Information Technology Education free essay sample

Information technology has changed the way that the world does business. Correspondence that once took weeks to get from one organization to another is now delivered instantly with the push of a button. Advances in telecommunication allow associates from all point of the globe to confer in a virtual environment, minimizing the need for business travel. Although the benefits of integrating information technology in business are many, there are also disadvantages to its use. Implementation Expenses Every business must consider startup costs when implementing any type of information technology system. In addition to the cost of hardware and software, some technology vendors require businesses to purchase user licenses for each employee that will be operating the system. Businesses must examine the cost of training employees in unfamiliar technology. Although basic information technology systems may be user friendly, advanced programs still require formal instruction by an expert consultant. In addition to the startup expenses, information technology systems are expensive to maintain. We will write a custom essay sample on Information Technology Education or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Systems malfunction, and when they do, businesses must engage skilled technicians to troubleshoot and make the necessary repairs. These expenses present a major disadvantage of information technology in business, particularly to businesses that are entering the technology era for the first time. Job Elimination Implementing information technology into business operations can save a great deal of time during the completion of daily tasks. Paperwork is processed immediately, and financial transactions are automatically calculated. Although businesses may view this expediency as a boon, there are untoward effects to such levels of automation. As technology improves, tasks that were formerly performed by human employees are now carried out by computer systems. For example, automated telephone answering systems have replaced live receptionists in many organizations. This leads to the elimination of jobs and, in some cases, alienation of clients. Unemployed specialists and once-loyal employees may have difficulty securing future employment. Security Breaches The ability to store information in an electronic database facilitates quicker, more efficient communication. In the past, an individual would sift through stacks of paper records to retrieve data. With properly implemented technology, information can be recovered at the touch of a button. Although information technology systems allow business to be conducted at a faster pace, they are not without their flaws. Information technology systems are vulnerable to security breaches, particularly when they are accessible via the Internet. If appropriate measures are not in place, unauthorized individuals may access confidential data. Information may be altered, permanently destroyed or used for unsavory purposes. Some disadvantages of information technology include: Unemployment   While information technology may have streamlined the business process it has also crated job redundancies, downsizing and outsourcing. This means that a lot of lower and middle level jobs have been done away with causing more people to become unemployed. Privacy   Though information technology may have made communication quicker, easier and more convenient, it has also bought along privacy issues. From cell phone signal interceptions to email hacking, people are now worried about their once private information becoming public knowledge. Lack of job security   Industry experts believe that the internet has made job security a big issue as since technology keeps on changing with each day. This means that one has to be in a constant learning mode, if he or she wishes for their job to be secure. Dominant culture   While information technology may have made the world a global village, it has also contributed to one culture dominating another weaker one. For example it is now argued that US influences how most young teenagers all over the world now act, dress and behave. Languages too have become overshadowed, with English becoming the primary mode of communication for business and everything else. As you evaluate your  outsourcing  choices, keep in mind that there are  advantages to outsourcing  and disadvantages of outsourcing. Look at each one of the outsourcing disadvantages listed below and decide what impact that item would have on your business. If the outsourcing disadvantages outweigh the advantages of outsourcing, then you should avoid outsourcing those operations. 1. Loss Of Managerial Control (c) Getty Images Whether you sign a contract to have another company perform the function of an entire department or single task, you are turning the management and control of that function over to another company. True, you will have a contract, but the managerial control will belong to another company. Your outsourcing company will not be driven by the same standards and mission that drives your company. They will be driven to make a profit from the services that they are providing to you and other businesses like yours. - Ads Data. comBoost Your Win Rate with Data. com Business Leads for $125/Mo. www. salesforce. com/data Stop Outsourcing US JobsStand with President Obama: end tax breaks for outsourcing. barackobama. com/jobs-at-home Free White Paper DownloadImplementing a Winning Supplier Mgmt System. Proven Tips Toolswww. ntelex. com 2. Hidden Costs You will sign a contract with the outsourcing company that will cover the details of the service that they will be providing. Any thing not covered in the contract will be the basis for you to pay additional charges. Additionally, you will experience legal fees to retain a lawyer to review the contacts you will sign. Remember, this is the outsourcing companys business. They have done this before and they are the ones that write the contract. Therefore, you will be at a disadvantage when negotiations start. 3. Threat to Security and Confidentiality The life-blood of any business is the information that keeps it running. If you have payroll, medical records or any other confidential information that will be transmitted to the outsourcing company, there is a risk that the confidentiality may be compromised. If the outsourced function involves sharing proprietary company data or knowledge (e. g. product drawings, formulas, etc. ), this must be taken into account. Evaluate the outsourcing company carefully to make sure your data is protected and the contract has a penalty clause if an incident occurs. 4. Quality Problems The outsourcing company will be motivated by profit. Since the contract will fix the price, the only way for them to increase profit will be to decrease expenses. As long as they meet the conditions of the contract, you will pay. In addition, you will lose the ability to rapidly respond to changes in the business environment. The contract will be very specific and you will pay extra for changes. 5. Tied to the Financial Well-Being of Another Company Since you will be turning over part of the operations of your business to another company, you will now be tied to the financial well-being of that company. It wouldnt be the first time that an outsourcing company could go bankrupt and leave you holding-the-bag. 6. Bad Publicity and Ill-Will The word outsourcing brings to mind different things to different people. If you live in a community that has an outsourcing company and they employ your friends and neighbors, outsourcing is good. If your friends and neighbors lost their jobs because they were shipped across the state, across the country or across the world, outsourcing will bring bad publicity. If you outsource part of your operations, morale may suffer in the remaining work force.

