Current beliefs about how the first peoples Settled North America Essay

1. Explain current beliefs about how the first peoples settled North America, and discuss the ways in which they became differentiated from one another over time. 2. Describe the founding of European nations’ first colonies in the New World. The information in our text shows many different opinions on how North America was settled. An example would be the discovery of the Kennewick man. The discovery of the skeletal remains opened the door to more opinions of North American Settlement. It is still believed that the initial North American settlers are the Paleo-Indians (www. betheluniversityonline.net, 2012). The Archaic era followed with the development of agriculture. This trend was perhaps the most significant development, because settled agriculture permitted the establishment of a sedentary existence, without the need to pursue herd animals (www. betheluniversityonline. net, 2012). A food source could now be provided from grown crops. The Archaic era was then followed by what is called the Pre-Columbian era. The Pre-Columbian era is when the development of societies began to happen. The societies developed because they were now able to provide the necessary food source by growing crops. The crops gave them the ability to remain in one area for a longer period of time. There are many reasons that caused the various tribes to become differentiated from each other. Language caused a lot of issues among the different tribes. Territorial disputes, competition for resources, and traditions caused most of the instability between the settlers (www. betheluniversityonline. net, 2012). The land was the major issue among the settlers because it affected trade. Reference: Schultz, K. , Hist2, Volume 1, History of the United States I, Bethel University Online https://www. betheluniversityonline. net/cps/SectionFramework. aspx? SectionID=254 When Europe voyage was intended to expand their trading options. Few sought to create lasting settlements, and even fewer sought to colonize these exotic lands (www. betheluniversityonline. net, 2012). Wealth was one of the biggest lures to the European’s. The competitive profits from this wealth led to them to colonization and would give them the power to defend what they had discovered. Portuguese would be followed by Spain and this would lead to the Pope’s intervention. He would draw a line from the North to the South dividing the land between the two. Spain would have claim to the West and Portugal would have claim to the East. Despite Portugal’s early ambition, Spain would be the first to establish colonies in North America (www. betheluniversityonline. net, 2012). This would lead the two to a war that ended in nearly annihilating the two because of death and disease. The Spanish colonization lead to the development armies called the conquistadors. The conquistadors would move in and devastate populations and take over the land. This would lead to the enslavement of the Indians. You would then have the French and English to follow this adventure to the New World. Four reasons for the English to become more interested were Religious reformation from Catholicism, Social because the impoverished Englishmen were seeking to escape poverty, Economically investing stopped in the textile market looking for opportunities in the New World, and Geographically Queen Elizabeth’s Monarchy stabilized the throne and allowed England to participate in New World ventures (www. betheluniversityonline. net, 2012). Reference: Schultz, K. , Hist2, Volume 1, History of the United States I, Bethel University Online https://www. betheluniversityonline. net/cps/SectionFramework. aspx? SectionID=254.

Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde coursework Essay

In the novel, â€Å"Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde† which was written by Stevenson in 1886, a doctor known as Henry Jekyll is curious to know if it is possible to separate the two sides of human nature, good and evil. In his basement he creates a concoction to try and this is were Mr Hyde is introduced to the story. Jekyll drinks the potion and transforms into Hyde. Hyde is a prime example of pure evil, the complete opposite of Dr Jekyll but later on he is taken over by Hyde and it shows through him wanting to transform again after all of the crimes committed by his dark side. Stevenson’s objective for the novel was to get the reader to realize that nobody is perfect and everybody has a dark side to their personality. The Victorian era started in 1837 and ended in1901. This was how long Queen Victoria ruled for. Society in London was very posh and rich during that era. In the novel Dr Jekyll is one of these rich people. Although London was said to be a civilised place there were actually a few criminals who committed horrific rapes, decapitations and murders. Jack the ripper is one of them. This side of society back then represents Mr Hyde. London back then had dark fogy nights and some rainy nights, identical to the nights described in Jekyll and Hyde. â€Å"nine in the morning, and the first fog of the season†¦ as the cab drew up before the address indicated, the fog lifted a little and showed him a dingy street.† The setting is choosing Mr Utterson’s path. The setting gives a picture that evil is trying to pick out Utterson’s path, luring him into evil. The â€Å"Fog† gives the audience an airy and tense atmosphere. You feel that anything could happen and that evil is lurking somewhere beyond the fog but it is undetectable. Just like Mr Hyde, whatever will happen next is unpredictable. There is also a sense of suspicion as â€Å"the fog lifted a little and showed him a dingy street.† We wonder why the fog shows him a dingy street which is most likely infested with evil beings and we also wonder if Mr Utterson is wandering into a trap and this intensifies the suspence. Evil masterminds aren’t handsome and this shows when Hyde looks into the mirror for the first time for the audience to see. â€Å"He is not easy to describe. There is something wrong with his appearance, something displeasing, something downright detestable. I never saw a man I so disliked†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He sounds like a hideous monster, deformed and gives the woman a feeling of hatred when she sees him. Most villains look discomforting like the ones in movies. Jekyll on the other hand is the complete opposite, handsome and liked by the women in the novel. This shows the difference between the good and evil in the novel and contributes to Stevenson’s objective of getting the reader to see the difference between good and evil. Hyde’s actions are animalistic and he shows a sign of superhuman strength when he beats Carew so rapidly his cane snaps and Carew dies. This emphasizes his anger towards Carew and this unprovoked attack is so brutal, it makes the made at the window faint from shock. â€Å"†¦and at that Mr Hyde broke out of all bounds and clubbed him to the earth. And next moment, with ape-like fury, he was trampling his victim under his foot and hailing down a storm of blows, under which bones were audibly shattered and the body jumped upon the roadway. At the horror of these sights, the maid fainted.† This description shows how relentless Hyde is and he doesn’t hold back his anger and lets loose a barrage of bone shattering blows. It is clear to the audience that he has channelled his anger into his physical strength then unleashes is all on Carew and the fact that Carew is beaten to death further expresses his anger and hatred towards Carew. His actions gives us an insight of what he is physically capable of doing and also makes us wonder if he is a human or a savage beast with intense strength. Back in those times reputation was a key factor to a well known wealthy person’s life and Hyde lives on a dull dingy street whereas Jekyll lives in his humble abode to avoid being found out by Utterson and Enfield. They both are suspicious about Jekyll and want to find him out but they are unsure if they should ruin his reputation, so instead they keep a close eye on him and ask him a few questions. The information they find out they want to keep to themselves because they don’t want to ruin Jekyll’s reputation in case he is innocent. Utterson and his acquaintance Mr Enfield do all they can to identify who Hyde really is. What gets them thinking is when Hyde â€Å"tramples calmly over the little girl† and Utterson wants Hyde to pay à ¯Ã‚ ¿Ã‚ ½100 compensation and when he does, they realize that it is signed by Dr Henry Jekyll but they both promise never to talk about the case again, so they don’t let it out into the public. Hyde is able to stay hidden from the two lawyers because of the area he lives in. The area is dirty, dingy, smelly and full of the low classed people. This way Hyde can keep a low profile and high status people won’t voyage into this area and spot Hyde. He blends in with all of the citizens there. The women are poor and very savage and referred to as â€Å"Wild harpies† â€Å"And all the time, as we were pitching it in red hot, we were keeping the women off him as best we could, for they were as wild as harpies† This quote emphasizes the violent side to these women. They have unleashed their dark side, just like Hyde was unleashed from Jekyll and when Hyde gets into trouble, a woman laughs and says he deserves it. This lady shows her dark side and no remorse at this comment towards Mr Hyde. This makes you realize that not only Dr Jekyll has an evil side to his personality. This also makes us realise that everyone has an evil side to their personality. Stevenson presents the evil side of human nature in his novel, however he also captures the good side of human nature and this is shown when Henry Jekyll admits to his own guilt. â€Å"The pleasures which I made haste to seek my disguise were, as I have said, undignified; I would scarce use a harder term. But in the hands of Edward Hyde, they soon began to turn towards monstrous†¦ it was Hyde, after all, and Hyde alone, that was guilty. Jekyll was no worse.† Dr Jekyll is admitting to his mistakes and he reveals to us that Hyde was his disguise. He is taking responsibility for unleashing his dark side which is Hyde and refers to his actions as â€Å"undignified†. This shows that there is a good side to every human and he has displayed this through revealing that Hyde was to blame for all of the crimes committed and that Jekyll (his good side) was no worse. Overall Stevenson has shown us that no human is perfect. Everyone has a darker side to their personality. Good and evil is a regular part of human nature. Stevenson makes us realise that we are all capable of doing bad things but all choose not to for a variety of reasons.

