The Issues Of The Sexual Morality Sociology Essay

The Issues Of The Sexual Morality Sociology Essay Sexual morality refers to the beliefs and practices by which a culture, group, faith, etc. regulates their members behaviour in matter of sexual activities. Many cultures and religions have rules regarding sexual behavior which they consider moral and it is said by persons in those cultures and religions that those acting outside of those rules are immoral or wrong. These rules sometimes distinguish between sexual activities that are practiced for biological reproduction (sometimes allowed only when in formal marital status and in fertile age) and other activities practiced for the pleasure of sex only (or mainly). In this sense, a concept of sexual morality can be expressed in any of the possible directions, and groups exist that recommend restrictive behaviours as well as groups that recommend totally free self-determination, as well as a variety of intermediate positions. The respective efficacy of these rules depends on the social position of the group that develops them, on its eventual political representativity, on its relationships with the laws of the related country. Views on sexual morality have varied greatly over time and from culture to culture. Usually, they derive from religious beliefs, but some writers have pointed out that social and environmental conditions play a part in the development of a given societys views on sexual morality. In Western pluralistic societies of the 20th and 21st centuries, there often exists debate on not only whether there is a common morality, but on whether it is right to expect such a common view. In most western societies, laws allowing a wide range of sexual relationships between consenting adults are the norm, although that legal range varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The debate thus often includes a sub-argument of what is legal vs. what is moral. In previous centuries and in many non-western cultures of the 20th and 21st centuries, there has been less room for debate. This does not mean, however, that views on sexual morality have ever been homogenous. For example, in Hellenic society, homosexual behavior was often encouraged and accepted as part of the socialization and upbringing of young men, especially those in the military. These relationships were in addition to heterosexual relationships entered into for the establishment of families and the production of progeny so that property would be inherited and kept within a larger kinship group. The importance of the kin-group and the maintenance of its property was such that, under certain circumstances, Athenian law allowed an uncle to marry his niece in order to keep family property together. It could be therefore argued that the needs of the family constituted a higher morality that helped to define the sexual mores of the society as a whole. In Roman society, sexual morality concentrated more on the social status of those involved, and their taboos concentrated on high-status men committing any kind of sexual act that was thought of as passive or submissive. Providing that the sexual act was dominant in nature, and the man had a high social status Roman society made little distinction between the type of sexual partner and type of sexual act. Another example is the contrast between traditional European and traditional Asian or African views of permitted familial relationships. British law and custom, for example, frequently forbade intermarriage between those related by marriage. However, in rural regions of India, Nepal, and surrounding nations, fraternal polyandry, in which two (or more) brothers marry the same woman, is culturally accepted. Likewise, European mores generally advocate monogamy strongly. Polygamy is widely practiced by many societies throughout Asia and Africa, and polyandry is the accepted norm in a few Indian and African societies. Moreover , exual ethics (also referred to as sexual morality) refers to those aspects of ethics that deal with issues arising from all aspects of sexuality and human sexual behavior. Broadly speaking, sexual ethics relates to community and personal standards relating to the conduct of interpersonal relationships, and deals with issues of consent, sexual relations before marriage and/or while married, including issues of marital fidelity and premarital and non-marital sex, issues related to sexuality, questions about how gender and power are expressed through sexual behavior, questions about how individuals relate to society, and questions about how individual behavior impacts public health concerns. OBJECTIVES To know the reality of the world and act accordingly To have the knowledge before being affected by sexual morality To be able to care for others and know their rights To help prevent more sexual morality victims directly or indirectly EXPLANATION Sexual Morality In A Nutshell Sexual morality refers to the beliefs and practices by which a culture, group, faith, etc. regulates their members behaviour in matter of sexual activities. Many cultures and religions have a sexual morality that they would like to apply even to non adherents; sometimes force has been used in spreading concepts of morality. These rules sometimes distinguish between sexual activities that are practiced for biological reproduction (sometimes allowed only when in formal marital status and in fertile age) and other activities practiced for the pleasure of sex only (or mainly). In this sense, a concept of sexual morality can be expressed in any of the possible directions, and groups exist that recommend restrictive behaviours as well as groups that recommend totally free self-determination, as well as a variety of intermediate positions. The respective efficacy of these rules depends on the social position of the group that develops them, on its eventual political representativity, on its relationships with the laws of the related country. Views on sexual morality have varied greatly over time and from culture to culture. Usually, they derive from religious beliefs, but some writers have pointed out that social and environmental conditions play a part in the development of a given societys views on sexual morality. In Western pluralistic societies of the 20th and 21st centuries, there often exists debate on not only whether there is a common morality, but on whether it is right to expect such a common view. In most western societies, laws allowing a wide range of sexual relationships between consenting adults is the norm, although that legal range varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The debate thus often includes a sub-argument of what is legal vs. what is moral. In previous centuries and in many non-western cultures of the 20th and 21st centuries, there has been less room for debate. This does not mean, however, that views on sexual morality have ever been homogenous. For example, in Hellenic society, homosexual behavior was often encouraged and accepted as part of the socialization and upbringing of young men, especially those in the military. These relationships were in addition to heterosexual relationships entered into for the establishment of families and the production of progeny s o that property would be inherited and kept within a larger kinship group. The importance of the kin-group and the maintenance of its property was such that, under certain circumstances, Athenian law allowed an uncle to marry his niece in order to keep family property together. It could be therefore argued that the needs of the family constituted a higher morality that helped to define the sexual mores of the society as a whole. Another example is the contrast between traditional European and traditional Asian or African views of permitted familial relationships. British law and custom, for example, frequently forbade intermarriage between those related by marriage. However, in rural regions of India, Nepal, and surrounding nations, fraternal polyandry, in which two (or more) brothers marry the same woman, is culturally accepted. Likewise, European mores generally advocate monogamy strongly. However, polygamy is a much more common social pattern worldwide, with some 80 percent of world cultures considering it acceptable. Polygyny is widely practiced by many societies throughout Asia and Africa, and polyandry is the accepted norm in a few Indian and African societies. In the United States, what many conservatives call traditional morality is held to prohibit all non-marital sex, because of the moral belief that sexual relations should occur only between husband and wife. This view of morality thus disapproves of some or all of the followingpremarital, extramarital, and homosexual relationswhether consensual or not. There are people who disagree with this traditional view. Generally they believe that sex is a natural behavior which should be only minimally restricted by legislation or other imposed moralities. Even among the most liberal views of sexual morality in the US, there is generally agreement that involving non-consenting partners (or those unable to give consent legally) in sexual relationships should be restricted and punishable under the law. Social constructions of sex continued to evolve throughout the twentieth century in Western societies. The