Global Business Cultural Analysis Taiwan

Global Business Cultural Analysis Taiwan Major elements and cultural dimensions in Taiwan Elements of culture According to Huang and Mutjaba (2009), culture influences one’s behavior, and thus it is an essential aspect in the global workplace. Cultural awareness influences the success of firms in the international market; hence, it is imperative for the firms’ management teams to be conscious of cross-cultural variations in the international market.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Global Business Cultural Analysis Taiwan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More According to Cheng and Seeger (2012), culture is comprised of a number of elements, which include values and attitudes, religion, language, communication, transparency, ethics, and social organization. This report evaluates the cultural variation between Taiwan and the US. Values and attitude Based on the Hofstede’s dimension, Taiwanese culture can be characterized as collectivist (Kell y, MacNab, Worthley, 2006). The Taiwanese have a strong attitude towards the family unit as one of the most important elements in the society. The Taiwanese value the extended family more than the nuclear family. B y living in unity, the Taiwanese society has been in a position to nurture a sense of belonging, collaboration, and working in groups. The collective nature of the society is also evident in the workplace as evidenced by the fact that employees value working in groups compared to working individually. Additionally, the significance of the family unit in Taiwan is also evidenced by the fact that most businesses are family owned. Consequently, business leadership is achieved through family succession. Relationships amongst the Taiwanese are based on Confucianism ethics, which stresses the values of loyalty, honor, respect for age and seniority, and sincerity. Their relationship with one another is also guided by principles of Buddhism and Taoism (Morrison Conaway 2006). L anguage Tao (2006) asserts, â€Å"The official language in Taiwan is Mandarin Chinese† (p.5). Min-nan or Holo also constitutes a major language in Taiwan. The prominence of the language emanates from the large number of the Taiwanese of Southern Fujianese descent.Advertising Looking for report on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Additionally, most elderly people in the country can speak Japanese due to being subjected to the Japanese education before being ruled by China. Despite this aspect, English constitutes the main foreign language in the country. Ethics and transparency The Taiwanese society is characterized by high ethical standards. For example, the Taiwanese treat all people with a high degree of respect and dignity irrespective of one’s cultural background. Additionally, they are conscious of the importance of harmony in interacting with other people, and thus they treat othe r individuals with decorum. Religion The Taiwanese society is comprised of individuals from diverse religious beliefs. However, most Taiwanese are Taoists and Buddhists (93%), Christians (4.5%), and other religions account for 2.5% of all religious groups in the country. Social organization Huang and Mutjaba (2009) are of the opinion that the â€Å"group is the primary unit of social organization in Taiwan† (p. 3). This assertion highlights why the Taiwanese are very effective working as a group. Huang and Mutjaba (2009) further assert that the Taiwanese culture is made up of the Taiwanese aboriginal culture, the Japanese culture, and the Chinese culture. Moreover, processes of colonization and imperialism have also influenced the country’s social organization. During the 1970’s, the country experienced a high rate of economic growth due to increased industrialization. This aspect led to the emergence of the concept of capitalism, which led to surge of capitaliz ed social structures. The country’s economic growth has led to the development of the working and middle classes as the main social structures in Taiwan. In summary, the Taiwanese society can be defined as a relationship-based and a group oriented society. Communication Facial expression is one of the most important elements amongst the Taiwanese communication processes. The significance of facial expressions in the communication processes is illustrated by the concept of Mien-tzu. When talking with the Taiwanese, they are very concerned about the facial expression, which arises from the fact that the facial expressions reflect the individual’s prestige, dignity, and reputation.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Global Business Cultural Analysis Taiwan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Incorporation of cultural elements and dimensions in business operations in Taiwan Business culture Curry (2009) asserts that the national culture influences the business culture nurtured by a particular entity. Business culture refers to the norms, beliefs, business etiquette, and values. Curry (2009) further opines that each â€Å"national culture produces its own business culture† (p.47). Therefore, the business culture and national culture are inseparable. Considering the relationship between national culture and business culture, businesses in Taiwan are committed towards nurturing a strong business culture. In order to achieve this goal, firms in Taiwan take into account various cultural elements and dimensions in their operational strategies as discussed herein. In the course of executing their duties, the Taiwanese take into account a number of cultural elements as illustrated by the business strategies and operational strategies that are adopted by the firms in their daily operation. Teamwork According to Huang and Mujtaba (2009), understanding the national culture of a country is par amount in the process of formulating a firm’s operational strategies. This aspect arises from the fact that the national culture influences employees’ behaviors. The national culture influences the effectiveness with which an organization integrates the concept of teamwork. In an effort to achieve the predetermined objective, firms in Taiwan have adopted the concept of teamwork (Cheng, Guo Yeh, 2001). Currently, teamwork is ranked as one of the critical success factors for firms in different economic sectors. The concept of teamwork is not new in Taiwan and this assertion arises from the fact that the country has been guided by the tenets of teamwork over years. Despite the fact that most firms in Taiwan are family-owned, various types of teams are integrated in an effort to achieve predetermined business objectives. Some of these teams include sales teams, quality control teams, project management teams, and sales management teams. Considering the cohesive nature of the Taiwanese society, the concept of teamwork has been very successful. Through teamwork, firms in Taiwan have been in a position to improve their productivity. Moreover, the concept of teamwork has enabled most firms in the country to be innovative.Advertising Looking for report on cultural studies? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Human resource strategies The Taiwanese society is characterized by variation of roles between the male and female gender. According to Cheng, Guo, and Yeh (2001), men assume the responsibility of providing for their families. As a result, they tend to be very aggressive in the course of executing their duties. On the other hand, women are charged with the responsibility of taking care of their families and doing other household chores. Most small and medium sized enterprises in Taiwan understand the variation of roles amongst the two genders. Based on these cultural variations, entrepreneurs in Taiwan have formulated effective human resource management strategies. For example, they have integrated effective work-life balance strategies and thus both male and female employees in Taiwan are in a position to balance their personal and workplace duties. This aspect has played a significant role in improving the employees’ level of productivity. Cross-cultural aspects of business communication In their quest to attain profit maximization, firms in different economic sectors are venturing into the international market. Taiwan is one of the Asian markets that entrepreneurs are targeting. However, to succeed in this market, entrepreneurs must be informed on various communication aspects. First, the entrepreneurs in Taiwan ensure that the negotiation processes between the firm and the Taiwanese partners is successful (Sabath, 2002). During business negotiation meetings, the Taiwanese ensure that the parties selected to negotiate the business processes are competent with regard to various business aspects. Kuo, Guo, and Wu (2011) underscore the significance of possessing optimal