Beethoven Pastoral Symphony Essay

Beethoven was one of the pivotal composers that helped music evolve from the Classical period into the age of Romanticism. When discussing Beethoven’s success in classical compositions, his symphonies are at the forefront of most if not every conversation. However, even within the topic of his symphonies, some are naturally highlighted more than others. For example, one could reproduce the melody from either the opening movement of the Fifth or the finale of the Ninth and a majority of people would be able to recognize them. While these two works were revolutionary in the progression of symphonic music, they were not the only ones to have played important roles in this sense. Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony is a pivotal work in the expansion of music with programmatic characteristics. However, this symphony is one that sways between the realms of absolute and program music, for it can be identified with both categories of symphonic music. While it is highly unlikely that Beethoven viewed this composition as a truly programmatic piece, the Sixth Symphony has played an important role in the development of the symphony as a genre and influenced future composers of program music as well. In order to discuss the significance of the Pastoral Symphony, one must first shed light on the difference of program music from that of absolute music. Author R. W. S. Mendl describes absolute music as being â€Å"that which gives us pleasure by the sheer delight in sound patterns without having any emotional, pictorial, or literary references† and claims that music with programmatic content â€Å"attempt[s] to represent scenes, objects, or events which exist apart from music.† It is hard to gauge the amount of programmatic works prior to the Pastoral Symphony, simply due to the fact that the term â€Å"program music† was not used as a defining category of music at the time of their release. An estimated eighth of all symphonic works that were presented before Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony were composed with the intent of conveying particular images or scenes. It would seem that with such a small percentage of varying works that were composed to contain prog rammatic ideas, labeling these works with a universal genre proved to be somewhat difficult. With the expansion of this style of writing, naturally the encompassing term â€Å"program music† would become associated with such pieces. Around the time of Beethoven’s composing, music was undergoing a shift from the Classical period into an age of Romanticism. Compositions were expanding in numerous ways regarding form, orchestration, and harmonies that were being implemented. Beethoven has been called â€Å"the innovator who broke through the limitations of Classicism without abandoning them.† This is truly evident through his symphonic writing. While on the cusp of the Romantic era, it became evident to him that the stature of absolute music was on the rise. Lewis Lockwood states that from a compositional aspect, Beethoven looked down upon ‘program music’ for its seemingly shallow representation of actual sounds and lack of originality. In response to this rising style of music, he composed the Pastoral Symphony with the intent of merging illus trative ideas of programmatic music with the structure of absolute music. Beethoven successfully achieved a blend of programmatic and absolute ideas with this symphony, in order to create an overall pastoral feeling of nature rather than depict any specific image. While the symphony and its five movements are labeled with titles that were created by Beethoven himself, he believed that the overall pastoral idea of this work could be perceived by the audience without a description that would usually be necessary with a complete program piece. It is this idea that helped Beethoven create the title as it can be viewed on early sketches, â€Å"Pastoral Symphony or Memories of Country Life: More the Expression of Feeling than Tone-Painting.† It would appear that Beethoven intended to create a general mood that expresses the idea of nature rather than rely on specific images or one precise story to achieve this. Despite Beethoven’s general feelings towards program music and his conscious efforts to claim that the Sixth Symphony was more a collection of overall feelings rather than an attempt at creating one specific image, this piece is neither absolute or programmatic music but a blend of the two styles. The first point in this argument would be the fact that Beethoven attached titles to each of the five movements within this symphony that depict certain scenes associated with pastoral ideas. The headings for the movements are as follow: ‘Pleasant feelings which are awakened in mankind on arrival in the country’, ‘Scene by the brook’, ‘Joyful fellowship of country folk’, ‘Thunder and Storm’, and ‘Beneficent feeling after the storm joined with thanks to the deity’. The mere fact that this symphony is the only one of his nine to contain subtitles attached to each movement that describe a scene of nature favors the thought of the symphony being more programmatic than absolute. However, if one were to look past the movement headings and take into consideration the content of the music, one would observe that the first two movements contain very little defined imagery. From an analytical perspective of the form, the first ha lf of the symphony is rather conventional and resembles the absolute approach to music. These movements hold true to the subheading for the symphony in regards to creating overall feelings rather than one precise painting or story. While there are compositional devices used to help convey the pastoral feeling within the first half of the symphony, it is not until the end of the second movement that Beethoven truly utilizes extra musical associations to convey imagery. This andante movement entitled ‘Scene by the brook’ ends with the flute, oboe, and clarinet engaged in a coda while imitating birdcalls. The composer himself labeled these three woodwind voices as a nightingale, a quail, and a cuckoo, respectively. These birdcalls have led to several debates, discussions, and even complete articles that attempt to analyze the true meaning of their existence in the piece. No matter how they are interpreted, one fact remains still. The birdcalls act as segues from the symphonic first half to the more programmatic portion of the piece. The second half of the Sixth Symphony ventures away from conventional symphonic composing techniques found in the first two movements and includes more programmatic material. A strong indication of programmatic material resides within the later half of the symphony, where Beethoven includes several pastoral elements to enhance the musical imagery. The third movement consists of excited melodies in a compound-meter stylized scherzo representing country-dances. There are several points within this movement that have a drone in the bass that has been viewed as a depiction of bagpipes, an instrument that was frequently associated with the representation of pastoral ideas. This jovial dance-like movement transitions into the fourth movement, which resembles a storm. The storm is â€Å"clearly an example of tone-painting† with its explosive minor chords that represent thunder and lightning and the constant patter of rain in the strings’ lines. Another significant feature added to the symphony that aids the pastoral image is the use of a ranz des vaches in the final movement. The ranz des vaches was an alpine horn call that herdsmen used to summon cattle. Author, David Wyn Jones notes in his book that â€Å"common features of ranz des vaches melodies are: triadic motion, dotted 6/8 meter†¦frequent use of grace notes, all harmonized mainly by the tonic triad.† While looking at the horn call that Beethoven uses within his symphony, one would notice that it meets all of the criteria that Jones listed. The imagery associated with the Pastoral Symphony depicts scenes from nature, which was a subject close to Beethoven’s heart. Through journal entries and letters, one can deduce Beethoven’s love for nature. The following is a letter to Austrian musician and friend, Therese Malfatti in 1810 that depicts his feelings about the outdoors: How fortunate you are to have been able to go to the country so early in the year! Not before the 8th shall I be able to enjoy this delight: I look forward to it with childish anticipation. How glad I shall be to wander about amidst shrubs, forests, trees, herbs and rocks! No man can love the country as I do. For it is forests, trees and rocks that provide men with the resonance they desire. Through this letter and several other firsthand records, one can clearly see Beethoven’s infatuation for the outdoors and the justifiable reason to compose a piece that commemorates this love. It makes sense that the first large-scale work that includes extensive amounts of imagery would reflect the thing that he admired most. Along with the simple beauty of nature, there were other factors that influenced Beethoven while writing his Sixth Symphony. The inclusion of nature and rustic ideas within music was not uncommon to composers prior to Beethoven. Pastoral subjects could be found in several theatrical presentations, operas, and intermezzo from the sixteenth through the eighteenth centuries. One notable work that inspired the development of the Pastoral Symphony was an oratorio written by Franz Joseph Haydn, his teacher and mentor early on in his composing career. Haydn’s oratorio, The Seasons, had an impact on Beethoven while he wrote his Sixth Symphony. Haydn incorporates arpeggiated horn calls in the aria â€Å"Der muntre Hirt† that begin â€Å"a sequence of summer scenes that will [eventually lead] to the storm† later in the oratorio. Similarly, Beethoven opens the fifth and final movement of his symphony with an arpeggiated melody in the French horns that subsequently signify the end of the storm that took place in the previous movement. Another example of musical quotation that Beethoven purposely incorporated is an oboe melody that â€Å"has long been understood as a quotation from Bach’s chorale ‘Birch an, o Schà ¶nes Morgenlicht,’ from the second part of the Christmas Oratorio†¦Ã¢â‚¬  It is worth mentioning that prior to Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony, there had been other symphonic works to contain sections that resemble thunderstorms. Several commentaries on the Pastoral and its development discuss the 18th century German composer, Justin Heinrich Knecht and his piece entitled La Portrait musical de la nature. This work seems to contain similar programmatic ideas as that of Beethoven’s symphony, including a thunderstorm that interrupts the overall peaceful feeling of nature that resumes after the storm. In addition to preceding compositions that influenced Beethoven’s writings, there has been the suggestion for the possible influence from the literary writings of Scottish poet James Thomson, mostly that of his well known poems collectively titled â€Å"The Seasons†. While there is no concrete evidence that Beethoven took inspiration from this poem, some scholars feel that the poem possibly had an underlying effect on the outcome of the Pastoral Symphony. The text of the poem discusses nature, progressing through the four seasons starting with spring and ending with winter. The poem was translated to German in 1745 and served as a basis for Haydn’s oratorio that shares the same name. As discussed earlier, Beethoven drew inspiration from Haydn’s oratorio, so it would seem that he was indirectly influenced from the poetry of James Thomson for this reason even if he had no connection to the actual literature itself. So far there have been factors that support both sides of the argument in trying to define the Pastoral Symphony as either a work of absolute music, or one depicting tone painting. The mere fact that the piece contains an appropriate amount of material that justifies both categories, one should agree that this work could be viewed as the perfect synthesis of the two sides of the symphonic spectrum. The next step in understanding the influence that the Pastoral Symphony had on future composers of both absolute and programmatic works would naturally be to look at the general reception of the premiere of this piece. The Sixth Symphony received its first public performance on December 22nd, 1808 along with Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. Beethoven worked on these two symphonies simultaneously in the years leading up to this concert. At this time however, the symphonies were labeled opposite of what they are viewed as today, which means that the Pastoral was written and performed as Beethoven’s fifth symphony, while the C-minor was viewed as his sixth. Over the course of time it would seem as though the Fifth Symphony has overpowered the Pastoral in the minds of audience members. While this may be true to some extent today, at the time, critics were singing praises to this wonderful portrayal of nature through melody and harmony. A review of the score in the musical journal of the time, Allgemeine musikalishce Zeitung, was typical in saying such things as â€Å"this work of Beethoven, wonderful, original, and full of life, which can be placed without hesitation besides his other masterworks†¦Ã¢â‚¬  When comparing it to other compositions that focused on imagery of programmatic material, one critic claimed that â€Å"none of the musical paintings known until now can withstand comparison†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Overall, the piece was welcomed positively and viewed as a representation for composers who desired to use programmatic features. Some of the compositional styles that would soon develop through the Romantic period can trace influence from Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony. When discussing compositions that drew inspiration from the Pastoral Symphony, one should mention Hector Berlioz’s programmatic work, Symphonie Fantastique. As a composer, Berlioz was an advocate for music with more programmatic tendencies and was viewed as a radical composer during his time. At one point in his career, Berlioz wrote critical reviews of Beethoven’s nine symphonies. When discussing the Sixth, he used descriptions such as, â€Å"delightful phrases [that] greet you, like the perfumed morning breeze† as well as â€Å"swarms of chattering birds in flight†¦Ã¢â‚¬  With such joyous descriptions that Berlioz gave, it comes as no surprise that he would find inspiration from this piece for his own writing. Author, Owen Jander views the second movement in Beethoven’s symphony entitled â€Å"Scene by t he Brook† as an obvious â€Å"point of departure for the ‘Scene in the Meadows’ in Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique†. As mentioned earlier, Beethoven’s second movement has been the topic of several discussions concerning the Sixth Symphony, specifically, the imitation of birdcalls that can be found at the close of the movement. Jander believes the calls to symbolize Beethoven’s acceptance of his growing deafness and his own fate. If one is to agree with this interpretation, then the connection to Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique becomes one that is easy to accept. Berlioz’s third movement, entitled â€Å"Scene in the Meadows† opens with the English horn and the oboe representing two shepherds that are calling to one another. At the end of the movement, one of the â€Å"shepherds† return once more but is not joined by the other, but is instead replaced by the distant roll of thunder heard in the timpani. Those familiar with the piece and its program know that the concluding two movements that follow represent a personal hell and damnation for the protagonist. The connection between both that of Beethoven’s and Berlioz’s works would be the idea that both composers are aware of their own fate and accept it through the illustration of music. Another composer that was potentially influenced by the Pastoral Symphony was that of the German opera composer, Richard Wagner. As just discussed, it would seem that the second movement of Beethoven’s work is to represent the â€Å"realization of one’s destiny through nature†. In Wagner’s opera, Siegfried, there are scenes within the second act that take place in the forest. In which, the main character, Siegfried learns of his destiny from the ability to understand a forest bird. This situation is the exact opposite from that of Beethoven’s, where the composer realizes his destiny through the discovery that he can no longer hear. Two compositions that were separated by nearly one hundred years, both contain similar imagery that represents a person’s realization and acceptance of their destiny through nature. The chances of this being a coincidence seem rather unlikely. To say that that Beethoven’s Pastoral inspired Wagner’s us e of nature within this opera would be a fair conclusion. When discussing Beethoven, the Sixth Symphony may not be a piece that comes to mind right away; one might rather recall themes from other symphonies by him. However, the importance of this piece in the evolution of the symphony as a genre is too important to go overlooked. The mere fact that out of the nine symphonies that Beethoven wrote, the Sixth was the only one to receive a programmatic title and descriptive scenes attached to the movements is an indication at the significance of this work. It may not have directly influenced several composers in the years that followed as far as content is concerned, but Beethoven’s ability to combine aspects of program music with the absoluteness of a symphony opened the door to possibilities for future composers on both sides of the spectrum.