pioneering surveys conducted by Alfred C. Kinsey and his colleagues (Kinsey et al. 1953; Kinsey, Pomeroy, and Martin 1948) found widespread premarital and extramarital sexual behavior among both men and women. This challenged the popular view that women were not interested in sex, or less interested in it than men. The work of William Masters and Virginia Johnson (1966) demonstrated that the processes of sexual arousal were similar for men and women, in contrast to the earlier view that they were different. These findings led to what has been termed the eroticization of female sexuality (Seidman 1991), the view that men and women were equally erotic. However, there are some gender differences in sexual behavior. Surveys in the United States (Smith 1991), Britain ( Johnson et al. 1994), and France (Spira et al. 1992) find that men report a larger number of sexual partners than wo men, both lifetime and in the recent past. Studies also find that men are more accepting of sexual activity in casual relationships than are women (Oliver and Hyde 1993). DISCUSSIONS Gender Discrimination In Wikipedia the definition for discrimination is given as the  prejudicial  treatment of an individual based solely on their membership (whether voluntary or involuntary) in a certain group or category. Discrimination is the  actual behavior  towards members of another group. It involves excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to other groups.  The  United Nations  explains: Discriminatory behaviors take many forms, but they all involve some form of exclusion or rejection.  Discriminatory laws such as  redlining  have existed in many countries. In some countries, controversial attempts such as  racial quotas  have been used to redress negative effects of discrimination. The main discrimination we want to discuss is gender discrimination. The Wikipedia also defines it as the gender discrimination and sexism refers to beliefs and  attitudes  in relation to the  gender  of a person, such beliefs and attitudes are of a social nature and do not, normally, carry any legal consequences.  Sex discrimination, on the other hand, may have legal consequences. Though what constitutes sex discrimination varies between countries, the essence is that it is an adverse action taken by one person against another person that would not have occurred had the person been of another sex. Discrimination of that nature in certain enumerated circumstances is illegal in many countries. Currently, discrimination based on sex is defined as adverse action against another person, that would not have occurred had the person been of another sex. This is considered a form of  prejudice  and is illegal in certain enumerated circumstances in most countries. Sexual discrimination can arise in different contexts. For instance an employee may be discriminated against by being asked discriminatory questions during a job interview, or because an  employer  did not hire, promote or wrongfully terminated an employee based on his or her gender, or employers pay unequally based on gender. In an educational setting there could be claims that a student was excluded from an educational institution, program, opportunity, loan, student group, or scholarship due to his or her gender. In the housing setting there could be claims that a person was refused negotiations on seeking a house, contracting/leasing a house or getting a loan based on his or her gender. Another setting where there have been claims of gender discrimination is banking; for example if one is refused credit or is offered unequal loan terms based on ones gender. Another setting where there is usually gender discrimination is when one is refused to extend his or her credit, refused approval of credit/loan process, and if there is a burden of unequal loan terms based on ones gender. Socially, sexual differences have been used to justify different roles for men and women, in some cases giving rise to claims of primary and secondary roles. While there are alleged non-physical differences between men and women, major reviews of the academic literature on gender difference find only a tiny minority of characteristics where there are consistent psychological differences between men and women, and these relate directly to experiences grounded in biological difference.  However, there are also some psychological differences in regard to how problems are dealt with and emotional perceptions and reactions which may relate to hormones and the successful characteristics of each gender during longstanding roles in past primitive lifestyles. Unfair discrimination usually follows the  gender stereotyping  held by a society. The  United Nations  had concluded that women often experience a glass ceiling and that there are no societies in which women enjoy the same opportunities as men. The term glass ceiling is used to describe a perceived barrier to advancement in employment based on discrimination, especially sex discrim ination. In the  United States  in 1995, the Glass Ceiling Commission, a government-funded group, stated: Over half of all Masters degrees are now awarded to women, yet 95% of senior-level managers, of the top Fortune 1000 industrial and 500 service companies are men. Of them, 97% are white. In its report, it recommended  affirmative action, which is the consideration of an employees gender and race in hiring and promotion decisions, as a means to end this form of discrimination.  In 2008, women accounted for 51% of all workers in the high-paying management, professional, and related occupations. They outnumbered men in such occupations as public relations managers; financial managers; and human resource managers. The  Chinas leading headhunter, Chinahr.com, reported in 2007 that the average salary for white-collar men was 44,000 yuan ($6,441), compared with 28,700 yuan ($4,201) for women. The PwC research found that among FTSE 350 companies in the  United Kingdom  in 2002 almost 40% of senior management posts were occupied by women. When that research was repeated in 2007, the number of senior management posts held by women had fallen to 22%. Transgender  individuals, both male to female and female to male, often experience problems which often lead to dismissals, underachievement, difficulty in finding a job, social isolation, and, occasionally, violent attacks against them. Nevertheless, the problem of gender discrimination does not stop at trand ender individuals nor with women. Men are often the victim in certain areas of employment as men begin to seek work in office and childcare settings traditionally perceived as womens jobs. One such situation seems to be evident in a recent case concerning alleged YMCA discrimination and a Federal Court Case in Texas.  The case actually involves alleged discrimination against both men and blacks in childcare, even when they pass the same strict background tests and other standards of employment. It is currently being contended in federal court, as of fall 2009, and sheds light on how a workplace dominated by a majority (women in this case) sometimes will seemingly justify wh atever they wish to do, regardless of the law. This may be done as an effort at self-protection, to uphold traditional societal roles, or some other faulty, unethical or illegal prejudicial reasoning. Affirmative action  also leads to white men being discriminated against for entry level and blue collar positions. An employer cannot hire a white man with the same on paper qualifications over a woman or minority worker or the employer will face prosecution. The UNICEF claims on gender discrimination that birth histories and census to-date reveal an unusually high proportion of male births and male children under five in Asia, most notably in India and China, suggesting sex-selecting foeticide and infanticide in the worlds two most populous countries, despite initiatives to eradicate these practices in both countries. More than 115 million children of primary school age do not attend school. For every 100 boys not attending primary school, there are 115 girls in the same situation. Research shows that educated women are less likely to die in childbirth and more likely to send their children to school. A UNICEF survey of selected countries finds that on average, children with uneducated mothers are at least twice as likely to be out of primary school than children whose mothers attended primary school. More than 130 million women and girls alive today have been subjected to female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), which can have grave health consequences, including the failure to heal, increased susceptibility to HIV infection, childbirth complications, inflammatory diseases and urinary incontinence. The younger girls are when they first have sex, the more likely it is that intercourse has been imposed on them. According to a World Health Organisation study, 150 million girls and 73 million boys under the age of 18 experienced forced sexual intercourse or other forms of physical and sexual violence in 2002. Globally, 36 per cent of woman between the ages of 20-24 were married or in union before they reached 18. Premature pregnancy and childbirth is often a dangerous consequence of child marriage. An estimated 14 million girls between 15-19 years old give birth every year. If a mother is under 18, her babys chances of dying in the first year of life is 60 percent greater than that of a baby born to a mother over 19. Babies born to mothers under 18 are more likely to suffer from low birth weight, under nutrition and delayed physical and cognitive development. High rates of illiteracy among women prevent them from knowing about the risks of HIV infection and ways to protect themselves.  