skills by asserting that most Taiwanese entrepreneurs are experts with regard to negotiations. They tend to gain advantage over their potential business partners by engaging in hard bargaining. Therefore, the Taiwanese entrepreneurs are conscious of the need to be an expert with regard t o negotiations, which improves the effectiveness with which they arrive at optimal business deals. During negotiations, Taiwanese firms ensure that senior and older parties are involved in the business negotiation processes. Chang (2003) asserts that the Taiwanese value age and seniority in business negotiations. Therefore, including young business experts in the business negotiation processes might not be effective. Moreover, the firms ensure that the parties selected to negotiate business deals are conversant with the country’s religion, which arises from the fact that the negotiation strategy adopted is influenced by the negotiators’ religious beliefs. Findings of a study conducted by Guang and Trotter (2012) reveal that the negotiating style adopted in Taiwan is significantly influenced by the dominant religion of the country. On the other hand, religion has minimal influence on business negotiations in the US. Marketing communication mix According to Guang and Tro tter (2012), culture has an impact on the marketing mix strategies adopted by a firm. Therefore, entrepreneurs in Taiwan ensure that they develop a comprehensive understanding of the country’s culture. The firms achieve this goal by conducting a comprehensive cultural analysis on Taiwan. The analysis allows firms to determine how culture will affect their operation. As a result, entrepreneurs can align their business and marketing mix strategies with the country’s culture. Their effectiveness in analyzing the country’s culture is evidenced by the fact that most entrepreneurs have succeed in the local market. Guang and Trotter (2012) further assert that cross-cultural differences impacts the promotional strategies adopted by a firm such as advertising, sales, and public relations. Cheng, Guo, and Yeh (2001) further opine that the operational strategies adopted by firms are subject to the national culture. For example, prior to implementing the marketing strategie s, it is essential for Taiwanese firms to evaluate the country’s social structure and organization. Taiwan’s social structure is comprised of a large number of individuals’ within the working class. Firms in Taiwan can use the country’s social structure to determine the most effective pricing strategies. Moreover, the firms ensure that they adopt Mandarin-Chinese language in their promotional activities. Most Taiwanese speak Mandrin-Chinese, and thus the firms can create awareness to a large number of potential customers. This aspect arises from the fact that a large number of the country’s population speaks Mandrin- Chinese as aforementioned. By ensuring that the advertising message is designed effectively, most local firms in Taiwan have been in a position to break-even together with maximizing their level of profitability. Additionally, firms in Taiwan also take into account the society’s attitude in the process of formulating marketing p romotional strategies. For example, Taiwanese firms do not issue clocks as gifts in their effort to attract a large customer base, which arises from the fact that clocks are associated with death in Taiwan (Vasudeva, 2006). Therefore, the Taiwanese culture influences the customer focus strategies adopted by Chinese firms. Firms in Taiwan are committed towards attaining business continuity. Developing a strong customer relationship is one of the ways through which firms in Taiwan integrated in an effort to develop a strong customer base. According to Chang (2009), the effectiveness with which a firm interacts with customers determines the nature of relationship developed. According to Guang and Trotter (2012), culture influences the operation of businesses in a number of ways. Entrepreneurs intending to venture into the international market must understand the foreign culture in order to successes. Thus, the US firms intending to expand their operations into Taiwan must be conversant with the host country’s culture. The following are some implications of Taiwanese cultural elements and dimensions to the US firms. When promoting products in Taiwan, local firms do not issue clocks as gifts to potential customers, as clocks signify death within the Taiwanese society. Moreover, firms ensure that their business communication strategies are guided by the prevailing national culture. Ignoring culture in international business communication efforts may lead to misinterpretation of the intended message, which may minimize the firms’ ability to achieve its goals. Guang and Trotter (2012) opine that culture influences the consumers’ behavior. Therefore, failure to understand the country’s culture may limit the firm’s ability to attract a substantial customer base. Conclusion Taiwan is one of the emerging markets in the Asian region. As a result, local entrepreneurs are scanning the environment in an effort to identify business opportunit ies. However, prior to venturing into the Taiwanese market, it is imperative for local entrepreneurs to understand the country’s culture before venturing into business. Additionally, it is fundamental for existing firms to review the country’s culture continuously in order to identify possible cultural changes. Gaining understanding on countries enables a firm to adjust its operational strategies effectively. This strategy increases the likelihood of the firm achieving business continuity. The report shows that Taiwan is characterized by unique cultural differences with regard to religion, communication, social organization, values and attitude, language, ethics, and level of transparency. The cultural differences have significant implication on the strategies adopted by local firms. Some of these strategies relate to the concept of teamwork, business communication, and the promotional strategies. Recommendations In a bid to succeed in the local market in Taiwan, it is imperative for entrepreneurs to take into account the following aspects.. The firms should conduct a comprehensive cultural analysis on Taiwan in order to understand how culture is likely to affect business operations. Some of the cultural elements that the firm should integrate include the country’s language, communication, ethics, social structures, values and attitudes, and religion. The firms should ensure that their business strategies align with the prevailing culture to increase the likelihood of success. Reference List Chang, L. (2003). An examination of cross-cultural negotiation using Hofstede’s framework. Journal of American Academy of Business, 2(2), 567-571. Chang, L. (2009). Subcultural influence on Chinese negotiation style. Journal of  International Business, 3(4), 2-7. Cheng, L., Guo, Y., Yeh, W. (2001). A national survey of psychosocial job stressors and their implications for health among working people in Taiwan. International Archives of Occu pational and Environmental Health, 74(7), 495-504. Cheng, S., Seeger, M. (2012). Cultural differences and communication issues in international mergers and acquisitions: A case study of BenQ Debacle. International Journal of Business and Social sciences, 3(3), 116-128. Curry, J. (2009). Passport Taiwan: your pocket guide to Taiwanese business, customs and etiquette. Petaluma, CA: World Trade Press. Guang, T., Trotter, D. (2012). Key issues in cross-cultural business communication: Anthropological approaches to international business. African Journal of Business Management, 6(22), 6456-6464. Huang, K., Mujtaba, B. (2009). Stress, tasks, and relationship orientations of Taiwanese adults: An examination of gender in this high context culture. Journal of International Business and Cultural Studies, 3(2), 1-13. Kelly, L., MacNab, B., Worthley, R., (2006). Crossvergence and cultural tendencies: a longitudinal test of the Hong Kong, Taiwan and United States Banking sector. Journal of I nternational Management, 12(3), 67-84. Kuo, C., Guo, R., Wu, Y. (2011). Optimal pricing strategies under co-existence of price takers and bargainers in a supply chain. Journal of Operational Research Society, 45(3), 954-958. Morrison, T., Conaway, W. (2006). Kiss, bow, or shake hands: the bestselling  guide to doing business in more than 60 countries. Avon, MA: Adams Media Group. Sabath, A. (2002). International business etiquette; Asia and the Pacific Rim; what  you need to know to conduct business abroad with charm and savvy. Bloomington, IN: iUniverse. Tao, S. (2006). A cross-cultural comparison of life style between Taiwanese and US consumers. Intercultural Communication Studies, 15(1), 43-58. Vasudeva, P. (2006). International marketing. New Delhi, India: Excel Books.