Describe one method for manipulation of microstructure and mechanical Essay

Describe one method for manipulation of microstructure and mechanical properties for each of the following class of materials - Essay Example This technique makes the metal soft, and it can be cut and shaped more easily. For example, mild steel is usually heated to a red heat, after which it is allowed to cool slowly. Other metals like aluminium melt when heated to high temperatures. Therefore, care must be taken when annealing them. Annealed metals can be changed to any shape and size, and then allowed to cool slowly into their hard status (Groover, 2010 p57). Nanotechnology is the process of engineering functional systems at the molecular scale usually at the Subatomic level (American Ceramic Society, 2009 p123). It usually deals with structures of 100 nanometers or less. Its main purpose is to make materials cleaner, lighter and more prà ©cised. Ceramics is one of the areas where nanotechnology has led to the production of a wide array of materials with distinct performance and property. Nano ceramics exist in solid form ranging in the size of nano meters (10-9) to micrometers (10-6). A Large number of particles provide a large surface area which can be held together by Nanokote to give stronger, light weight, brittle and thermal resistance ceramics (American Ceramic Society, 2009 p134). Mould manipulation of polymers can help in overcoming mechanical and aesthetic weaknesses that are associated with the standard injection moulding (Rudd & Long, 1997 p98). This can involve improving bulk properties like weld lines or manipulating orientation morphology enhancement. In this process, experimental outcomes of a rotating pin at the weld line of glass and talc filled polypropylene are introduced (Rudd & Long, 1997 p98). Talc filled material ensures that pin rotation speed does not exceed 100 rotation per minute, and this enhances polymer strength. Glass filled material also enhances strength significantly, but not as compare to talc filled material. Mould Manipulation technique also introduces the chances of producing other

Alcon technology infrastructure Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Alcon technology infrastructure - Essay Example The IT setup within the Alcan foundation was not integrated. Every department had an IT setup and rules of its own. It was therefore highly impossible for the higher management to approximate clearly the total amount that was being spent annually at the overall IT infrastructure. For certain departments IT costs were being recorded in the operating expenses for that department instead of being signified under their own respective head. This eventually resulted in the misinterpretation of the actual figures on the macro level. As a result when the top management did not get an idea of the actual expenses they did not a lot the actually required funds to the respective departments. Monitoring of IT activities was impossible owing to the fact that since they were being categorized under multiple heads at the human resource level, it was impossible to single them out and monitor them. The haphazardness of resources and the inconsistent allocation of resources had enabled rise in the need of outsourcing since none of the processes were properly synchronized within departments of the organization. A single organizational environment contained consultation with over 1000 distinct information systems. The implementation of even the simplest of information systems became very costly this way because of absence of integration among organizational departments. A committee was formed which was responsible for handling the communication requirements of individuals. The directors of each department got a chance to propose their thoughts to the committee which was then supposed to pass it forward to the executive leadership. While the changes seemed quick and promising this view was mainly being captured from the upper management level. There was a high possibility that the changes that the human resource and the lower management were being made to go through were not very welcome by them. There was a high possibility that the existing low level

Lord of the Ring 3 and IR Theory Realism Research Paper

Lord of the Ring 3 and IR Theory Realism - Research Paper Example In addition, that development as wells as evolution can also seen in one of the important people involved activities of the ‘sphere’, which is the activity of politics. With the advancement in civilizations, people spread out and settled in new territories. In course of the history, those territories evolved into cities, states, and eventually countries. Along with this evolution and development of people and territories, the political setup, which ruled those civilizations, also evolved and new political setups entered the picture ruling cities, provinces or states and crucially countries. This evolution and establishment of different countries and their government setups have lead to the formulation of various theories and ideas including Realism by renowned thinkers and researchers, constituting under the International Relations domain. International Relations or IR for short, focuses on the relations between the countries of the world and how those relationship is ha ndled from the diplomatic and military perspective. The IR theory of Realism focuses on how a nation or territory will focus mainly on its interest and not from other perspective, and carry out actions accordingly. Although, IR theories including this Realism were formed mainly in the 20th century, and have applications in the current world, it can also be applied to fictional world as well, including historic fictional world. So, when this theory is applied to the historic fictional world featured in the movie The Lord of the Rings 3, it gives interesting perspectives. This paper focusing on the IR theory of Realism, will discuss how it has similarities as well as differences with the plot, events and characters specifically Sauron of Lord of the Rings 3. IR theory of Realism As pointed out above, Realism or political Realism is a key theory in the study of international relations which clearly prioritizes national interest as well as territorial security, over other forms of natio nal functioning including ideology, moral considerations, international peace, etc. As they give importance to these two aspects, they could indulge in offensive and aggressive actions against other territories or nations to uphold these aspects. â€Å"Realists consider the principal actors in the international arena to be states, which are concerned with their own security, act in pursuit of their own national interests, and struggle for power.†( Korab-Karpowicz). Thucydides, Machiavelli and Hobbes are regarded as the founding fathers of this Realism theory, however, the Twentieth-century classical Realism has been largely replaced in the current times by Neorealism.( Korab-Karpowicz). The difference between Realism and Neorealism is that, Neorealism incorporates a more scientific approach, when studies are conducted regarding the various aspects of international relations. However, Realism as a theory came into prominence mainly in the Cold War years, as both United States and Soviet Union carried out activities in various fields including Military, space, foreign relations, etc, etc, mainly to protect their self-interests. Thus, Realism during the Cold Wars â€Å"provided simple but powerful explanations for war, alliances, imperialism, obstacles to cooperation, and other international phenomena, and is consistent with the central features of the American-Soviet rivalry† (Little and Smith 387). The other key tenets of this Realism theory are, realists always view that the countries in the international system will always be in a constant state of antagonism, with a general distrust prevailing among the countries, and even among the countries, who are part of the alliance. The other key perspective is, â€Å"states must arrive at relations with other states on their own, rather than it

The Portray of African-American women in 1960s Research Paper

The Portray of African-American women in 1960s - Research Paper Example John F. Kennedy was elected president in 1961 and he became a president who was very much dedicated to the protection and establishment of civil rights for all Americans (Zeitz, 2006). Two years after he was elected, Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, and in the process, inspired many African Americans and civil rights groups to firmly seek the equal protection of their rights, regardless of their skin color (Zeitz, 2006). When President Lyndon Johnson took over as president after Kennedy’s assassination, he also firmly pressed support for civil rights laws, and in 1964, the Civil Rights Act was signed by Johnson. This law made racial segregation in America legally actionable (Marwick, 1998). A year after the Civil Rights Act was signed, the National Voting Rights Act was also passed into law, and this law also ensured that discrimination in voting practices would become legally actionable (Marwick, 1998). Towards the end of the 1960s, Presi dent Richard Nixon would soon take over and the Vietnam War would also take center stage in American issues and politics. Nevertheless, the legal foundations for civil rights were laid out during the 1960s (Marwick, 1998). For African-Americans, it marked a time when they were finally able to gain full equal and legal status as their white counterparts. For African-American women in the 1960s, it also marked a period of transition. The Emancipation Proclamation during the 1860s was meant to free African-Americans from slavery, however, this did not necessarily grant the African-Americans equal rights under the law (Stack, 1974). They were still very much discriminated against by general society, and not allowed the same rights and privileges as the whites. The Jim Crow Laws of 1876 also passed segregation laws for the black communities, separating them from the white communities (Stack, 1974). These laws also indicated where the African-Americans were supposed to live. These practic es would however soon gain the ire of the African-Americans as gradually many of them, along with civil rights activists sought equal rights for all Americans regardless of race (Quintard, 2003). The decision of the Supreme Court in 1954 on the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas also started the ball rolling for the desegregation in schools. However, major strides towards racial desegregation on a wider scale were still not seen (Quintard, 2003). Anthropologist Carol Stack in her book ‘All Our Kin’ focused on what she refers to as Jackson Harbor in order to examine the discrimination practices against the African Americans (Stack, 1974). Stack (1974) discusses that in Jackson Harbor, in Mississippi, poverty and racial discrimination played a huge part in romantic inclinations and relations. For one, women usually viewed men in a stereotypical fashion – behaving bad, drinking, being violent, being involved in crimes, and the like (Stack, 1974). Women al so saw themselves as the more reliable individuals, and the fact that they had access to welfare made them more formidable individuals than their male counterparts. Stack (1974) discusses how within the community, the African-American women possessed equal rights in relation to African American men. However as far as the bigger world is concerned, the white-dominated American society through its racist and sexist practices had great control over the lives of African American women. In effect, these women had the power to make the decisions for their families and themselves,