Elderly women may face double discrimination on the basis of both gender and age. Women tend to live longer than men, may lack control of family resources and can face discrimination from inheritance and property laws. This is what gender discrimination means where the male and female are discriminated in some ways. Pornography Pornography or porn is the portrayal of explicit sexual subject matter for the purposes of sexual excitement and erotic satisfaction. Pornography may use any of a variety of media, ranging from books, magazines, postcards, photos, sculpture, drawing, painting, animatio, sound recordingn, film, video, or video game. However, when sexual acts are performed for a live audience, by definition, it is not pornography, as the term applies to the depiction of the act, rather than the act itself. Thus, portrayals such as sex shows and striptease are not classified as pornography. A pornographic model poses for pornographic photographs. A pornographic actor, also called porn star, acts in pornographic films. In cases where few actor skills are required a performer in pornographic films is also called a pornographic model. Pornography has often been subject to censorship and legal restraints on publication on grounds of obscenity. Such grounds and the very definition of what is or is not pornography have differed in different historical, cultural and national contexts. Over the past few decades, an immense industry for the production and consumption of pornography has grown, with the increasing use of home video and the Internet, as well as the emergence of social attitudes more tolerant of sexual portrayals. Amateur pornography has become widely popular and generally distributed via the Internet for free. MORAL PRESPECTIVE Benefits of Safe sex Sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancies can be greatly reduced by practicing safe sex. Even thought no method of safe sex is 100% effective, it is still much better than not using any protection. The methods of protection, while not foolproof, still greatly reduce the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease or an unwanted pregnancy. So, if you choose to engage in sexually activity, its always important to use some form of protection. The following will outline some of the options available including abstinence and monogamy, both male and female condoms, and oral contraception. Abstinence is still the best and safest method of preventing both pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. It is 100% effective. Although it is the only foolproof method, it is not the most popular choice. The next best option if you are unwilling to practice abstinence, is to engage in sexual activities with only one person, in a monogamous relationship. A monogamous relationship means that both you and your partner engage in sexual activity with no one but each other. While monogamy is not an effective method of birth control, it does minimize the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. As long as both you and your partner are free of diseases and remain committed to each other, you will remain free of diseases. Abstinence and monogamy are both highly effective safe sex methods. Abstinence is effective at preventing both pregnancy and diseases while monogamy helps to prevent diseases only. The condom is one of the better methods available for avoiding sexually transmitted diseases. When theyre properly used they are also 97%-98% effective in preventing pregnancy. Male condoms are easily accessible in drug stores, grocery stores, and even vending machines. They are also inexpensive. There are male and female versions of the condom available. Male condoms are more popular. The male condom is a thin sheath, usually made of latex that fits over the penis and acts as a barrier to the exchange of bodily fluids during intercourse. Even if they arent used correctly, they are still very effective in preventing pregnancy (88%-90% effective). So even though they are effective, they are still not 100% reliable. The risk still exists, however small, of getting pregnant or contracting a sexually transmitted disease. The female condom is a polyurethane sheath that lines the entire vagina. The closed end is inserted into the vagina and the open end remains outside the body. Its been available only since the 1990s and is not as readily available at the male condom. If you can find it, you will also pay more for it, since it costs more than a male condom. It is however, just as effective as the male condom in preventing pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. There are oral contraceptives available as well that are very effective in preventing pregnancy. These however, do not protect against sexually transmitted diseases. An oral contraceptive is a pill that is taken daily which uses hormones to prevent pregnancy. If used correctly, the pill is 97-99% effective. As with any drug, there are side effects that come along with pill usage. Most of these side effects are mild. Some side effects include weight changes, nausea, irritability and breast tenderness. Even though these arent severe, they can be avoided altogether. Today there are numerous varieties of pills on the market. Talk to your doctor and find out which is best for you. Again, while oral contraceptives are effective against preventing pregnancy, they do not work against contracting sexually transmitted diseases. If you are not sure that your partner is free of disease, you should consider using another form of safe sex method as a back up to prevent these diseases. If you want to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, it is best to take all the measure you can to practice safe sex. So while abstinence is the only 100% effective method against pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, there are other options out there to explore that offer good benefits. Monogamy is effective in protection against sexually transmitted diseases, while condoms and birth control pills are effective against unwanted pregnancies. Safer Sex (Safe Sex) at a Glance can reduces our risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD), using condoms makes vaginal or anal intercourse safer sex, using condoms or other barriers makes oral sex safer sex, having sex play without intercourse can be even safer sex, and safer sex can be very pleasurable and exciting. CONCLUSION As a conclusion the major change in the discourse about sex is the uncoupling of sex from marriage. As sexual gratification became accepted as an end in itself, people began to challenge the belief that intimate sexual activity should be limited to marriage. A liberal discourse emerged, which argued that sexual intimacy involving consenting people who are not married nor planning to marry is acceptable. In the 1970s, some argued that extramarital sexual intimacy is acceptable if the spouse approves (ONeill and ONeill 1972). This discourse led to expansion of available sexual lifestyles, including nonmarital relationships, cohabitation, and open marriage. Since the mid-1960s, in the United States and elsewhere in the West, a minority discourse has developed that separates sex from love. According to this view, engaging in sexual intimacy for physical pleasure, or to express affection for ones partner, is legitimate. This discourse is the basis of a best-selling sexual advice book of the 1970s, The Joy of Sex (Comfort 1972), and its sequel, The New Joy of Sex (Comfort 1991). This discourse views male and female as essentially equal in sexual potential and in the right to sexual gratification. It challenges the double standard that sexual intimacy outside marriage or a committed relationship is acceptable for men but not for women. This discourse is consistent with the view that sex need not be limited to heterosexual couples. Thus, it facilitated the movement toward acceptance of casual heterosexual and homosexual contacts and living in committed gay and lesbian relationships. The most visible change in the United States and other Western cultures since the mid-1970s is the increasing explicitness of public discourse about sexuality. Explicit sexual representations are found in newspapers, magazines, novels, and films. The individuals desire for sexual fulfillment is used to sell lipstick, colognes, beer, clothing, travel, and automobiles. Personal advertisements, singles magazines, and dating services cater to the desire to find the (nearly) perfect spouse or the perfect sexual partner. The sex industry provides lubricants, vibrators, erotic clothing, and explicit videos to people seeking sexual fulfillment. Thus, stimuli associated with arousal are almost everywhere, creating a culture in which the sexual is ever-present. This sexualization of the culture undoubtedly contributes to the occurrence of sexual activity in places and among persons formerly prohibited.