How to Write a Descriptive Essay In 3 Easy Steps - BestEssay.education

How to Write a Descriptive Essay In 3 Easy Steps How to Write a Descriptive Essay In 3 Easy Steps Writing a descriptive essay is easier than it seems. If you have mastered the basics of writing an essay, the descriptive essay is something that you can master fairly easily. In fact, there are only x steps between you and a successfully completed descriptive essay. Before we go through those steps, let's answer the question, 'what is a descriptive essay?'. To use a tautology, a descriptive essay is an essay that describes something. What this means is that you will be taking an object, a person, an event, or an experience, and you will be describing that to your readers in a way that they can truly understand. Now that the definition has been established, let's review the 3  steps to writing a descriptive essay. Selecting an Essay Topic Your best topic will be one that is highly interesting to you and one that is complex enough that    you can dedicate an entire essay to describing it. In fact, the more senses that you can evoke in  your readers the better. As you evaluate potential topics, see if you can answer all of the  following questions: What would a person see? What would they hear? What would they taste? What would they smell? What would they feel? The stronger your answers to each of these questions, the more likely it is that you have found a great subject for your descriptive essay. However, it can be okay to write a descriptive essay on  a topic if it does not evoke all four senses, as long as it evokes very strong sensory and   emotional responses as you describe it. Reviewing Your Topic Students often select topics for descriptive essays that come from personal experience. This could mean that they are describing experiences they have themselves, objects the possess, or people that they know. This could also mean that they are simply trying to describe something they are truly interested in. This is a good thing, because familiarity and emotional attachment   Ã‚   makes writing a descriptive essay much easier. However, it is absolutely imperative that you spend time reviewing your topic. No matter how familiar you are, you still need to go over what you experienced, heard, or saw. This will help make the experience fresh in your mind. Use Descriptive Words to Write a Descriptive Paragraph Keep in mind that adjectives are key. The more adjectives in your essay, the more impact it is going to have on both your readers and on your instructor. So, be original and prolific in the way that you use adjectives, and also adverbs, in your essay. Remember that, 'It was a blue car   that nobody drove', is not the same as 'It was matte finished navy blue car that sat idle in my friend's garage. Now that you know how to write a descriptive essay, you should be ready to tackle your next writing assignment. However, if you are not ready, we have plenty of writers on staff to help students just like you.

Effect of sound on oyster Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Effect of sound on oyster - Essay Example sts $15,000 $10,000 $10,000 $35,000 Total Direct Costs $72,498 $62,064 $64,130 $198,692 Indirect Costs (Overhead) $18,849 $16,137 $16,674 $51,660 Indirect Cost Rate (%) 26% 26% 26% 26% Total $91,347 $78,201 $80,804 $250,352 Budget justification Senior personnel and fringe benefits The PI is involved in three other projects of equal work load which implies that this particular project consumes 25% of his time. The result is that the project takes care of 25% of his annual income. A post doctoral research associate is contracted to provide services and technical advice on the growth characteristics of oyster and oyster eggs. He is expected to do an evaluation of the proceedings once every month. Since he is attached at the center, he is paid on service offered which results into twelve days in one year. The post doctoral research associate is therefore paid for twelve days as a fraction of a year depending on the annual income of the first, second and third years which are $37,000, $39 ,000 and $41,000 respectively. Two undergraduate students are required to set the experimental set ups and make necessary corrections depending on the emerging changes. They also maintain the system and ensure the preset conditions prevail (Preparing a budget: expert solutions to everyday challenges, 2009). The work of collecting and recording the information in terms of changes in mass and doing the statistical analysis is also for the two undergraduate students. This gives an annual pay of $10,500 each and translates to the annual $21,000 for both. The fringe benefits are calculated for the PI and the two undergraduate students who seem to be contracted on permanent or regular basis. The post doctoral research associate only provides his service once a month and is therefore not entitled to fringe benefits. For the PI, it is calculated as 27.5% of the salary while for the two undergraduate students, it is calculated as 7.65%. Supplies and services An amount to the tune of $20,000 is requested to take care of some of the materials such as seeds of oyster, food and special sound devices to be used in the aquarium (Ogden, & Goldberg, 2002). In the first year, the cost is estimated at $10,000 since some of the requirements are onetime costs and will only be incurred in the initial stages. The subsequent years are allocated $5,000 each for provision of the maintenance requirement for the project. The costs incurred here include all the consumables and disposable during the project (Hood & Husband, 2002). Travel For year 1, the PI requests $2,000 to take care of travel expenses as he seeks to use the ABC center for the study. The travel expense will also include collaborative travel expenses to set up and run the system for all the other participants including the undergraduate assistants and the post-doctoral research associate (Blomquist & Newey, 1999). During the second year, the cost decreases to $1,500 as there are reduced travel cost