Public relations and advertising Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Public relations and advertising - Essay Example The main genre is not to sell products but to provide effective messages or ideas. In such cases the ads look to become as an instrument to stimulate the social awareness in the society (Kolb, 2008). Ads related to social services are much more than simple tokenism. Therefore, such ads should have a sign of professional excellence that motivates people towards action. Many veterans marketing and PR professionals have also emphasized upon the fact that it is very important to make sure that ads have an agreed statement which can generate specific and if possible actions (Wenderoth, 2009). Challenges Just like any other medium of mass communication ads and public relations also have certain negative aspects. In the competitive market the advent of various ad agencies along with the arrival of the billions of products, ideas or services to satisfy the needs of the clients. As a matter of fact this seemed to have become the most important objective of the marketers. Various cases of misl eading and false information in ads have been found (Burgemeister, 2003). However, the issues of the false information can have serious consequences in case of educational and public services. Education is lot more different from other products and services. People would indulge in getting education throughout the life and the risks involved while making consumer behavior is immense. Most of the times, the educational institutions use placement and job assistance as the main USPs to attract the students. But many times it has been seen that the promises made by the educational intuitions through the ad and PR campaigns have not been kept. Many times it has also been found that students have been given wrong information regarding the infrastructure and qualification of the... This "Public relations and advertising" essay outlines the differences between this two mediums of mass communication, their roles and issues. People would indulge in getting education throughout the life and the risks involved while making consumer behavior is immense. Most of the times, the educational institutions use placement and job assistance as the main USPs to attract the students. But many times it has been seen that the promises made by the educational intuitions through the ad and PR campaigns have not been kept. Many times it has also been found that students have been given wrong information regarding the infrastructure and qualification of the faculties of the institutions. Another important factor with regards to misleading information has been the university affiliation. On many occasions it has been found that after passing out of the colleges the students have faced problems during job interviews regarding university affiliation. It has been discussed above that th e modern day educational sector has become very competitive. Due to increased demand various players have entered the market. Hence, in order to attract the students the companies are using ads and public relations. However, in order to get more number of students and generate revenue the ethical aspects of ads in case of educational sectors have come across certain degree of damage (Rao, 2010). The government and various social and media organizations have started to keep a close eye on the ad strategies adopted by the educational institutions.

Architecture of the Pantheon and its History Essay

Architecture of the Pantheon and its History - Essay Example The ancient look of the porch provides no clue of the surprise inside, which is planned as an inside space of huge size. WWW.BDONLINE.CO.UK. Picture by Gareth Gardner. Author: Renato Benedetti. June 2010. Issue: 1919. The Pantheon. Arch. Marcus Agrippa. Rome, Italy. 27 B.C. The inside of the dome is furnished with five concentric circles of deeply-sunk coffers, 28 in each ring. At the top of the dome is an oculus (8.2 meters in diameter), the only means of the natural light illuminating all the corners of the dome internally. The building is totally made of concrete, the overall attentively selected from the heavy travertine and tufa of the lower walls, through tufa and brick, brick only, and brick and pumice, to pumice only near the oculus. As it reaches the top level, the shell of the dome shrinks in thickness (â€Å"Pantheon†). The Pantheon is an architectural wonder constructed 2000 years before. One can- WWW.BDONLINE.CO.UK. Picture by Gareth Gardner. Author: Renato Benede tti. June 2010. Issue: 1919. The Pantheon. Arch. Marcus Agrippa. Rome, Italy. 27 B.C. -not remain untouched by the marvel of this dome that impresses one and all alike. It is equally magnificent now and at the time when it was built. It is not easy to find buildings spanning 2,000 years and standing still with reverence in the eyes of visitors for its architectural finesse; what more, it is still in use. The Pantheon attracts visitors from all the nook and corners of the world, wondering at this marvel of architecture while sitting on the stairs of the Pantheon for 2000 years (Benedetti 15). The Pantheon creates an impression of a building belonging to some other planet; such a feel comes from its craftsmanship. It gives the visitors an impression of strength, which comes from the innovative design of the Pantheon. The view of the building is just magical, particularly in black and white as in the picture above. For example, the use of concrete has been made innovatively, requiring thin layers of concrete to minimize weight and stresses in the top layers of the dome. The dome of Pantheon is till now the only single biggest non-reinforced concrete dome. Behind its huge brick walls lay a line of alleviating arches that add to its finish and body image. The humongous bronze doors are functional. It is because they are standing on pivots that provide increased strength relatively to a hinge. It seems each pivot must be as heavy as a small house (Benedetti 15). WWW.BDONLINE.CO.UK. Picture by Gareth Gardner. Author: Renato Benedetti. June 2010. Issue: 1919. The Pantheon. Arch. Marcus Agrippa. Rome, Italy. 27 B.C. All the buildings around the Pantheon are newer. It is surrounded by tight lanes of the increasingly populated baroque city, offering tempting scenes. The front portico is spacious enough to accommodate the visitors to breathe with the Piazza della Rotonda. The main front leads the piazza with its magnificent gable and the 16 huge grey Egyptian granite colu mns; these columns add grace to the Pantheon although they are in plenty in the city. Whichever path one takes to reach the Pantheon, the size of the drum and humongous columns is sweeping (Benedetti 15). WWW.BDONLINE.CO.UK. Picture by Gareth Gardner. Author: Renato Benedetti. June 2010. Issue: 1919. The Pantheon. Arch. Marcus Agrippa. Rome, Italy. 27 B.C. A close-up look of the huge columns kindles a feeling of relative

Affirmative Action Racism And Discrimination Essay Example for Free

Affirmative Action Racism And Discrimination Essay America is called â€Å"the land of opportunity† however, most of the countries citizens are not able to enjoy the benefits that the title provides. Being able to accomplish scholastic goals, attend a four-year college, and to have an influential career, are not obtainable for many, even though they work hard. Our nation has long been plagued by an ugly occurrence. An occurrence that finds its origins at the very core of our society. It is a problem familiar in some ways to all of us regardless of which side of the argument we find ourselves, and yet it remains unsolved. To verify that a problem exists, as Beverly, Tatum explains, we must first understand, racism as a system of advantage based on race, and white privilege as unjust enrichment through racial oppression,(Tatum,pg 10, 115). Next we must look at the steps taken to level the playing field of advanced racial groups. In America racism and discrimination is a cruel reality. For centuries now, local, state, and federal governments have been proactive in protecting or expanding the system of racial discrimination. White government officials and programs have often favored the racial and political-economic interests of white Americans. Government programs historically provided much access to homesteading land and numerous other valuable resources exclusively to white Americans (Feagin, 2010, p. 143). In an affords toward concern for equality, Affirmative action was created. It was designed to counteract the effect that discriminatory practices have embedded in the American culture. Affirmative action refers to policies that take factors including race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or national origin into consideration in order to benefit an under represented group in areas of employment, education, and business, usually justified as countering the effects of a history of discriminatio n. The term affirmative action was first used in the United States in Executive Order 10925 and was signed by President John F. Kennedy on 6 March 1961; it was used to promote actions that achieve non-discrimination. In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson enacted Executive Order 11246 which required government employers to take affirmative action to hire without regard to race, religion and national origin. In 1968, gender was added to the anti-discrimination list. A lively debate with sparks flying within racial group exists over the importance of the Affirmative action process. Some would argue that affirmative action undeservingly rewards minorities, and takes away from whites in effect causing reverse discrimination. Not long ago, Senator Bob Dole, a Republican presidential candidate, spoke in a television interview of â€Å"displaced† white men who compete with black workers because of affirmative action. He said that he was not sure that â€Å"people in America† (he meant â€Å"whites†) should be paying a price for discrimination that occurred â€Å"before they were born†. (Feagin, 2010, p. 15). Taking this evidence into consideration, should this influence the direction taken regarding affirmative action? University of California Regent Ward Connerly believes that affirmative action is used as a crutch that is ruining the relationship between blacks and whites. If this were true, would this be a good reason to halt government involvement in affirmative action programs? Would people identify these issues and take steps to make changes? Historically this has not been the case. Affirmative action programs have been successful in making social change. Minorities that have previously been excluded from opportunities have been afforded opportunities to achieve through affirmative action programs. Initially, affirmative action was a policy primarily aimed at correcting institutional discrimination where decisions, policies and procedures that are not necessarily explicitly discriminatory have had a negative impact on people of color. Affirmative action policies address and redress systematic economic and political discrimination against any group of people that are underrepresented or have a history of being discriminated against in particular institutions. Beneficiaries of these programs have included white men and women, people with disabilities, and poor working class people, but their primary emphasis has been on addressing racial discrimination (Kivel, P) If our goal is to eradicate discriminatory practices, then our government must continue to mandate legislation, and fund programs to address these issues. Following this conclusion it is clear to see that all evidence supports the benefits of affirmative action. What we have before us is a society with the possibility to make great strides in regards to changing the system of inequality. It is important that government lead in the direction that supports affirmative action programs. Government needs to see this as the biggest problem on their social agenda, and it will take a significant effort to mandate change, but the benefit for everyone will be extraordinary. References Feagin, J. (2010). Racist America Roots, Current Realities, and Future Reparations New York: Routledge Press. Tatum, Beverly Daniel. (2003). †Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? New York: Basic Books. Executive Order 11246. (2012, July 2). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 17:23, October 30, 2012, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Executive_Order_11246oldid=500344831 Montgomery, A. (2000, march 27). A â€Å"poison† divides us, salon.com, Kivel, P. (1997, November,17) Affirmative Action Works! Motion Magazine

