essays - Fictional Cyborgs, Galactic Empires,

Star Wars One of the most memorable moments for many students will occur when they see "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace," the first part of a prequel trilogy to the beloved Star Wars trilogy. The original three films Star Wars: A New Hope, The Empire Strikes Back, and Return of the Jedi have embedded themselves in our current culture. The Force, composer John William's famous soundtrack, and lines such as "Luke, I am your father"(which is never said in any of the movies) have become common in present day culture. But, the Star Wars trilogy also contains a deeper theme that is not unique to the current time period. In George Lucas's Star Wars Trilogy as well in Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness, the contrast between good and evil is conveyed through the optical, symbolic differences of black and white. The planet Hoth from The Empire Strikes Back and the Congo in Heart of Darkness are very symbolically similar. The Rebel Alliance has a base on the ice planet of Hoth. The Rebel Alliance stands for good as do the snow and ice that cover Hoth; hence, a society of good stationed on a good planet. But, the Galactic Empire, or pure evil, soon attacks and overtakes Hoth. This situation on Hoth is similar to the white assimilationist techniques used in the dark, African Congo. The white man, "evil", attempts to assimilate the Congo, or goodness. Thus, both Hoth and the Congo and their assimilations, however successful, typify the conquests of evil over good. The clothing of Luke Skywalker across the whole Star Wars Trilogy and of Marlow across his trek into the jungle symbolize man's journey of self-realization. In the very beginning of Star Wars, Luke wears a robe of white. For practical purposes the robe should be white because then it will reflect the most sunlight away on the planet of Tatooine; but the white color of the robe also stands for Luke's pure goodness at that point in time. But as time progresses, namely in the latter portion of The Empire Strikes Back and The Return of the Jedi, Luke begins to wear the garb of a Jedi-a black tunic and matching pants. These dark outfits symbolize the fact that Luke contains an element of evil within him that he can never destroy, namely that he is the son of Anakin Skywalker-the man who would become Darth Vader. In Heart of Darkness, once Marlow realizes that he was produced by an evil white society he throws away his dark, blood stained shoe. Casting off this dark article of clothing symbolizes Marlow's rejection of evil society. A change in the personalities of these two characters can be seen through the change in their clothing The characters of Darth Vader and Kurtz both symbolically represent the hidden good or evil in a person that is primarily evil or good. Darth Vader is evil. No doubt can be had that this is true; not only does he wear an black, mechanical suit which looks menacing, but he also has no qualms about killing other people, even his own family. However, a shred of decency does remain within Darth Vader as is seen in The Return of the Jedi. As Emperor Palpatine is destroying Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader attacks the emperor in order to save his son. Once the emperor, Darth Vader tells Luke to take off his black mask to reveal a pure, white face although this means his certain death. At this point, Darth Vader has reverted back into Anakin Skywalker and has revealed to his son that he really had good inside of him before he died. In Heart of Darkness, Kurtz is similar to Darth Vader. Kurtz's life has turned to evil. He exploits a group of people, similar to what the Empire does to its inhabitants. Not until the very end, when Marlow and the audience meet Kurtz and his ghostly white face doe Kurtz repent crying out, "The horror! The horror!"(p.123) These two men who had lived similar lives of naivet?, correspondingly end their lives with attempts to redeem themselves by realizing the folly of their former ways and make final, feeble tries at repenting. The people around them also realize that both have purity, however minute, within their souls. Two works of art separated not only by the passage of time, but also by the changing of society, use the contrast of black, no color, and white, all colors. These colors which can symbolize good and evil within the same work of

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Two Queens In Perspectives essays

Two Queens In Perspectives essays Over the history, England was in the center of most events. It is because Great Britain is one of the most important countries that designates most of the others' fate. Such a priority can be given only to countries with great political power, this power brought the legitimacy to rule throughout the world. Political power could be obtained if the country is strong economically. It is often very difficult in countries ruled by monarchy. The whole country's future is based on the hands of one single person. So whether the country will be powerful, in comfort or weaker and unhappy is left to how successful, well-trained, and conscious the ruler is. Queen Elizabeth I and Victoria were the most popular queens in the Britain monarch history. They have similarities and differences. They were both willing to rule the monarch best for the age, differences were in their methods to rule, but as a result, both queens' popularity came from their great success. Of the most impressive aspects of Elizabeth was her ability to break most of the rules. These rules were made by men. The first and most important was the idea that a throne held by a woman was a misfortune. Victoria faced the same difficulty. Both queens managed to handle this difficulty with great success. They have titles as Good Queen Bess (for Elizabeth I) and The Grandmother of England (for Victoria). They are popular to be accepted as the greatest monarchs in the history of the Great Britain. The difference between these great monarchs is the way they chose to control the crown. Elizabeth I chose not to marry, and had the famous title The Virgin Queen. She was represented as married to her country. She created a public image that removed the weakness of her position as a woman by making male-rulers obey her strengths. She earned the admiration of the male-dominated world. To a poet named Spencer, she was the untouchable and untouched&q...

Thursday, November 21, 2019

International cooperation Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

International cooperation - Research Paper Example A country therefore may win from exporting one resource but lose a lot on other exportable commodities which may become expensive in nature. It is also pertinent to note that due to higher demand for factors of production in such industries, there is a shortage of labor for other sectors of the economy. This increases the cost of production for other countries and thus making them less competitive in nature. (Corden & Neary, 1989) There are many countries which have been suffering from this phenomenon and the economic mismanagement has resulted into much of the economic damage for them. During 1980s and 1990s, countries like Nigeria faced the consequences of this. Even developed economies like Australia and Canada faced this situation also. Dutch disease is a relationship between the manufacturing sector and increase in exploitation of the natural resources. The overall mechanism is based upon the assumption that strong inflows of foreign currency due to export of natural resources will appreciate the currency of the country and thus may result into nation’s other exports more expensive to export. Though it is normally associated with the natural resources however it can also be referred along with the sharp increase in foreign inflows, foreign direct investment as well as a surge in the prices of natural resources. The core model is based upon non-traded goods sector and two traded goods sector i.e. the booming and the lagging sector. Booming sector is normally based upon the extraction of oil and other natural resources including gold, copper, coffee or cocoa. The lagging sector of the economy is generally based upon the agriculture sector of the economy as well as other manufacturing sector. (Hausman & Rigobon, 2002) There are two possible consequences of this phenomenon i.e. changes in the labor as well as spending. When booming sector starts to pick up, the overall demand for labor