Comparison of the U.S foreign policy in the Middle East under the Bush Essay

Comparison of the U.S foreign policy in the Middle East under the Bush Doctrine and Obama Administration - Essay Example In the words of Irving Kristol, the heralded ‘Godfather of Neoconservatism’, Neoconservatism â€Å"is not a movement but a persuasion, one that manifests itself over time, but erratically, and one who’s meaning we clearly glimpse only in retrospect.† Neoconservatism emerged as a dialogue with liberalism and these neoconservatives were driven to the right in the early 1970s when crime was increasing in the United States , the soviet Union was making a lot of progress in the cold war and the dominant wing of the Democratic party was not willing to get tough on their problem. With this, it bore another much broader concept: American exceptionalism. This discours according to Michael McKinley speaks of America as â€Å"embodying an inexpugnable uniqueness beyond the common conceits of national identity found universally.† In other words it is derived from the concept of manifest destiny and the declaration of independence. The Bush Doctrine lays its persistence upon the value of war culture as basis for maintaining strong nationalism and cultural unity. We see it creating the justification for the U.S to create a new enemy with the USSR. The presidents rhetoric â€Å"Either you are with us or you are against us† embodied the exceptionalist concept whereby the â€Å"terrorists† were characterized as â€Å"enemies of freedom†. It is a manipulation which serves to create an ‘us vs. ... The main difference however is the liberal approach on the Obama’s administration on the United Nations, where he embraces the importance of multilateral organizations and uses more diplomatic stunts and mediation between states. There is no punishment to the country that does not offer assistance to the U.S in the Obama’s administration which was in contrast to the Bush Doctrine. The other difference between the two was that the Bush Doctrine has disdain for international institutions and sees them as constraints to the US power while the latter actually sees them as a useful way to legitimate America dominance. With this it is clear that both of them exploit the virtues of American Democracy, both resort to military power as a vessel of change and both seek to ensure United States as the global dominant. In as much as we see a lot of similarities, Obama’s more liberal approach seems to be more effective compared to the Bush Doctrine. This is because in as much as the Obama administration is trying to uphold the externalization, it also makes all the other nations feel like allies since there is no force used and thus feel more willing to join hands. Comparisons between the US foreign policy towards Russia and towards the European Union One of the priorities of the Obama’s administration foreign policies was to see upon the change of certain international agendas but with great observation to a more diplomatic approach. He also stressed in multilateralism. In other words this is increased relation with the third world countries with which the former presidents regime were in constant logger heads with like Iran. This is something that has

High School and Graduation Essay Example for Free

High School and Graduation Essay Time gets closer to the day we move our tassels from senior to graduate. Graduation steps on the back of our heels like the annoying freshman running late for class. It acts as if it is going to creep up on us, but we all know it will be here soon. It tip-toes in the back of our minds. Graduation: a day of freedom, maturity, and proof that nobody is any better than another. â€Å"There are many different ways of following through†¦ Sometimes it’s about going there, not getting there. Sometimes it’s the journey that teaches you a lot about your destination. â€Å" –Drake. This quote says a lot. He actually spoke at a graduation, and told that graduation class this same thing. This quote reaches out to me because I know my journey will be a rough journey. Becoming the person I want to be after high school is a journey all its own. I hope I get to where I want to be. Even if I do not, I have learned. Although graduation is only a few months away, I am getting nervous. I am nervous. But graduation day will be the day I go from high school student to adult. Age is just a number. Intelligence proves adulthood. I am proud to say I am looking forward to graduation day. I am looking forward to becoming an adult. I am looking forward to taking that next step in my life. I want the rest of my class to be as ready and nervous as I am because I will not feel alone. I know I am not the only one who feels this way. Every senior all around the United States is put in this position. We all do the same thing. We all walk onto that stage, shake hands, smile, wait for a picture and walk off with our high school diplomas in hand. Adults and older siblings did not lie when they told me that my four years of high school will be the best four years of my life. I have had an amazing four years. I have lost friends, gained friends, met some amazing people, and even met some people that I did not want to meet. I got put in positions I was not sure I was mature enough to handle. I handled them though. I got forced to make choices I did not know I needed to make on my own, but I made them and I know I made the right ones because of the person I am today. I am already ready to walk on that stage and smile. Smile big for those who made choices that caused them to not be able to walk with me. I smile for the  people who have tried to bring me down in life so far. And most of all I smile for myself, I smile because I made it. I made it to this graduation day; a day full of freedom, maturity, and proof that nobody is any better than me.