Essay --

The analysis explored in this document is implementing a program UNIT for parents adopting a different race from their own. Adopting outside of a race is a life altering decision because of regulating mechanisms that condition people to accept or reject individuals based on their appearances. There are not any programs that guide transracial adoptions after they occur. Society as a whole has its own prejudices. The adoptive parents should know about their children’s cultural backgrounds. Society is not very conscience of prejudging it is just something that is a part of life. This is unfortunately one more issue dealt with by adopted children. The program that is trying to be implemented will allow both the parents and children throughout life are preparing and building strong foundations for a great future. There is no program as of yet that is design for post transracial adoptions. UNIT will be very beneficial to the adoption community. The focus will be to strengthen adopted children’s cultural identity. Having that interaction between race and family shapes the future of a great outcome for adopted children. UNIT will provide the avenues allowing each and every child the opportunity to learn and experience their own journey toward self-discovery. Program UNIT will definitely back the Multiethnic Placement Act, commonly known as MEPA of 1994. This act was set forth to keep children of color from staying in the system longer than necessary because parents of their own race and cultural groups are not obtainable. Race should not be factored in when dealing with adoption but it is. Religions and education often are factors that determine whether adoption will transpire. Many studies show the higher up the education ladder you ... ... system today. The need for a program like this one focusing on post transracial adoption is great. One of the leading problems among adopted teens today is teen suicide. Puberty is a time where emotions are at an all-time high. UNIT will be the outlet for the children’s emotions. Another common issue among adopted children is the feelings of isolation and loneliness. Children believe that no one understands these feelings; within this program children of all ages will learn there are others that are in the same predicament they are in. This program will teach children to believe in themselves because everyone has something to bring to the table. UNIT is going to connect the dots helping parents take care of the body, mind, and spirit of each and every child they adopt. Bonds will be formed among the children and also the parents bringing together a united community

Hamlet - Was Prince Hamlet Wacko? :: essays research papers

In Shakespeare's "Hamlet", the main character offers a puzzling and ambiguous persona. Throughout the play, Hamlet often contradicts himself. He seems to balance the virtues of "playing a role", with being true to himself. Further proof of these conflicting personas are demonstrated by his actions and inactions. The ambiguity noted here, lies in two conflicting mannerisms displayed by the young Hamlet: One that is perfectly calm and rational; and another which displays madness. These conflicting behaviors are related within Hamlet's internal struggle-to kill Claudius for revenge of his fathers' murder; or act responsibly, and await further proof of Claudius' guilt. Throughout the play, Hamlet teeters on the brink of insanity induced by his actions, or inactions. Hamlet's sanity is clarified, in the first act, by statements and feelings expressed within his dialogue. When asked about his depressed appearance and demeanor by Gertrude, Hamlet replies, "Seems, madam? Nay, it is. I know not "seems" (1037, line 76). This relates the idea that Hamlet is 'what he appears to be'. Later, he clearly makes a statement about his mental health when he commits himself to avenge his father's murder. This quote allows the reader to follow Hamlet's train of thought in regards to his role as student, mourning son, and Prince to the throne: "I'll wipe away all trivial fond records, All saws of books, all forms, all pressures past That youth and observation copied there, And thy commandment all alone shall live Within the book and volume of my brain" (1054, line 100). Hamlet is stating his utmost commitment to nothing short of revenge of his fathers' death. At this juncture in the play, there is little doubt about his state of mind, or intentions. However, the next act belies Hamlet's sanity and reason. In act two, Hamlet appears again, although it now becomes apparent he has lost the conviction he demonstrated earlier-to complete his destiny as prescribed by the ghost of his father. During this act, Hamlet spends most of his time reading and talking with Polonius, Guildenstern, Rosencrantz, and the players. Not until the very end of this second act, does Hamlet refer to his filial duty to avenge his father. Instead of carrying out the destiny described by his fathers spirit-role of the vengeful son-Hamlet exhibits insane behaviors. This is illustrated by his statements to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, "I know not-lost my mirth, forgone all custom of exercises..." (1071, line 282).

A Comparison of Imprisonment in Yellow Wallpaper, Jane Eyre and Slave Girl :: compare and contrast essay examples

Imprisonment in Yellow Wallpaper, Jane Eyre and Slave Girl   Ã‚   When I think of prisons, the first thing that comes into my mind is of course locking someone up against their will or as a punishment, because someone else has decided that this is for the best or simply wants to get someone out of the way. Bertha Mason in Jane Eyre is locked up in the attic and the woman in The Yellow Wall-paper is confined to a summer home by her husband. For both these women, the locking up serves as yet another prison: they are both already prisoners in their own bodies by their mental states. In The Yellow Wall-paper, the main character is placed in a summer home to recover from a nervous condition. Her husband John, a doctor, believes that in order to get well, she has to take a rest cure and refrain from all kinds of physical or mental exertion, and he therefore more or less locks her up in one of the larger rooms of the house where she has nothing to do but stare at the wallpaper and keep a diary. She believes to see a woman trapped behind the wallp aper and strips it off in order to set her free - this I see as how she sees herself in her confinement. Her psychological state as well as the confinement to the room, along with the gender roles and expectations of that time, all work together to make her a prisoner kept making her own decisions. The husband is the provider, the one who knows best and the one who makes the decisions and she has no way of voicing her own. She finally "escapes" her controlling husband and the room by finally descending into insanity. "'I've got out at last', said I, 'in spite of you and Jane! And I've pulled off most of the paper, so you can't put me back!'" (Gilman, p1669). Bertha Mason in Jane Eyre has, to use a slightly old-fashioned term, gone mad to such an extent that she is dangerous to both herself and to others. To get her out of the way, Mr Rochester has her locked up and he pretends that she has never existed at all. By treating her like an animal (putting her in a large cage), he creates a real (physical) prison with its locks and bars, and I believe that only makes matters worse, since there certainly was no way that she would ever recover up there.

Punishment Versus Rehabilitation

Punishment vs. Rehabilitation Brenda A. Dove AJS/502 Version I September 10, 2012 John V. Baiamonte, Jr. Ph. D. Punishment vs. Rehabilitation Punishment versus Rehabilitation, there has been many debates on the effectiveness of punishment compared to the effectiveness of rehabilitation of convicted offenders in prison and under community supervision. If an individual commits a crime serious enough to warrant incarceration, then the individual is sent to prison as a form of punishment.While incarcerated the individual may have the opportunity to receive rehabilitation. Does it mean that the individual will be rehabilitated? One can only imagine. This is a debatable issue. Is punishment or rehabilitation more effective in combating crime? These findings will be discussed in this paper in more depth. According to DeLuca, Miller, and Wiedemann (1991), â€Å"Some prison facilities use punishment as the main approach, such as Texas. Massachusetts and Connecticut stress rehabilitation, and some facilities use punishment and rehabilitation, such as Michigan.There is currently no prison facility that focuses on incarceration as a short period of punishment followed by a long period of community-based rehabilitation and strict supervision† (para. 6). Rehabilitation wants to educate individuals about the wrong choices that they have made and help encourage these individuals to make better choices in the future. Rehabilitation recognizes that offenders may be victims of social economic conditions, and wants to help offenders