Impact of Sustainable Tourism

Impact of Sustainable Tourism Tourism refers to the act of travelling for recreational, business, and leisure purpose. People all over the world are travelling to different destinations. Travelling has become an important part of human life, and the tourism industry has faced increasing challenges and pressure with the increasing demand of travelling. According to (Onyangu Kaseje, 2015), nowadays, it has become increasingly important to manage sustainable tourism development. For this, it is essential to consider the growing environmental problems. (Blackman, Foster, Hyvonen, Jewell, Kuilboer, Moscardo, 2015) stated that tourism development is planned and implemented with the aim of stimulating the regional economic development in the developing countries. In the past, the tourism development planning was considered as a private sector activity that intended to meet the growing demands of the dynamic industry. After the Second World War, the tourism industry turned into a mainstream industry. The World Trade Or ganisation has claimed that tourism is one the main drivers for socio-economic progress and development. Tourism has significantly influenced different destinations and places around the world. However, many scenarios suggest the adverse impact of tourism on the environment and communities. To deal with the negative impact, it is necessary to plan tourism according to the philosophies of sustainability. The report tends to analyse the concept of Tourism Sustainability and how it challenges the conventional ways of designing strategies for a national tourism plan. The findings are based on examining the tourism development programmes and its implementation in developing and developed countries. (Zamfir Corbos, 2015) claimed that economically, the tourism planning is far-sighted and it involves considering different sectors in order to trigger the development effectively and efficiently. The report focuses on comparing the sustainable tourism with conventional tourism planning. In the end, recommendations are included for future development planning and development concept. (Liu Mwanza, 2014) indicated that the concept of sustainable development had been widely accepted by different countries and regions to carry put their planning and development functions and processes. It is based on the concept of creating a better future by ensuring that the present is not compromised. Sustainable development aims to safeguard and protect the earths capability to support life. It is mainly concerned about the social equity, cultural diversity, environmental protection, and developing a viable economy. As claimed by (Singh, 2015) sustainable tourism aims to meet the ecological, culture, economic, and social requirements of a country. It is based on focusing on the long-term aspects of tourism by ensuring that the present and future demands are met effectively and ethically. The term sustainability focuses on the long-term and future-oriented requirements, which must be fulfilled by taking considerable actions and decisions. (Moscardo, 2013) stated that the primary objective of sustainable tourism development is to focus on different areas of sustainable development in tourism. The concept of sustainable tourism is applicable to all the types of destinations and all forms of tourism. Taking the example of tourist education guide programs sustainable tourism planning can be understood in a better manner. These programs aim to educate the tourists about the natural environment and resources so that they value it preservation. Table 1: Pillars of Sustainability (Onyangu Kaseje, 2015) Â   (Liu Francis, 2013) stated that the sustainable development focuses on meeting the current needs without compromising the future needs of the nation. Sustainable tourism development is based on the concept of creating a balance between the cultural, economic, and social aspects of the nation. It ensures that none of the activities will lead to endangering of the animals or environment. The process of sustainable development focuses on promoting development without depletion of resources and is accomplished by effectively managing the resources. Basically, the concept of sustainable development is based on certain principles, which focuses on ensuring that the development is compatible with the maintenance of biological resources and ecological processes. The sustainable tourism should be planned in a cost effective manner so that the resources are managed and utilised effectively (Blackman, Foster, Hyvonen, Jewell, Kuilboer, Moscardo, 2015). Table 2: Sustainability Pyramid in Tourism (Moscardo, 2013) (Dangi Jamal, 2016) reported that sustainable development is considered as one of the best solutions to social degradation and other environment problems. The concept of sustainable tourism development includes different dimensions that relate the culture, economic, social, and environmental development with each other. The sustainable development planning mainly focuses on the preservation of environmental resources, and the activities are planned in such a manner that the intensive and excessive use of resources is avoided. (Tourism, 2016) claimed that Green Globe is one of the sustainable tourism initiatives taken by the tourism operators in New Zealand. It promotes sustainable travel and tourism across the triple bottom line. The Sustainable Business Company is responsible for monitoring and assisting the tourism operators in the country so that they can facilitate the growth of sustainable tourism development programs. As stated by (Vlaicu, 2010), the international donor agencies and government were responsible for promoting the tourism development planning in developing nations. The conventional tourism planning is based on the concept of making a huge profit by satisfying the tourists. It is a tourist-oriented development planning and has facilitated many countries in enhancing their tourism sector. The convention planning gives priority to economic benefits. The advancement in Information and Technology has facilitated the convention tourism industry. With the passage of time, the importance of conventional tourism has rapidly enhanced as it has a relevant impact on the environment, economy, and population of the chosen place. To promote conventional tourism and achieve success through it, it is important to plan and implement effective strategies (Larsen, 2016). Table 3: Conventional Tourism to Sustainable Tourism (Larsen, 2016) (Dredge Jamal, 2015) claimed that the conventional tourism planning policies focus on attracting tourists from all over the world. It emphasizes on entertaining and satisfying the tourists, without considering the impact on natural resources and environment. The businesses in New Zealand are using various traditional marketing approaches to promote tourism in the country. For example, the destination management processes are being implemented in the country. The concept is based on the promotion of different elements of the destination, which include infrastructure, people, values and culture. The place is marketed to attract tourist and encourage different types of site management activities. In New Zealand, the tourism industry has undergone various changes and developments. The businesses aim to provide tourists with a chance to enjoy the mountains, forests, islands, wetland, and high country. The economic value is the main concern while making the country sites suitable, accessi ble, and family-friendly (Yeoman, Andrade, Leguma, Wolf, Tan, Beattie, 2015). Table 4: Tourism Planning (Najdeska Rakicevik, 2012) According to (Najdeska Rakicevik, 2012), the growth in the tourism industry has positively and negatively affected different aspects of the societies and communities. Sustainable development focuses on the planning and development without the exploitation of the natural resources or affecting the cultural aspects of the societies. It aims to preserve the culture and nature for the future generations. (Hassan Bayazidpour, 2016) claimed that planning of sustainable tourism is dependent on preserving the environment and making decisions that lead to positive development. The sustainable tourism faces different types of challenges at a different level, which include making tourism accessible to all, preserving the natural and cultural resources, reducing the seasonality of demand, and promoting the well-being of the local societies and communities. Table 5: Tourism Development Plan (Singh, 2015) The comparison of conventional and sustainable tourism has helped in realising that conventional tourism is not necessarily planned to consider the enhancement of education or conservation. It does not aim to enhance the local community, if the goals are targets of conventional development plan are not effectively managed, it can result in damaging the fragile environment. The culture and resources are also under the threat of being destroyed or altered as a result of conventional tourism. (Dangi Jamal, 2016) claimed that in the past, many conventional tourism practices posed a threat to the conservation. It was due to lack of control, management, and ineffective planning techniques. In contrast, the sustainable tourism is planned with the aim of benefiting the local residents, protecting the culture, and conserving the natural resources. The plan involves educating both the local residents and tourists. (Hassan Bayazidpour, 2016) stated that the benefits of sustainable tourism are similar to conventional tourism. In addition, it not only protects the culture and natural resources but also focuses on the well-being of the community and society both economically and socially. The conventional planning only focuses on profits, while sustainable tourism is based on enhancing the environment and community and achieving profits. The conventional tourism is tourist-oriented while sustainable tourism is locally-oriented. Conventional emphasises on creating entertainment for the tourists, while sustainable tourism provides learning experience where conservation of the natural resources is termed as a priority. It is believed that the tourism planning is dependent on the goals and objectives set by the government and tourism industry. There are certain policies and regulations that must be followed throughout the planning and implementation process (Vlaicu, 2010). The tourism industry is growing and developing continuously with the passage of time. To achieve sustainable tourism development, it is important to focus on following the principles of sustainable tourism (Moscardo, 2013). As the level of challenges and complexities have increased, it is recommended to follow the following principles to attain the goal of development: Plan for long-term goals and objectives Set and respect the limits of environment and society Monitor the changes and developments continuously Take an integrated or holistic approach to development Choose an adequate pace of development Take cost-effective methods and approaches Involve the stakeholders in the process of development Examine and manage risk by implementing risk mitigation strategies In this competitive era, the economic development of the countries is dependent on it tourism sector up to a great extent. Considering this fact, the government of the developing countries is supporting the tourism sector by making effective policies and standards regarding tourists. It is highly recommended that the nations focus on the growing and changing needs and demands of the tourists belonging to different backgrounds. The hospitality industry should focus on developing highly attracting services and places to attract tourists from different regions and countries. The implementation of sustainable tourism policies and development framework will help in achieving sustainability and protecting the natural resources and environment of the country. ÂÂ   Analysing and examining the concept of tourism sustainability, it has been seen that the strategic objective of sustainable development planning can only be achieved when all the four elements of the nation are given equal importance. These elements include economic, cultural, environmental and social aspects of the nation that are interconnected with each other. The sustainable tourism promotes responsible tourism where the tourists enjoy and appreciate nature and ensure that their activities do not harm the natural environment or resources in any manner. It promotes conservation and is appreciated and accepted all over the world by the tourist sector. With the advancement in the tourism industry, both conventional and sustainable tourism development planning has gained a lot of attention. The Government and businesses operating in the industry are developing tourism plans to enhance the environment and gain social and economic benefits. Conventional tourism focuses on profitability while sustainable tourism is more concerned about the conservation of the natural environment and resources. In New Zealand, the number of tourists has commendably increased in the past few years. The country has introduced attractive policies and development programs to facilitate the tourists belonging to different age groups and backgrounds. To achieve economic and environmental benefits, the country is undergoing various changes and developments with the passage of time. These developments are promoted by the sustainable and conventional tourism planning approaches and techniques. References Blackman, A., Foster, F., Hyvonen, T., Jewell, B., Kuilboer, A., Moscardo, G. (2015). Factors contributing to successful tourism development in Peripheral Regions. The Journal of Tourism Studies , 15 (1), 59-65. Dangi, T., Jamal, T. (2016). An integrated approach to sustainable community-based tourism. Sustainability , 8 (2), 1-32. Dredge, D., Jamal, T. (2015). Progress in tourism planning and policy: A post-structural perspective on knowledge production. Tourism Management , 51 (2), 285-297. Hassan, A., Bayazidpour, H. (2016). Analysis and sustainable tourism development planning in the Kurdistan Province. International Academic Journal of Humanities , 3 (6), 1-16. Larsen, G. (2016). The unappreciated slowness of conventional tourism. A Multidisciplinary e-Journal , 27 (2), 35-52. Liu, B., Mwanza, F. (2014). Towards sustainable tourism development in Zambia: advancing tourism planning and natural resource management . Journal of Service Science and Management , 7 (2), 30-45. Liu, Z., Francis, A. (2013). Sustainable tourism development: a critique. Journal of Sustainable Tourism , 11 (6), 459-475. Moscardo, G. (2013). Interpretation and sustainable tourism: functions, examples, and principles. The Journal of Tourism Studies , 14 (1), 112-121. Najdeska, K., Rakicevik, G. (2012). Planning of sustainable tourism development. Procedia Social and Behavioral Sciences , 44 (2), 210-220. Onyangu, J., Kaseje, M. (2015). Tourism planninga and developemnt for sustainability. American Journal of Economics, Finance and Management , 1 (5), 336-345. Singh, V. (2015). Eco-tourism as a sustainable alternative to conventional tourism. Tourism and Hospitality , 4 (4), 1-10. Tourism, N. (2016). New Zealand Tousim Guide. Retrieved February 20, 2017, from Tourism in New Zealand: http://www.tourism.net.nz/community/environmental-sustainability Vlaicu, A. (2010). Conventional tourism from sustainable tourism to ecotourism . Conventional Tourism Journal , 5 (1), 43-49. Yeoman, I., Andrade, A., Leguma, E., Wolf, N., Tan, R., Beattie, U. (2015). 2050: New Zealands sustainable future. Journal of Tourism Futures , 1 (2), 117-125. Zamfir, A., Corbos, R. (2015). Towards sustainable tourism development in urban areas. Sustainability , 7 (1), 12709-12722.