The Popularity of Colin Powell Essay -- Colin Powell Governmental Poli

The Popularity of Colin Powell Everywhere he goes, Colin Powell is besieged. Bicycle messengers in spandex tights stop him on the streets of Washington and urge him to run for President. Waiters at restaurants advise the retired general to aim for the White House. CEOs quietly pledge money should Powell decide to run. Political operatives of both parties would like to ignore Powell--but can't. "I don't think about it a lot," claims a senior White House official, before admitting, "If Powell does run, he will be a significant player." Another in the White House is more fatalistic: "If he runs, we're dead." Says William Lacy, Bob Dole's top strategist: "If he jumped in the race today, he would be the principal competitor for us." Everywhere he goes, Colin Powell is applauded. In the hall in San Diego where the Republican Party will nominate its presidential candidate about a year from now, the crowd is instantly on its feet as his presence is announced and he bounds down to the podium. He speaks for 50 minutes, without notes, taking the crowd through the cold war, through Korea, Vietnam, the fall of the Berlin Wall, Operation Desert Storm and the occupation of Haiti. Powell, 58, tells moving tales of his upbringing in Harlem and the South Bronx, of sitting in the Hall of St. Catherine in the Kremlin, where he heard Gorbachev declare that the cold war was over. And when Powell has delivered his set speech, the inevitable question rises from the floor: "When are you going to announce that you're running for President?" The rapt audience carefully weighs the well-rehearsed answer, word by word. "Thank you very, very much. And I'm very, very flattered. I'm honored and humbled. It's a question I receive regularly, and I don't know what I'm going to do with my life after my book is finished. The book is out this fall, and then I'll have to make some choices. "I tell people that I'm not a professional politician. I was truly a soldier." Another wave of applause washes over him. "Even after working two years in the West Wing, there isn't a single one of my White House friends from those days who could tell you today whether they think I'm a Republican or a Democrat. That was part of the code I lived with. Now I'm no longer protected by my uniform. As I go around the country, I'm trying to develop a political philosophy, just to be a good citizen, not n... ...black votes taking away the most reliable core of the party's electoral support and vacuuming up votes Clinton needs if he is to win in 1996. And how could a nonparty President actually govern? It is likely both parties in Congress would be plenty angry with President Powell for having broken up their games. Would there be a proliferation of parties, turning American democracy into a version of Italy's fractured, shifting coalition style? Friends counter that Powell could form a bipartisan government of national reconciliation. But he has known many Third World coup leaders who say they have taken power to achieve national reconciliation. Powell, by his own admission, has always been a supremely cautious calculator of risks and rewards. He succeeded as a political general by knowing where the boundaries were, knowing what was possible and what was not. There is nothing in the life of Colin Powell to suggest he would be the man to toss a grenade into the entrenched positions of American politics. On the other hand, Powell has bounded up the career ladder two and three steps at a time. He is a very determined man. Meanwhile, he is thinking, calculating, weighing his choices.