learn from their mistakes, with the intention of not committing crimes when they get released.According to Logan, and Gaes (1993), â€Å"Meta-analysis is the study of other studies, and in this case, the studies test the effectiveness of various programs of correctional treatment. Advocates of rehabilitation believe that meta-analysis can be used to supply deposits of prior research, to reveal hidden veins of effective treatment not necessarily revealed by individual studies† (para. 2). According to Logan, and Gaes (1993), â€Å"Each study is coded on a number of variables such as characteristics of the research design, characteristics of the subjects studied, and haracteristics of the treatment applied. In theory, by combining and reanalyzing studies, meta-analysis may be able to separate treatment effects from differences due to uncontrolled characteristics of the subjects, or other deficiencies of research design, even if those sources of error were not controlled adequately by any of the primary studies taken separately† (para. 3). According to Logan, and Gaes (1993), â€Å"It may not be worthwhile to debate whether meta-analysis or other research has identified â€Å"what works† by way of prisoner rehabilitation.Engaging in such debate presupposes that effectiveness, or utility, is the crucial issue in discussing the value of rehabilitation in the criminal justice system generally and inside pris ons in particular. Underlying the zeal with which meta-analysts claim to have proved scientifically that â€Å"something works after all† is the implicit argument that because rehabilitation can be made more scientific it is therefore both a viable and a desirable alternative to punishment† (para. 4).According to Logan, and Gaes (1993), â€Å"The meta-analysts believe that we turned away from treatment and toward punishment because Martinson and others convinced everyone that nothing works; therefore, convincing people of the opposite should help to turn them back in the â€Å"proper† policy direction† (para. 5). According to Rhine, Smith, and Jackson (1991), [In 1974, Robert Martinson published â€Å"What Works–Questions and Answers about Prison Reform,† an article describing research on the effectiveness of correctional treatment.Martinson made several key points about a massive review of research on correctional treatment. His first point was that the research showed that there was not much good news about rehabilitative programs. Some programs worked, but they were few and far between (para. 1). The second point, which was largely ignored, was that the quality of the program implementation and research was so poor that it was hard to draw many strong conclusions. The nuances of his findings were lost, and the research was presented as showing that correctional treatment programs did not work at rehabilitating criminal offenders.The infamous sound bite that emerged from this was that â€Å"Nothing Works† when it comes to rehabilitation (para. 3). In fact, the actual results said no one approach works with everybody. Despite the fact that the sound bite was an exaggeration, the message carried great influence in legislative and public policy debates and actions. The Nothing Works message swept the political and public policy arenas and correctional programs and practice. Rehabilitation programs and services wer e greatly reduced from the correctional landscape (para. ). This belief indicated that if offenders could not be rehabilitated then they should be punished and it was time to get tough on crime. Within a relatively short time parole was attacked and the individual approach of indeterminate sentencing, or release by the authority of a parole board was abolished in 16 states (Rhine, Smith, and Jackson, 1991) and some form of determinate sentencing was adopted in all 50 states (Mackenzie, 2000)]. According to Department of Corrections, (n. d. ), [However, not all hope was lost.A small number of vocal critics of the ‘nothing works’ doctrine actively challenged the assumptions and empirical evidence presented by Martinson and colleagues. Foremost in this debate were a number of North American researchers, including Ted Palmer, Paul Gendreau, Don Andrews and Robert Ross. At the same time as Martinson was announcing that very few things had any effect on recidivism, Palmer (19 75) was reanalyzing the same data and finding that more things worked than the original analysis showed (this position was also supported by Thornton’s (1987) reanalysis of a selection of studies used by Lipton and co-workers in 1975).Similarly, Gendreau and Ross (1979) and Ross and Gendreau (1980) were reporting on research that documented positive outcomes, directly countering the argument that nothing worked. Perhaps the most damaging blow to the ‘nothing works’ position was delivered by Robert Martinson himself. In 1979 he wrote a paper which acknowledged errors in the earlier reviews and reported on a number of new studies which demonstrated that some things did work. On the basis of substantial contradictory evidence, Martinson recanted the ‘nothing works’ statements made in his 1974 article] (para. ). Incarceration is for those offenders that have broken the law and as a result they have received imprisonment. It punishes offenders for what th ey have done wrong and acknowledges the victim by giving them justice for the wrong that has been committed against them by the offender. Incarceration allows the offender to be confined and take some form of initiative to seek help and learn how to change their behavior. If an offender wants to change their life around, they can seek the necessary resources to make those changes. Offenders have to want to change their lives around.If offenders do it simply because they are made to do so then, they will eventually be back in prison. It is about changing the mindset and making a decision to turn away from wrongdoing and make the right decision to make positive choices. Punishment is more effective in combating crime. It helps offenders to understand what they have done wrong and accept accountability and responsibility for their behavior. Punishment is a constructive endeavor, not a destructive endeavor. Punishment is a positive good rather than a negative evil. It requires the right people with the right attitudes.If prison officials are hostile, cruel, and inappropriate towards inmates, it defeats the purpose. Prison officials need to be professional and firm but respectful towards inmates. If inmates are not treated fairly in prison, they will find it hard to understand that it is fair for them to be incarcerated in the first place. In order for inmates to accept their punishment they must understand that it is just, not malicious. The duties and responsibilities of prisons are to manage and handle their facilities to the best of their ability.In closing, it is not the responsibility of prisons to reform, rehabilitate, or reintegrate offenders into society. Each inmate needs to be responsible for their own wellbeing, social correction, and their future conduct. While it may not be an easy task for any inmate, they have to make the decision to change their life around. It has to be there decision; no one can do it for them. They must have the right mindset an d be willing to make changes for the better. References Bureau of Justice Assistance. (n. d. ). â€Å"Nothing Works†, Retrieved on September 10, 2012, from, https://www. bja. gov/Publications/APPA_PSN. df Department of Corrections. (n. d. ). Historical Background: The â€Å"What Works? † Debate, Retrieved on September 10, 2012, from, http://www. corrections. govt. nz/research/the-effectiveness-of-correctional-treatment/historical-background. html Federal Bureau of Prisons. (1993). Meta-Analysis Rehabilitation of Punishment, Retrieved on September 10, 2012, from, http://www. bop. gov/news/research_projects/published_reports/cond_envir/oreprlogangaes. pdf National Criminal Justice Reference Service. (1991). Punishment vs. Rehabilitation: A proposal for revising sentencing practices, Retrieved on September 10, 2012, from,

Beowulf