Enlightenment in Western and Islamic Traditions

Enlightenment in Western and Islamic Traditions Which tradition provides greater Enlightenment? In the world we live, we are always faced with conflicting ideologies that influence our thinking. This is certainly true about Islam and secularism. In my case and in the case of most Muslim individuals who live in a modern society, society sometimes demands us to reject secular Western values and follow Islamic values and vice versa. Due to such conflicting influences on our thinking, we are sometimes confused as to which tradition to adopt as a transcendental decision: the Islamic tradition or the Western tradition? To help decide which tradition to follow, I am going to investigate which tradition provides greater enlightenmen. I will do this by breaking the paper into the following parts: General concept and definition of the word enlightenment. The Age of Enlightenment in the West. Enlightenment in Islam. Successes and Failures of enlightenment in the West. Why Islam is more enlightened than the Western ideology of enlightenment and should be promoted? General concept and definition of the word enlightenment The word ‘enlightenment has many different meanings depending on the context in which it is used. If we look at the literal meaning of the word enlightenment, we will find that it comes from the verb to lighten. The prefix ‘en means to make or become and the suffix ‘ment means a state of being. Therefore if we join the components of the word ‘enlightenment together, we will find that it literally means to become brightened. However the broad definition of the word ‘enlightenment according to most cultures and societies is â€Å"the acquisition of new wisdom or understanding† (Wikipedia, 2006, Enlightenment (concept) section,  ¶1). If we look at this definition, we will find it is very similar to the literal definition of enlightenment. When we say a person has become brightened, we mean he has become wiser (more intelligent) or has acquired new wisdom. In general, there are two different concepts of enlightenment: religious/spiritual enlightenment and intellectual/secular enlightenment. Both concepts of enlightenment are strong opposites of each other. This is why most people that believe in secular enlightenment often reject religious enlightenment and vice versa. Secular enlightenment is enlightenment that is not regarded as religious, spiritual or sacred, whereas religious enlightenment is the opposite. According to Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher of the enlightenment, the Enlightenment was the period in the development of European civilization when â€Å"Mankind grew out of its self-inflicted immaturity† (as cited in Davies, 1996, p.596) or it is â€Å"mans release from his self-incurred tutelage.† (as cited in Duprà ©, 2004, p.1). The concept of Secular enlightenment was important in Europe during the 18th century, because it caused a dramatic change in the everyday thinking of Europeans. The characteristics of Secular enlightenment were the rejection of old dogmatic beliefs, which were replaced with the belief in reason as a measure over all things. The Enlightenment was in fact the intellectual movement that advocated this concept. The Age of Enlightenment in the West The Age of Enlightenment refers to the 18th century in American and European philosophy or according to some scholars it also includes the seventeenth century and the Age of Reason. This was the period where innovative and intellectual ideas were being propagated so as to challenge traditional dogmatic ideas and beliefs. During this period an intellectual movement known as The Enlightenment advocated reason as a method to investigate and study all the various scientific fields, which included the social sciences (aesthetics, ethics, philosophy, logic, economics), literature and natural sciences (physics, biology, chemistry). They believed this would allow human beings to obtain objective truth about the universe.The main figures of the enlightenment were Descartes, Pascal, Bayle, Montesquieu, Voltaire, Diderot, and Rousseau. Among them Denis Diderot was one of the first people to propose the six fundamental principles on which enlightenment are based in his Encyclopedie. The first principle was strong belief in human reasoning to the point, where it was considered the best measure over everything. The second principle was the belief in a Supreme Being (God), who is exalted over everything. However these enlightened thinkers also believed that God did not intervene with nature. The third principle was the rejection or less significance given to religious values and metaphysics. The fourth principle was the belief that secularism, which is the separation of the church and state, is better. The fifth principle was the strong belief in the scientific method, which lead to extreme materialism. The last principle was the expectation of unlimited progress. Enlightenment in Islam Even though in Islam there is no concept of enlightenment, Islam came as an enlightened religion and way of life for the whole humanity. During the time the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was born, which was in the year 570 A.D., the whole world lived in the Dark Ages. Belief in superstitions, myths, common practices of black magic, idolatry (polytheism) and paganism was common. One of the major concerns of that time was the loss and alteration of the original Holy Scriptures such as the Bible and Torah and the increased power of the Church, which dictated its own version of religion and was mainly responsible for altering the Holy Scriptures. In Arabia polytheism and paganism was the dominant religion of the Arabs. Ignorance towards science and illiteracy were rampant among the people. The Holy Kaabah, which was built by Prophet Abraham and Ishmael was filled with hundreds of idols. Also dark customs and traditions such as the female infanticide and ritual gambling (Maysir) on camels were common. When the Prophet Muhammad started his mission of preaching Islam, which was propagating the Oneness and Unity of God (monotheism), he was met with extreme resistance. However as he kept his preaching consistent with the same rigor, the number of his followers increased dramatically till they were able to completely change the cultures of Arabia and the rest of the world. Islam brought enlightenment in the Arab world by positively changing the dark customs and attitudes of society such as abolishing female infanticide, slavery, gambling and alcohol addiction. Islam also brought justice and provided human rights for each individual. In Islam, the life and property of all citizens in an Islamic state are considered sacred, whether Muslim or not. Islam also protects the honor of every individual. It does not allow insulting or making fun of others. The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had said: â€Å"Truly your blood, your property, and your honor are inviolable† (as cited in Ibrahim, 1997, p.61). Islam also abolished Racism and brought human equality. The Quraan speaks of human equality in the following words: â€Å"O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female and have made you into nations and tribes for you to know one another. Truly, the noblest of you with God is the most pious. Truly, God is All-Knowing, All-Aware† (1997, p.61). Islam rejects that an individual is superior to another individual by his wealth, power or race. God created human beings as equal to one another. One is only better than the other if he has greater faith or piety (taqwa). A person who greater taqwa is one who prevents himself from all types of sins, performs good deeds that God commands us to do, and fears and loves God. Concerning equality our Prophet Muhammad also said: â€Å"O people! Your God is one and your forefather (Adam) is one. An Arab is not better than a non-Arab and a non-Arab is not better than an Arab, and a red (i.e. white tinged with red) person is not better than a black person and a black person is not better than a red person, except in piety† (1997, p.62). Concerning the status of women, Islam has from the very beginning given women equal rights as men. In the Holy Quraan, God says â€Å"O Mankind, keep your duty to your Lord who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate (of same kind) and from them twain has spread a multitude of men and women† (as cited in Badawi, 1971, p.11). El-Khouly Al-Bahiy, a scholar who pondered about this verse states: â€Å"It is believed that there is no text, old or new, that deals with the humanity of the women from all aspects with such amazing brevity, eloquence, depth, and originality as this divine decree† (1971, p.11). In other verses, the Quraan also expresses clear-cut evidence about the equality of women such as: â€Å"†¦So their Lord accepted their prayers, (saying): I will not suffer to be lost the work of any of you whether male or female. You will proceed one from another†¦.† (1971, p.13). Also, according to the Quraan, woman is not solely blame d for Adams mistake of eating from the forbidden tree in Paradise. Both Adam and Eve jointly committed the mistake, repented and were forgiven by God. Concerning religious obligations in Islam such as praying, fasting, giving charity and pilgrimage, women are no different than men. In fact, in some cases women are more exempted from obligatory duties than men. When a woman has menstrual periods or is pregnant during the past forty days, she is exempted from fasting and prayers. Concerning the pre-Islamic custom of burying female infants alive at birth, the Quraan clearly forbids it and considers it a crime like murder. It is said in the Quraan concerning this crime: â€Å"When news is brought to one of them, of (the Birth of) a female (child), his face darkens and he is filled with inward grief! With shame does he hide himself from his people because of the bad news he has had! Shall he retain her on (sufferance) and contempt, or bury her in the dust? Ah! What an evil (choice) they decide on?† (1971, p. 15). Another reason why Islam is an enlightened religion is because of the greatness of the Quraan in terms of its scientific soundness and being the best masterpiece of Arabic literature. The Quraan was not authored by the Prophet as he was illiterate and did not possess the intelligence shown by the Quraan. The Holy Quraan was only authored by God. The Prophet Muhammad only received divine revelation from God and then communicated it to his people. Concerning the soundness of scientific facts, the Quraan mentions some scientific miracles that have been discovered recently in the past 100 years, even though the Quraan was revealed 1400 years ago. For example, the Quraan speaks about the stages of embryonic development: â€Å"We have created man from an extract of clay, Then made him as a drop in a place of settlement, firmly fixed. Then We made the drop into an alaqah (leech, suspended thing, and blood clot), then We made the alaqah into a mudghah (chewed substance)†¦.† (as cited in Ibrahim, 1997, p.6). The scientific details expressed in this verse were put forward to Professor Emeritus Keith L.Moore. Dr. Keith Moore is one of the worlds most leading scientists in the field of anatomy and embryology. He was impressed after studying and conducting scientific research on them and when present at the Seventh Medical Conference in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, he said â€Å"It has been a great pleasure for me to help clarify s tatements in the Quraan about human development. It is clear to me that these statements must have come to Muhammad from God, because almost all of this knowledge was not discovered until many centuries later. This proves to me that Muhammad must have been a messenger of God† (1997, p.10). He also said that the Quraan must be the word of God and proposed that a new system of classification could be developed on embryonic knowledge using the Quraan and Sunnah (traditions). Other scientific miracles that the Quraan mentions are about the origins of the universe, that the heavens and earth were one connected entity, that there is a barrier between two different seas when they meet, that the mountains are pegs that stabilize the crust of the earth and that as you go deeper down the sea it gets darker. Successes and Failures of Enlightenment in the West The successes of enlightenment were of great benefit to humanity. The enlightenments principle of using reason (logos), observation and experience to explain phenomena around us contributed to the rapid advancement of the natural sciences such as the discovery of physical laws (e.g. gravity) that govern the universe, space exploration and genetic engineering. The advancement in the natural sciences in turn led to a better standard of living for mankind for example: the invention of fractional distillation led to a greater production of petrol and gasoline which led to more efficient and convenient means of transport such as cars. Enlightenment also led to advancement in the social sciences such as Economics. The concept that free markets maximize welfare in an economy and determine the best allocation of resources, as proposed by Adam Smith in his book The Wealth of Nations, was an example of the successes resulting from enlightenment. Some of the other fruits of enlightenment were the rule of law and liberal democracies. Despite all these successes that resulted from enlightenment, there were even greater failures resulting from enlightenment. Most of the six elements of enlightenment led to some failure. The principle that logos (reason) is a measure over all things was overestimated as reasoning could not comprehend what is the divine or unseen. Reasoning cannot explain for example black magic that goes on in some countries such as Oman. Reasoning also cannot fully explain the existence of God. This is because we cannot see or hear God. Until we do not physically see God, we will not be able to know about his existence. Another failure of overestimating reasoning was it led to a general decline in religion. While all the main figures of the eighteenth century enlightenment were Deists, who believed in a non-interventionist cloud-maker God, their nineteenth century successors became atheists or at least agnostics. Another failure of concept of enlightenment in Europe was the lawlessness produced from fascism and communism. This lawlessness was produced as the concept of enlightenment rejected the concept of divine law and believed that the basis of law can be found in nature. As what was called the natural law was actually made by the people, it was under the influence of either the majorities in a democratic country or brutal totalitarian rulers. The Enlightenments sense of unlimited progress also had negative effects. Tradition, which is the basis of all major religions including Islam, was completely abandoned. The concept of sacredness was also neglected. Rather any change was welcomed. By the end of the nineteenth century many people anticipated that the earth will become a paradise once all scientific discoveries would take place. In the twentieth century the real failures of enlightenment showed up. The results were two world wars that destroyed most of Europe and America. The use of chemical and nuclear weapons in these wars killed tens of millions of people. In between these two world wars the fanatic totalitarian systems of communism (Russia, Eastern Europe, China, Cambodia, Congo, Vietnam and Algeria) and fascism (Italy, Germany, Spain, Portugal, and Greece) arouse. These one-party systems strongly discriminated against other parties and ethnic groups. They killed millions of people as a result of ethnic cleansing and class warfare. Examples of such brutalities include the Holocast, which was carried by the Nazis against the Jews. All these brutalities were a consequence of the inhumane rationalism that contradicted the discipline of ethics in philosophy, which in turn contradicted the ideas of the early philosophers and founders of enlightenment. Such disasters including the possibility of a World War Three are ahead of us. However, the present negative results of enlightenment are unnecessarily high consumption patterns in Western countries, a further decline in religiosity, wide scale environmental degradation, increased inequality between the poor and rich and the negative results of globalization, which include the widening gap between rich and poor countries in terms of national income and standard of living. Why Islam is more enlightened than the Western ideology of enlightenment and should be promoted? When analyzing the successes and failures of Islam, I found that Islam has no failures and is a perfect way of life, which is why it is such an enlightened religion. However when I studied the successes and failures of enlightenment in the West, I noticed that there were a lot of major failures that resulted from enlightenment even though there were some great successes such as the advancement in technology. The successes achieved from enlightenment in the West could have also been achieved by the Muslims if they had not deviated from the path of the Prophet Muhammad, which is the Quraan and traditions (Sunnah) of the Prophet. If we look the earlier eras in Islamic history, the Muslims were much ahead of the West in technology and sciences. The Muslims also had their own empire which extended from China to Southern France. At that time the West lived in the Dark Ages and were inspired by the Muslim philosophers and sociologists such as Averroes (Ibn Rushd), Ibn Khaldun and Avicenna (Ibn Sina). A lot of words in English and French were borrowed from Arabic such as alcohol (al-Kohol), algebra (al-Jabr), assassin (hashshashiyeen) and coffee (kahva). Also if we look at the time period (between the 19th and 20th century), when the enlightenment was causing devastation in the West such as the two world wars and the Holocast, we will find that there were no such major conflicts in the Islam world. The Islamic countries were at peace with each other. Also if we study the Quraan we will find that it provides a great deal of enlightenment even during the present day. It is sound in accordance with the latest discoveries in science. In fact the Quraan has been a leading guide to enlightenment for 1400 years since it begun. Since the time of the Prophet, it has been by far the best piece of Arabic literature and had a tremendous influence on the Arabic language particularly in secular (prose) and religious writing. During the time of the Prophet it challenged the best poets in Arabia to write even one verse as eloquent as the Quraan. Many of these poets (such as Kaab Ibn Zuhayr) accepted Islam due to the Quraans eloquence and originality. In the present world, the Quraan is serving as a guide to scientific research and jurisprudence. References Badawi, J.A. (1980). The Status of Women in Islam. Al-Ittihad, 8(2), 1-28. Davies, N. (1996). Europe, A History: Enlightenment And Absolutism. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Duprà ©, L. (2004). The Enlightenment the Intellectual Foundations of Modern Culture: A Definition and a Provisional Justification. Yale: Yale University Press. Enlightenment (concept). (n.d.). Retrieved December 6, 2006, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enlightenment_%28concept%29 Hofmann, M.W. (2002, Summer). Has Islam Missed Its Enlightenment? American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences, 19(3), 1-10. Ibrahim, I.A. (1997). A Brief Illustrated Guide To Understanding Islam (2nd ed.). Houston: Darussalam , Publishers and Distributors.