Othello/Macbeth Tragic Heroes

A tragic hero, determined by Aristotle, must show a nobility and virtue of a certain magnitude however, their path to happiness should be ceased by their destructive vice (Harmartia- the flaw that eventually leads to their downfall). Peripeteia, the point where the character’s fortune changes, must evoke a state of pity and fear amongst the audience, and give above all, a didactic message.The outcome of this characteristic should result in a complex but sole instigation of both the hero’s Catharsis (a cleansing of emotion which is described by Aristotle as an effect of tragic drama on its audience) and Anagnoris when they reach their moment of realisation. It can be argued that Shakespeare fully abided by these rules in order to make a distinction between his characters’ prosperity and misfortune.Fintan O’Toole (post modernist critic) argues that Othello â€Å"is not tragic, merely pathetic†. However, Othello will be identified as a far greater trag ic hero than Macbeth, illustrating how Shakespeare fully intended on creating a tragically heroic character such as Othello. As the play progresses, Othello’s monumental Harmartia is gradually revealed; his sense of inherent jealousy is implemented by Iago, the Machiavellian villain, and his gullibility makes him susceptible to it.Once he becomes convinced that his wife Desdemona is unfaithful, his jealousy does indeed feed itself just as Iago ironically warns, â€Å"the green eyed monster, which doth mock the meat it feeds on† (Iago- Act 3 Scene 1), leading to the hero’s monstrous behaviour. The apparent alliteration, â€Å"death and damnation† (Act 3 Scene 3) and â€Å"waked wrath† (Act 3 Scene 3), reveals the great influence that Iago has upon Othello as his linguistic eloquence and his mental state rapidly collapse, resulting in both his use of evil imagery in language and in action, the murder of Desdemona.The hubris, argued by Helen Gardner ( in 20th century) â€Å"is heroic because Othello acts from inner necessity†, appearing to show Othello’s desire to remake the world into a better place, an act that is heroic â€Å"in its absoluteness†. This admission of ethical duty perhaps may have encouraged a contemporary audience to pity Othello as his act, although terrible in itself, is nevertheless wonderful in its own manner of righteousness. Othello therefore appears to be more honourable since his wrong doing was out of love and not of hatred, something for which Gardener seems to forgive Othello.A contemporary audience would argue that gender also plays an important role in Othello as men were regarded as stronger and wiser, making it more forgivable of Othello. However, a 21st century audience would view women as equally as important as men, showing that Desdemona’s murder was underserved and unforgivable of Othello. Dr Johnson (1765) declared that Othello was a â€Å"very useful moral†, as the protagonist shows how one can be stifled by naivete; the repetition of â€Å"honest Iago†, the external forces of evil, combine to cause Othello’s tragic manifestation and thus, his downfall.Macbeth’s Hamartia is his lust for power that eventually and unsurprisingly leads into his downfall. Arthur Kirsch (1984) highlights Macbeth’s â€Å"emptiness of his desires and the insatiability of his aspirations†. Macbeth becomes infatuated with the witches’ prophecy as he soon discovers how real it is, allowing him to be somewhat fixated on the idea of murdering the King and soon after, Banquo. â€Å"Macbeth does murder sleep†- the use of third person indicates the exponential deterioration of his mental state after killing an innocent King, as a result of his unquenchable thirst for power; essentially in itself more than one of the seven vices.Both Iago and Macbeth in this case, are the embodiment of the vices, both jealousy and gre ed, as opposed to Othello, who is only influenced by the vice itself. J. A Bryant (1961) argues that, â€Å"Macbeth is a wholly negative character who possesses the capacity for good but chooses to commit evil instead†, illustrating that his ulterior motive wasn’t for the good or righteous, as opposed to Othello, but for the selfish rise to power, evidently making him less of a tragic hero; he merely chooses evil because it works to his own advantage rather than making the world into a ‘better’ place.Both a Shakespearean and a modern audience would believe that Macbeth, like the Devil, has willed himself into a desperate position whereby he is captive of nothing except the providence he chose to ignore. In fact, a further aspect of his Hamartia is arguably his supposed lack of masculinity that he is constantly belittled and ridiculed for by Lady Macbeth. The use of a rhetorical question in â€Å"Are you a man? † indicates her ability to manipulate h im into believing that he is not ‘strong’ enough to murder.This too, plays an important but yet, not as dominant, role in Macbeth’s downfall. The second element combined to create a tragic hero is Peripeteia where the downfall from a virtuous status to a catastrophic one is evident. Regardless of however many times Othello is referred to as the â€Å"Moor† by Iago, a derogatory term used to highlight his race, a Shakespearean audience will still be amazed by his aristocratic virtue as he possesses the verbal eloquence to assert to the signiors in the rule of three adjectives as â€Å"potent, grave and reverend†.In Act 3 Scene 3 however, Othello makes more references to the â€Å"devil†; a reflection of Iago’s evil nature being imparted upon him, as â€Å"goats and monkeys† are images that connote the devil. His eloquence of poetry in Act 1 is in stark contrast to his rather barbaric and politically incorrect behaviour in Act 3, particularly to a 21st century audience as his act of â€Å"striking her† (Desdemona) across the face is an incredulous act that is totally unacceptable to feminists now but may have been deemed as common or even deserved to a contemporary audience of the 16th century.His affection dramatically changes towards Desdemona and it can be argued that Othello â€Å"allows manipulation and jealousy to lead to his self-destruction†- Tasha Kelley (2010) Othello simply cannot help the jealousy that he feels within him, no matter how much of an influence Iago is upon him. At this point, Othello is entirely convinced and absolute in the killing of his wife; the use of hyperbolic language in â€Å"I’ll tear her all to pieces† emphasises his sheer mercilessness since â€Å"all† of Desdemona will be killed.Unlike Othello, Macbeth changes rather early on in the play, and the only real evidence that the audience sees of his nobility is what others say about him. In Act 1 Scene 2 Duncan expresses, â€Å"O valiant cousin, worthy gentleman†; the use of positive adjectives to describe Macbeth would give both a Shakespearean and modern audience a good impression of Macbeth even before he is revealed in the play.On the other hand, current and contemporary audiences would also notice that the other characters in Macbeth are the ones who prove Macbeth’s honorary class, and not he for himself. After one consecutive scene, Macbeth’s Peripeteia is extremely abrupt that it can be portrayed as almost non-existent. â€Å"If Chance will have me King, Why Chance may crown me, Without my stir†- immediately one gains the impression of his violent underlying tone that is implied by the use of the word â€Å"stir†, revealing to a contemporary audience that his destructive intentions are intrinsic.According to Aristotle, there must be a clear distinction between the character’s prosperity and misfortune; Macbeth, as a tra gic hero, does not condition himself to these rules religiously enough and it therefore, can be argued that his downfall is far too early on in the play for an audience to fully grasp his nobility. Whereas, Othello’s greatness is explored thoroughly for two whole Acts, allowing an audience of any time period, to understand that his noble qualities are innate.A contemporary audience, for example, would understand the reason for Othello’s downfall much better than they would with that of Macbeth’s as the play enables him to develop as a character and thus, show his true intentions, which are in this case, to love and protect Desdemona. Alas, an alternative interpretation of Macbeth of a Shakespearean audience would be that he is an incessantly complacent man who, by all means, allows arrogance to corrupt his mind even in the first scene of the play.The most famous of quotes where Macbeth visualises a dagger, represents his wavering resolve and lust for power that slowly descends into his madness. â€Å"Is this a dagger, which I see before me†¦Ã¢â‚¬ Act 1 Scene 7, the use of a rhetorical question illustrates Macbeth’s hallucination of seeing an object that is clearly not there, which in comparison is a major downfall for someone who was deemed to be â€Å"valiant† at the start of the play.Susan Snyder (1994) states that â€Å"the play provides no answers to the questions it raises about the relative culpability of the witches’ equivocal predictions and Macbeth’s potential to commit murder†. Evidently, there is no real justification or distinction in Macbeth’s downfall other than his sick ambitious need for power. The third criterion that qualifies a tragic hero is Anagnorisis, where the protagonist acknowledges his/her own flaw that has led them to their downfall.After all the accusations and trauma that Desdemona has been through, her last and most angelic words being, â€Å"Commend me to my kind lord- O, farewell! † This suggests that she is a saint for forgiving all that Othello has done to her and shows just how much she loved Othello; a contemporary audience would ultimately feel pity for her as she is not the one to blame. However, a different view of Desdemona and what she represents has emerged over recent years amongst modern audiences; feminist and new historic critics haveexamined her character in relation to the society she moves in. Marilyn French (1982), explores the masculine and misogynistic value system within Othello, and despite Desdemona’s assertiveness in choosing her own husband, French emphasises that Desdemona â€Å"must be obedient to males† and is â€Å"self-denying in the extreme† thus when she dies she is a stereotype of female passivity. Once killing Desdemona, Othello begins to express his sincere remorse for his wrongdoing through the repetition of alliteration.The use of alliteration in â€Å"Cursed, cursed† and â€Å"cold, cold†, Act 5 Scene 2, reveals how ashamed he is with himself for committing such a crime as he is emphasising it through the repetition of consonance sound â€Å"c†, and above all, goes closer to prove his tragic hero status. Through his two speeches, Othello is able to elaborate on the fact that he is wrapped with guilt; the rhyming couplet of: â€Å"I kissed thee ere I killed thee: no way by this, Killing myself, to die upon a kiss. † epitomises his Anagnoris as he realises his sheer love for Desdemona with what remains within him, a flare of eloquence.In stark contrast, there is no real evidence of Macbeth’s Anagnoris, and in fact, he behaves rather arrogantly about the witches’ predictions because he believes that no real harm will happen to him. In Act 5 Scene 3, Macbeth expresses a very short speech in which no lamenting or mourning is apparent; â€Å"I have lived long enough; my way of life Is fall’n into the searà ¢â‚¬  is but a mere acknowledgement of his circumstances rather than realisation of his tragic flaw. A Shakespearean audience would notice that perhaps Macbeth has not fully repented for his mistake and is therefore, in terms of Aristotle, not a true, classified tragic hero.Macbeth is determined to continue fighting for his life whereas traditionally a tragic hero, such as Othello, should ultimately understand their downfall in exchange for their life. In Act 5 Scene 5, Macbeth does in fact have the verbal eloquence to express himself even in a state of supposed despair. The use of personification in â€Å"Life’s but a walking shadow† reinforces the state of his ignorance to register his own wrong doing and therefore, both a modern and contemporary audience can advocate that they do not feel the same sympathy as they do for Othello.Finally, the last criterion of a tragic hero is Catharsis; the point at which the tragic hero cleanses his heart and the audience’s too. Othello, despite all that he has been through, returns to the articulate and passionate man, and for that, an audience can feel as though the previous trauma of Desdemona’s death combined with his own wicked imagery is obliterated and washed from them. â€Å"And very sea-mark of my utmost sail† is an example of how Othello is able to speak in iambic pentameter even in such a horrific mental state, reinforcing an audience’s perception of how truly noble and titled he is.Most honourably, he is not afraid of killing himself in the name of love; he simply â€Å"kisses Desdemona, and dies†, making him appear as more of a tragic hero than Macbeth, who fights to live on. He leaves the audience feeling bereaved and pitiful because, despite his jealousy, he ‘loved Desdemona too well’, a crime that was surely too harshly punished. Although, Macbeth’s death is rather less tragic and more heroic in the sense that he refused to kill himself b y â€Å"falling on my sword†; an audience would regard him as more honourable towards himself.Before Malcolm kills him, he partly recognises his wrong doing in the little speech that he gives; â€Å"Of all men else I have avoided thee: But get thee back, my soul is too much charg’d With blood of thine already†. Irrespective of the fact that Macbeth didn’t kill himself as he should have done, the imagery of â€Å"blood† reveals the extent of which Macbeth fights like a true soldier till the end. Unfortunately, as a modern audience, we cannot feel the same sympathy as we do for Othello as he neither recognises his flaw nor kills himself because of it; an imperative required for a true tragic hero.Macbeth is a rapid play that does not allow the main protagonist to develop as a character and for that reasoning; Macbeth lacks many of the imperative qualities needed within a tragic hero such as Peripeteia and Anagnorisis. Without a single doubt, Othello is one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragic heroes as fought for by Helen Gardner and Dr Johnson, regardless of Fintan O’Toole’s perception of Othello being â€Å"merely pathetic†. We can advocate otherwise that in fact Othello fulfils all four criterias of Aristotle’s definition of a tragic hero.