Bri Beowulf Imagery Beowulf is an intense and suspenseful epic poem and what makes it worth reading is the use of imagery. What would the world be like without imagery? Imagery is used in everything read today. Books, magazines, even the backs of movie cases. The world of reading would be different without imagery. And Burton Raffel made sure that Beowulf was full of said imagery, especially during the first, second, and third climaxes of the poem. In Beowulf, the imagery for the first climax is full of surprise, violence and suspense. The suspense starts when Grendel snatches up the first Geat he sees and tears him apart. Imagery is used to intensify Grendel’s actions by tenfold. For example, â€Å"Grendel snatched at the first Geat/ he came to, ripped him apart, cut/ his body to bits with powerful jaws,/ drank his blood from his veins and bolted/ him down, hands and feet/ (line 739, page 46). Without that gruesome and violent imagery, Grendel would seem meek and boring. But that only begins the suspense and violence of the first climax. Imagery is greatly used when Beowulf and Grendel battle to the death. Beowulf fought Grendel and he â€Å"fastened those claws in his fists till they cracked,† (line 760, page 47) which shows that Beowulf was a strong entity and without the imagery, we wouldn’t quite grasp how inhumanly strong Beowulf was. Herot trembled while they battled which gives us the interpretation that the battle was intense and if Burton Raffel had not incorporated that bit in the story, we wouldn’t understand how extreme the battle between the two foes was. Lastly, imagery is used to show Grendel’s death. For example, â€Å"He twisted in pain/ And the bleeding sinews deep in his shoulder snapped, muscle and bone split/ And broke,† (line 815, page 480) which just proves that without the imagery during his death, Grendel would have died a very non descriptive and utterly unimportant death. Without imagery, the first climax would be dull, lifeless, and not in the least bit suspenseful. Not only is there imagery in the first climax, but it is also present in the second climax as well. With Grendel dead, it leaves Grendel’s’ mum in a fit of despair and rage so she travels to Herot to avenge Grendel’s death. The imagery is violent and animalistic. For example, â€Å"Smashing their shining swords, their bloody/ Hammer-forged blades onto boar-shaped helmets,/ Slashing and stabbing with the sharpest of points,† (line 1285, page 64) shows the Geats preparing to kill Grendel’s mum, but she ends up victimizing Hrothgar’s closest friend who was â€Å"sheltered in her dripping claws,† (line 1295, page 64). The mental image that this climax contains renders the fact that if there was no present imagery, Grendel’s mum would not have an important character line. She would just be a mother that missed her child, not a blood thirsty, venomous monster that captured an important person. The imagery for the second climax was just as well done as the first one and it exceeded in creating a violent and suspenseful atmosphere. And now, here is the imagery for the final climax. In this climax, a dragon entered the scene and brought imagery along with it. For example, â€Å"Vomiting fire and smoke, the dragon/ Burned down their homes. They watched in horror/ As the flames rose up: the angry monster/ Meant to leave nothing alive. And the signs/ Of its anger flickered and glowed in the darkness, visible for miles, tokens of its hate/ And its cruelty, spread like a warning to the Geats who had broken its rest. † (line 2312, page 95) This part of the poem shows us the dragon’s rage and its ill conclusion to burn down everything in its path. Without this wonderful and descriptive segment, the dragon would just be another creature and would pose no threat. But with this imagery, the dragon is depicted as a horrible monster that thirsts for terror and chaos. Not only does the dragon cause chaos, but it’s actually the cause of Beowulf’s departure to the world. A tusk wound to Beowulf’s neck seals his fate. The imagery for Beowulf’s fatal wound is dreadful and gruesome. â€Å"Watching for its chance it drove its tusk/ Into Beowulf’s neck; he staggered, the blood/ Came flooding forth, fell like rain,† (line 2691, page 106). This imagery is what makes this poem the successful composition it is today. As written above, during the first, second, and third climaxes of the poem, imagery was the key ingredient to making a delicious cake. The world without imagery would be a bland, plain, and unexciting place to live. Books would be full of sentences only approved by preschoolers and they wouldn’t be as enjoyable as they are today. Burton Raffel did a mesmerizing job with captivating the readers of Beowulf with scenes of despair, gore, hope, and faith. Raffel couldn’t have done a better job. â€Å"And so Beowulf’s followers/ Rode, mourning their beloved leader,/ Crying that no better king had ever/ Lived, no prince so mild, no man/ So open to his people, so deserving of praise. † Beowulf Gangster rap and music, because these genres have a higher chance of having b ad language, profanity, violence, and other mature content. Today the focus Is largely on gangster rap and sexually explicit hip hop lyrics. His music Is know as the music of youth because the number of teenage kids are starting to listen to these genres are increasing compared to previous genre actions. This is making arenas concerned about what their kids are listening to. When children listen to mums ICC with violence and profanity it could influence kids to make bad decisions. Some people may think race isn't a part of music censorship but it plays a huge role. † music included freely expressed surreal desires, clear drug references, and other fee turns that were not as prevalent In other forms of popular music. † says the first amendment website.R& B is dominated by sec. In today's society all different types of music is played and listened to be all different races. Who n R&B's audience ex panded to include mainstream white people this became a threat to older whites w ho considered R a threat that med younger people misbehave. â€Å"now image there's a shorts, maybe five maybe four. Riding around with his mama list engine to the radio. And a song comes on and not far from being born. Doesn't know the difference from right and wrong. Now I mint trying to make it complex but lets Just say shorts has undeveloped c intent. About the perception of women these days. Is mama sings along and this I what she says ‘nigh as, IM a bad pitch, ND IM bad pitch something that's far above average' † this is another lyric from lope fiasco song bad pitch. These lyrics stand out to me because this verse is talking about a mother singing g his to her son who is listening to the radio with his mom at the age of five and is listening to this. I think that when it comes the the radio releasing music there should be censorship and retire CDC should be a n original copy and other s could be the censored copies so children won't have to go through this with b Ewing the care and their mom singing along to such degrading song. Beowulf Or is It directly? As a descendant of Cain offerings huffed in Canines scene' (line 107), who murdered his own brother, the narrator makes It a given notion that this cannibalistic human monster Greened has no hope to a good end. It Is his evil character that makes It possible for Beowulf to become the hero In this story. One cannot fight evil when there Is none. If one takes the angle of Greened being human, albeit an human monster, one can question some of the views the narrator gives. When Greened comes to Horror the narrator states he bears God's anger; ‘Ad com of more under misanthrope Greened conga.Goddess yore BRB(lines 10-711). If one believes he is a human, how then can he bear God's anger? God is divine, and only He can show His anger. Later on the narrator states Greened wants to seek the company of devils: Would on holster felon secant deafly egged (linesmen-756). This would be more plausible, as he is seen as a human monster, he would take sides with the evil part in the story; the devil. In the end, Greened, mortally wounded goes back the fen and moor where he dies and goes to hell; ‘Pr him hell inferno (line 852) because no matter what he was, his actions made is soul lost.When Beowulf Is In Horror the first evening when he arrived, he Is confronted by a Dane. Hunter, who Is, In fact, a murderer, having killed his own brother, questions Beowulf heroism. Instead of dismissing this attack Beowulf SW seashores SW PÃ'Ëœ self tales' (lines 593-594). Moreover Beowulf points out Hunter's deed towards his brother to banana warded h ©food ©gum as PÃ'Ëœ in hell escalates' (lines 587-588). What strikes me is that everybody knows he has killed his brother he has not been punished, that we know of.In this case it seems to me that the narrator wants the audience to believe that punishment is given by God, not by humans. In conclusion God ruled over the fate of Greened through Beowulf actions. As the story still goes on, we don't know the fates of Beowulf or Hunter yet. When they die, however they die, their fates will be determined at the gates and can still go either way as God can have mercy on Hunter, or decide to punish him still. Beowulf fate, as an instrument of God, should be easy to determine. He used Beowulf to determine Grenade's fate, and he should be rewarded as such. Beowulf The similarities and differences within Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales are quite evident after reading both texts. Both authors, Beowulf, by Anonymous and The Canterbury Tales, by Geoffrey Chaucer use literary devices to convey their message in each poem. There are similarities and differences within characters, tone, images and symbols. Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales are two similar poems but are written with different styles and literary devices. Beowulf and The Miller’s Tale are great examples of two poems that share similarities, yet provide a contrast between the mores of the 14th century and our current society. In both poems, for instance, the traits of the characters portray social values which are different from society today. In Beowulf, the characters are depicted as brave, strong, kind and devoted to their leaders. The characters suggest that society during this time valued loyalty, obedience and glory. Characters were recognized for their strength and success in battle. Beowulf is first mentioned and described as the greatest warrior alive. Beowulf states, â€Å"So every elder and experienced councilman among my people supported my resolve to come here to you, King Hrothgar, because all knew of my awesome strength† (Beowulf, 36). In modern society, men are valued for their good looks or wealth and not their success as a warrior. In The Miller’s Tale, the characters are also portrayed in a way that is different than society today. The miller emphasizes that intelligence is the most important characteristic in a person and not wealth. He talks about Nicholas and how his intelligence helped him trick the carpenter. Although the carpenter was wealthy, this did not give him an advantage when it came to Nicholas’s plan. Society today is focused more on wealth and status instead of education. People believe that education is not needed as long as you are wealthy, and that you will have an advantage in life as long as you have money. This clearly goes against the miller’s belief that education is more important than wealth. Beowulf and The Miller’s Tale are different in the way that they portray women. In Beowulf, women were loyal to their husbands and respected their family and themselves. They had certain duties as a wife or mother and they made sure their job was done well. In The Miller’s Tale, Allison is portrayed in a different way. She is a typical woman with beautiful features that all men are thirsty for. She is not loyal to her husband and uses her beauty as a way to get attention from other men. In the poem, Allison uses sympathy to trick her husband into leaving so she can be alone with Nicholas. The poem states, â€Å"Help us to scape, or we been dede eechoon. I am thy trwew verray wedded wif: Go, dere spouse, and help to save or lif† (Chaucer, 209). This showed the lack of loyalty Allison had for her husband John, and how she was able to trick him into leaving her and Nicholas alone. Allison is unaware of her behavior and acts like cheating on her husband is okay. The lack of respect she has for her husband and for herself is different than the women in Beowulf. The Miller’s Tale and Beowulf also have different tones and imagery. The tone of Beowulf is more serious and gruesome and the imagery is more vibrant. The narrator talks about the battles and characters with much detail so the reader can pinpoint the importance of what the narrator is saying. When talking about Grendel, the narrator makes sure the reader can tell that he is not just a demon, but a â€Å"captain of evil†. The poem states, â€Å"He grabbed and mauled a man on his bench, bit into his bone-lappings, bolted down his blood and gorged on him in lumps† (Beowulf, 42). Grendel is described in a more detailed and gruesome way and this shows the reader the seriousness of Grendel’s character. The detailed description also puts a clear image into the readers head. The Miller’s Tale has a more straightforward and comedic tone. Events are described without personal insight from the narrator. The tone becomes comedic as the narrator describes the events in a way that seems like he is unaware of what he is saying. For example, when Absolon kisses Allison’s butt, the narrator describes it like it is no big deal. The poem states, â€Å"But with his mouth he kiste hir naked ers, ful savourly, er he were war of this† (Chaucer, 212). The reader could imagine what is going on, but the lack of detail does not make the image as clear or virbrant. The narrator’s sense of humor and lack of attention to what he or she is saying also brings humor to the poem. The Wife of Bath, also by Geoffrey Chaucer, has a similarity to Beowulf. Both poems contain symbolism. In the prologue of The Wife of Bath, the wife compares herself and other women to loaves of bread. The wheat bread symbolizes virgins while the less-expensive barley bread symbolizes wives. She makes the point that virgins or white bread may be preferred, but barley bread is just as nice. The poem states, â€Å"I won’t envy them virginity: let them be white bread of finest wheat, and let us wives be called barley bread†¦ † (Chaucer,189). The wife continues to compare the bread to the sexuality of her youth. In Beowulf, there is also symbolism. The great banquet that is held at Herorot after the defeat of Grendel symbolizes the restoration of order and peace to the Danish people. There is rebuilding of the damaged mead-hall and this also symbolizes the rebirth of the community. Although the author of Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales are different, both poems have there similarities. The way that the characters are portrayed and how their descriptions conflict with society today is similar and both poems use symbolism. The differences of Beowulf and The Canterbury Tales are seen within the tone, images and the portrayal of women. The similarities and differences are emphasized in each poem as the authors’ writing style is examined, along with the use of literary devices. Beowulf Or is It directly? As a descendant of Cain offerings huffed in Canines scene' (line 107), who murdered his own brother, the narrator makes It a given notion that this cannibalistic human monster Greened has no hope to a good end. It Is his evil character that makes It possible for Beowulf to become the hero In this story. One cannot fight evil when there Is none. If one takes the angle of Greened being human, albeit an human monster, one can question some of the views the narrator gives. When Greened comes to Horror the narrator states he bears God's anger; ‘Ad com of more under misanthrope Greened conga.Goddess yore BRB(lines 10-711). If one believes he is a human, how then can he bear God's anger? God is divine, and only He can show His anger. Later on the narrator states Greened wants to seek the company of devils: Would on holster felon secant deafly egged (linesmen-756). This would be more plausible, as he is seen as a human monster, he would take sides with the evil part in the story; the devil. In the end, Greened, mortally wounded goes back the fen and moor where he dies and goes to hell; ‘Pr him hell inferno (line 852) because no matter what he was, his actions made is soul lost.When Beowulf Is In Horror the first evening when he arrived, he Is confronted by a Dane. Hunter, who Is, In fact, a murderer, having killed his own brother, questions Beowulf heroism. Instead of dismissing this attack Beowulf SW seashores SW PÃ'Ëœ self tales' (lines 593-594). Moreover Beowulf points out Hunter's deed towards his brother to banana warded h ©food ©gum as PÃ'Ëœ in hell escalates' (lines 587-588). What strikes me is that everybody knows he has killed his brother he has not been punished, that we know of.In this case it seems to me that the narrator wants the audience to believe that punishment is given by God, not by humans. In conclusion God ruled over the fate of Greened through Beowulf actions. As the story still goes on, we don't know the fates of Beowulf or Hunter yet. When they die, however they die, their fates will be determined at the gates and can still go either way as God can have mercy on Hunter, or decide to punish him still. Beowulf fate, as an instrument of God, should be easy to determine. He used Beowulf to determine Grenade's fate, and he should be rewarded as such. Beowulf Gangster rap and music, because these genres have a higher chance of having b ad language, profanity, violence, and other mature content. Today the focus Is largely on gangster rap and sexually explicit hip hop lyrics. His music Is know as the music of youth because the number of teenage kids are starting to listen to these genres are increasing compared to previous genre actions. This is making arenas concerned about what their kids are listening to. When children listen to mums ICC with violence and profanity it could influence kids to make bad decisions. Some people may think race isn't a part of music censorship but it plays a huge role. † music included freely expressed surreal desires, clear drug references, and other fee turns that were not as prevalent In other forms of popular music. † says the first amendment website.R& B is dominated by sec. In today's society all different types of music is played and listened to be all different races. Who n R&B's audience ex panded to include mainstream white people this became a threat to older whites w ho considered R a threat that med younger people misbehave. â€Å"now image there's a shorts, maybe five maybe four. Riding around with his mama list engine to the radio. And a song comes on and not far from being born. Doesn't know the difference from right and wrong. Now I mint trying to make it complex but lets Just say shorts has undeveloped