Instant Essay -- Creative Writing Essays

Instant I'll always remember Instant. That was the nickname the men had tacked onto the muscled giant that wielded the M60 in my unit. "Instant" was short for "Instant Death." And I'll always remember the first time I saw Instant in action. I was a new Lieutenant assigned to Vietnam. Back then, the Army didn't try to develop any "team spirit" within the corps; men were rotated frequently before any friendships developed. Consequently, my men were a group of strangers united only by the need to survive. They were eighteen- and nineteen-year-olds with the eyes of old men. My first real assignment was to check a tiny hamlet, Dien Hoa. Army Intelligence believed the Viet Cong were operating from Dien Hoa. Our job was to determine if that was correct. We rode in an olive-drab chopper. The whooping blades of the helicopter give us a little relief from the relentless heat of 'Nam; the blades cut the thick, humid air and pushed a breeze downward over the passenger compartment. Soon, we circled the landing zone. The LZ looked cold. There's only one way to find out if it is really cold, I thought as I double checked my M16. If no one zapped us when we entered, it was cold. If they did, it wasn't. "Lock and load," I yelled. The helicopter circled low and slowed down until it almost hovered four feet from the ground. The door gunner mashed the spade grips on his .30 caliber M60 machine gun. The gun spewed bullets over the field below us. It was time to jump off the skids while we skimmed above the surface of the lush, green valley. My stomach felt like it was turning wrong-side-out. We dropped into the grass, stumbling under heavy packs and the weight of ammo and weapons. I wondered about snakes and hoped the groan I mad when I hit the ground was drowned by the noise of the helicopters. Though the helicopter gunner continued firing into the heavy growth to the north of them, there was no return fire. We were safe for the moment. "OK," I yelled signaling with my hands the way you're not supposed to. Hand signals are a good way to mark yourself as the leader. It's just the thing enemy snipers watch for. But few of my twenty-seven men could hear me over the roar and firing of the helicopters. I had no choice. "Move out. On the double," I ordered. The choppers lifted. We were on our own. The soldiers started with the usual complaining b... ...prized buck. We made careful, deliberate shots. One after another, the black, running forms crumpled. With a final flurry of shooting, only a lone Charlie managed to escape into the grove of trees below. The bodies of the VC dotted the open hillside. Sporadic last shots ended the lives of the few wounded who continued to stir below us. Complete silence reigned for a few moments, then Blake yelled an obscenity at the last Cong who had eluded us. Silence. "We did it," I simply said, my words falling flat. A weak cheer went down the line; one man dropped to his knees and cried. Even though we'd all felt as good as dead, we realized we had won. Afterward, waiting with the wounded and dead for dustoff, I thought about the firefight. Instants selfless deed had saved our skins. It was little wonder the men had so much respect for the soldier. I studied him for a moment. He sat by himself beneath a tree, carefully cleaning his M60 like a mother washing a baby. He wore a bandage over his right eye and a second on his arm; except for those minor wounds, he had managed to come through the fight uninjured. And he'd shown a green lieutenant and his men what true bravery was.