c intent. About the perception of women these days. Is mama sings along and this I what she says ‘nigh as, IM a bad pitch, ND IM bad pitch something that's far above average' † this is another lyric from lope fiasco song bad pitch. These lyrics stand out to me because this verse is talking about a mother singing g his to her son who is listening to the radio with his mom at the age of five and is listening to this. I think that when it comes the the radio releasing music there should be censorship and retire CDC should be a n original copy and other s could be the censored copies so children won't have to go through this with b Ewing the care and their mom singing along to such degrading song. Beowulf Sample Essay on Beowulf The epic story of Beowulf depicts a young man destined to find his place in Anglo-Saxon society as a hero, the deliverer of his people. Set out from his youth, Beowulf was enthralled, perhaps obsessed, with the idea of fame and accomplishment. His thirst for both fueled the remainder of his life as a leader amongst leaders and a true hero in the entire sense of the term. Finally, the tale concludes with the true mark of a hero, the ability to pass the torch on to a younger generation to which he has offered guidance, wisdom, and experience under his wing.Beowulf truly does deliver his people to their destiny and ensures that this destiny remains for years to come after his departure. Unlike most heroes in literature that are often portrayed as having humble beginnings, Beowulf’s youth is relatively fortunate and comfortable. Nevertheless, Beowulf’s obvious passion to achieve the Anglo-Saxon value of fame and honor is unwavering and will lead him to his eventual fate. Beowulf is singled out early as a â€Å"superior being† amongst his peers. â€Å"[†¦] Beowulf, Higlac’s/ Follower and the strongest of the Geats—stronger than anyone anywhere in this world—[†¦]†(ll. 09-111) This distinction that he was of superior physical capabilities quickly led Beowulf to develop and inherit a superior mental capacity, one filled with an ability to lead and an aura of pompousness that he took with him to battle and amongst his people. This is demonstrated when the tale explains, â€Å"Beowulf arose with his men/ Around him, ordering a few to remain/ With their weapons, leading the others quickly[†¦]† (ll. 134-136) Beowulf’s leadership is characteristic of a true hero and one whom will continue on to deliver his people.Beowulf’s true talent was best displayed in the various competitions and battles he engaged in throughout his famed tale. His unwavering confidence and perh aps boastful personality struck not only fear but also awe and inspiration into the hearts and minds of his people. â€Å"My hands/ Alone shall fight for me, struggle for life/ Against the monster,†(ll. 172-174) Beowulf boldly claimed as he prepared to confront Grendel in battle. Beowulf’s audacity is exemplified through this and many acts of uncontrollable valor and courage. Thus is the root of his people’s admiration and their desire to follow in his ways and under his guidance.As if this was not enough to remind the people of Beowulf’s accomplishments and feats, Beowulf was compelled to ensure his status and society and seal his place in fame. â€Å"The victory, for the proof, hanging high/ From the rafters where Beowulf had hung it, was the monster’s/ Arm, claw, and shoulder and all. † (ll. 515-517) Beowulf, through the actions, accomplishments, and everlasting pursuit of his dream of fame, gained the respect of his people and prepared h imself for true kingly status and to gain the recognition as the deliverer of his people.Perhaps the greatest mark of a hero is his or her ability to not only lead a life of good deeds and tremendous feats, but also to train and educate the youth in order for his or her society to perpetuate. Beowulf’s character is certainly one to do this and thus is the reason he may be dubbed a deliverer. Beowulf makes a significant impact upon his followers, in particular the soldiers he had chosen to be with him. One in particular, Wiglaf, makes a spirited speech amongst his fellow soldiers as Beowulf has gone off to fight without their aide. In this address Wiglaf declares, â€Å" ‘Our glorious king!By almighty G-d,/ I’d rather burn myself than see/ Flames swirling around my lord. † (ll. 780-782) Such a comment makes one question how much of an impact they can truly have on their peers. To have such awe inspiring powers so as to gain the trust and respect of your men to the extent that they would indeed take greater pleasure in their deaths than that of their own is truly incredible. This is the recognition point for the reader in which he or she can truly tell that Beowulf has delivered his people into a new generation. In the final crowning moment of any life, one can only wish for a companion to pass on his or her legacy.Such a characteristic is inherit in the life of hero, and this is no different than the end of Beowulf’s life. â€Å"[†¦]telling stories/ Of their [soldiers] dead king and his greatness, his glory,/ Praising him for his heroic deeds, for a life/ As noble as his name. † Not only had Beowulf become a figure of fame in his life, but he had obtained the ultimate fame: Beowulf had become a legend, and, in that, Beowulf would forever continue to teach his lessons and to demonstrate his talent for generations to come as he had successfully delivered his people, the Geats.

The Letters of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Essay

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a composer greatly known worldwide for his impeccable musical abilities in the movie Amadeus. His strong character is what made Peter Shaffer and Milos Forman, who were the movie’s screen writer and director to craft a portrait of the protagonist. This movie was indeed a great movie right from the compositions, performances as well as the drama involved. It is for this reason that this movie was able to scoop eight Oscars in 1985. The movie essentially covers about ten years of the life of Mozart, most of which he was in Vienna where he meets Salieri, who was a composer and is fascinated by Mozart and his music. This movie draws one interest particularly when it comes to the composition, the musical instruments used and finally the general musical elements such as melody, rhythm, dynamics and harmony. This paper gives an in-depth analysis to the composer, the accuracy of the portrayal and finally the issues learnt from Amadeus, the movie. Mozart was portrayed as a very great composer as he worked on many genres. Among them are the string quintet, the symphony, the string quartet, sonata and finally the piano concerto. The composition therefore goes over a very wide range. Mozart, who dies before his thirty sixth birthday has over six hundred productions, some which were not even published. His great composition is seen through Salieri, who has been depicted as a mediocre composer, of third degree in composition but has a first degree in identifying good music. Mozart therefore is one composer with hard to beat composition abilities.CITATION Wol66 p 23 l 1033 (Mozart 23)The portrayal of the characters and generally the music was in my own opinion accurate. Amadeus was a great composer and this is exactly what he was. He even dedicates one of his pieces of work to Salier, his great rival on his death bedCITATION Wol66 p 4 l 1033 (Mozart 4). Musical instruments used included were the piano, the glass harmonica, the flute among others. Since it was a movie based on classical music, the instruments were accurately selected. The musical elements also came out very strongly with attention paid to the awesome melodies, great harmonies, great use of rhythm and to a very large extent the style was very unique. CITATION Har81 p 34 l 1033 (Row 34)It can be easily pointed out that as much as the movie focuses on other issues such as spiritual matters, envy, rivalry and family, its main focus was music. Even rivalry and envy were as a result of the difference in musical abilities of Mozart and Salieri. Unlike other productions which make fictional characters real, this production made a real character a fictional one. This is in order to relate the musical capability of the real character, commonly known by his audience to the fictional character’s abilities. Generally, I think Amadeus has been one of the best expressions of art, music, the genius artist. This is what makes the movie to be described as a modern classic. It offers a completely new dimension and point of view of classic music. This piece of art not only takes us through different and diverse characters but it also mixes music with the real world realities like envy. The director of this movie has made a number of movies but however many there are or are still to come, I doubt there will be one of them that will surpass this particular movie. References BIBLIOGRAPHY l 1033 Mozart, Wolfgand Amadeus. The Letters of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. 1866. Row, Harper and. Peter Shaffer’s Amadeus. 1981. Source document