Comparing Brave New World and Handmaids Tale :: comparison compare contrast essays

Comparison and Contrast between Brave New World and Handmaid's Tale The government in Huxley's Brave New World and Atwood's Handmaid's Tale, both use different methods of obtaining control over individuals, but are both similar in the fact that humans are looked at as instruments. Human's bodies, in both novels, are looked at as objects and not directly as living things with feelings. In both societies the individuals have very little and are controlled strictly by the government. In Handmaid's Tale and Brave New World, through issues of employment, class systems, and the control of reproduction, Atwood and Huxley forewarn that in an all-powerful society, it is destined to become corrupt. Both novels treat humans as items and not as human beings. In HMT, the entire structure of the Gilead society was built around the single goal of reproduction. Gilead is a society facing a crisis of radically dropping birthrates and to solve the problem it forces state control on the means of reproduction. Controlling women's bodies can succeed only by controlling the women themselves. The society's political order requires the overthrow of women. The government strips the women of the right to vote, the right to hold property or jobs and the right to read. The women's ovaries and womb become a `national resource' to the society. Women cease to be treated as individuals and rather as potential mothers. Women internalize the state created attitude even independent women like the narrator of HMT, Offred. At one point lying in a bathtub and looking at her naked form, Offred states; " I used to thin of my body as an instrument, of pleasure, or a means of transportation, or an implement for the accomplish of my will ... now the flesh arranges itself differently. I'm a cloud, congealed around a central object, the shape of a pear, which is hard and more real than I am and glows red within its translucent wrapping." Offred contrasts the way she used to think about her body to the way she thinks about it now. Before, her body was an instrument, an extension of herself. But now her self no longer matters and her body is only important because of its `central object', her womb which can bear a child.

Character Study of Shylock and Portia in Merchant of Venice

Character Study of Shylock and our feelings for him as the play progresses 1) He is seen as a mercenary money-lender approached by Bassoon for the loan of 3000 ducats with Antonio as the guarantor. The money is to finance Bassoon on his trip to Belmont to woo Portal whom he Is In love with. He keeps debating on whether he should lend the money. Even when Antonio is a â€Å"good† man meaning he is financially sound, yet his money is invested in goods which are in ships overseas. Therefore, his ventures are risky.How do you feel about Shylock here? Are you uncomfortable that he places so much Importance on money? ) Shylock is portrayed as a villain when he displays his unforgiving and vengeful nature. He has a deep-seated hatred for Antonio. He says,†Cursed be my tribe If I forgive him! † Shylock Is a villain here to say that he hates Antonio so much that he could swear on the name of his tribe. 3) Shylock Is crafty and pretentious. To exact his revenge, he tricks An tonio to sign a bond In return for the loan of 3000 ducats to help Bassoon.He uses words like a bond signed â€Å"in a merry sport† and â€Å"This is kind offer. † He agrees not to charge interest but prefers a pound of Notation's flesh if Antonio is not able to repay the loan. He pretends that he is not serious about the pound of flesh by saying: â€Å"If he should break his day, what should I gain By the exaction of his forfeiture? ‘ Shylock goes on to buy his favor I extend this friendship. † Antonio, being confident about the return of his investments in ships agrees to the terms of the bond. Do you see more of the villain in Shylock here?How are your feelings for Shylock here? Do you dislike him for being a schemer, for being so crafty yet so good at pretending to be friendly? Moreover, how are your feelings for him intensified at the Trial Scene when he insists n nothing but the forfeit of his bond even when Bassoon Is ready to pay him thrice the amo unt of money as stated in the bond? Do you see the villain at his worst here? Earlier on, Shylock is seen sharpening his knife to cut the flesh of Antonio and Bassoon gets so worked up that he calls Shylock a â€Å"damned, inexorable dog'.Do you feel so disgusted with Shylock at this stage as to hate him for being so cruel as to want a pound of flesh from a fellow human being? In other words, he wants Antonio dead. Quote the relevant lines spoken by Shylock from the scene and what he does to cause you to feel disgusted and even hate Shylock. 4) Yet, In some ways, Shylock Is also seen as a victim when he recounts the unkind way Antonio has treated him, does Shylock pose himself to be a victim? In Notation's favor, do you think Shylock is now a sympathetic character and deserves some pity from us?Describe how the events have turned against Shylock. Do you see him a victim here? 1)Since Shylock has attempted to take Notation's life, Antonio has the power to seize half of Shylock wealt h, while the rest of the possessions will be handed over to the state treasury. ) Shylock will be condemned to death unless the Duke officially cancels the punishment. 3) Shylock is told to fall on his knees and beg for mercy. This is a blow for someone who has so much pride in his own nation, calling his own nation â€Å"sacred†. He has lost all the dignity he had. 4)Shylock has nothing left for himself.He has lost his entire wealth and would rather die. He says: muff take my life When you take the means whereby I live. † The Duke says that the half of his possessions which should go to the state can be reduced too fine if Shylock is truly repentant. 5) Antonio adds that the fine can be polished but the half of Shylock possessions which should go to Antonio will be kept by Antonio until the death of Shylock on two conditions: 6) Shylock has to become a Christian, a religion he detests. Professing a religion should be a personal choice but he is now forced to become a C hristian. ) and the money kept by Antonio will be handed over to Lorenz who has eloped with Shylock daughter. 8) Shylock has been so smug at the Trial before the events turned against him. He has been so confident but suddenly he has become the victim of his own scheme. 9) He is alone with no one to help him. Antonio has his group of friends to support him and Portia who has come forward to help him for the sake of Bassoon. 10) Shylock is so shattered that he begs to be excused saying that he is not well. How do you feel for Shylock here? Are you sorry that he has to end this way? Has he been victimized?Character Study of Portia and our impressions of her We are told by Bassoon that Portia is a lady of â€Å"wondrous virtues†. This is all that we know of her in this scene until she presides the case between Antonio and Shylock concerning the pound of Notation's flesh that Shylock insists is legally binding and so e must have it. 1) In the Trial scene, we first see Portia (dis guised as Blather, a learned Doctor of Laws) as a gentle person who wants to settle the case in a harmonious manner and so she appeals to Shylock to show mercy towards Antonio with her eloquent speech on mercy.She touches on these aspects of mercy: a) Mercy cannot be forced and has twice the blessings. It blesses the giver as well as the receiver. Therefore, Shylock will be blessed if he shows mercy. She is hoping that Shylock will be merciful after listening to this. B) Mercy is greater than sovereignty. It is a quality shown by God. Therefore, Shylock will exhibit a godly quality when he shows mercy while he executes Justice. Portia appeals to Shylock to be merciful because if God had only acted Justly without pray for God to show us mercy, that same prayer also teaches us to show mercy to others.Portia says these words in the hope of softening Shylock hardened heart and for him to moderate his insistence on Justice, which is to demand a pound of Notation's flesh as stipulated by the bond, with a show of mercy and to spare Antonio. 2) Portia is Just and will act strictly according to the law. When Bassoon offers to pay twice the sum saying: â€Å"l will be bound to pay it ten times o'er On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart. † Bassoon even tells Portia to tweak the law Just this once to stop the Jew from his evil doing.Yet, Portia maintains that there is no power in Venice that can alter the law. She does this to show that while she is out to help Antonio, she will not break the law and be criticized for her actions. 3) Portia is patient and perseveres to get Shylock to relent by offering him money. She gives Shylock one last chance to change his mind. She says: â€Å"Shylock, there's thrice the money offered thee. † However, Shylock insists that he has made an oath in heaven and will not want to be guilty of perjury or false swearing.Again, Portia appeals to Shylock to take thrice the amount of money and bid her to tear the bond ?†Ta ke thrice the money; bid me tear the bond. † 4) She is persistent in wanting to help Antonio and so comes up with an ingenious idea. Portia quibbles on the very words used in the bond to make Shylock become the victim of his own evil scheme Since Shylock insists on nothing but the bond, he will eave exactly that. Portia reminds Shylock that â€Å"the words expressly' are ‘a pound of flesh'. Shylock is to cut exactly one pound of flesh, no more or less.Next, there is no mention of blood?†no Jot of blood†. If he does shed one drop of Christian blood, his land and goods are to be confiscated by the state of Venice according to the laws of Venice. Portia adds: â€Å"The Jew shall have all Justice†¦ He shall have nothing but the penalty. † Being trapped by the words of the bond, Shylock asks for thrice the amount of the money as stated in the bond. ) Once she is able to get Shylock at a disadvantage, she goes all out to accomplish her mission of helpi ng Antonio. Now, it is time for Portia not to relent.She says Shylock will have nothing but Justice and his bond. Shylock then asks for â€Å"barely my principal† but Portrait's reply is that he will â€Å"have nothing but the forfeiture†. Moreover, Shylock has put himself into the power of the law in yet another way. It is stated in one of the laws of Venice that if a foreigner should attempt to take the life of a citizen , then the party whom he is scheming against has the power to seize half of he offender's wealth and the rest will be handed over to the state's private treasury.The offender is to be condemned to death unless the Duke reprieves (officially cancels the punishment) him. Shylock has attempted to take Notation's life so he has incurred the punishment that is Just mentioned. Portia tells Shylock to get down on his knees and beg for mercy. Disguise as Blather, a learned Doctor of Laws, to fool everyone in court. Not even Bassoon, her own husband is able t o recognizes her in court. She carried out her duties with dignity, starting with her eloquent speech, in the hope of moving Shylock o show sympathy towards Antonio.Even when Shylock refuses to be merciful, she does not give up but goes on to offer him money so that he will cancel the bond. However, when this fails to change Shylock mind, she becomes relentless with her ingenious idea of quibbling with the very words used in the bond, and so makes Shylock a victim of his own evil scheme. We are impressed by her intelligence and the way she handled the case so well that Shylock becomes cornered and cannot complain that she is ruthless because she is giving him exactly what he wants as stated in the bond!