How does Macbeth’s and Lady Macbeth’s relationship change throughout the course of the play? Essay

Witches nowadays are seen as a bit of a joke and a laugh since they are used for entertainment like in the ‘Harry Potter’ novels, or when it is Halloween and children (and sometimes even adults) dress up as witches for fun or for trick and treating. Overall, Witches in modern times are not taken seriously but people were a lot more superstitious back when Queen Elizabeth I reigned as Queen of England; people in those times had a real fear and belief of witches. Their superstition was the product of the church’s teachings, yet, when Queen Elizabeth died and the new King James I of England and Scotland, succeeded to the throne; he was someone who was both obsessed and intrigued by witches. This new King was fascinated by the subject, a fact that William Shakespeare had to take on board. Shakespeare had to impress King James in order to enter his good books and keep his high status and wealth. This is because William Shakespeare was Queen Elizabeth’s official playwright and when she died, he risked losing his living and high social status. By using his playwright’s talents, some background research on the King’s ancestors and his fascination of witches to his advantage, he created his infamous play, ‘Macbeth’, which captured King James’ attention and kept Shakespeare as the official playwright. Macbeth was a successful soldier in the army of King Duncan. After the battle, Macbeth meets three witches who tell him that he is to become Thane of Cawdor and King. As part of the same prophecy, the Witches predict that future Kings will be descended not from Macbeth but from his fellow army captain, Banquo. â€Å"(First Witch) All hail Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Glamis. (Second Witch) All hail Macbeth, hail to thee Thane of Cawdor. (Third Witch) All hail Macbeth, that shalt be King hereafter†. Banquo also receives a prophecy from the witches, â€Å"Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none†. Shortly after, Macbeth receives news that King Duncan has honoured him with the title, Thane of Cawdor. Although initially prepared to wait for fate to take its course, Macbeth is ambitious and sudden confusion arises when King Duncan nominates his son Malcolm as his heir. Macbeth is tempted and writes to his wife giving her the news. Lady Macbeth, upon hearing Macbeth’s promotion, calls upon evil spirits to help them achieve greatness; she dabbles with the dark arts and performs witchcraft in order to help her and her husband make the witches’ prophecies come true. It is here that we see Lady Macbeth’s true colours, it shows us that she is the more ambitious of the two as she has immediately taken steps to fulfill the prophecy and that she is the one who is more dominant in her actions. â€Å"Glamis thou art, and Cawdor, and shalt be what thou art promis’d: yet do I fear thy nature, it is too full o’ th’ milk of humane kindness, to catch the nearest way.† (Act 1, Scene 5) Returning to his castle, Macbeth’s ambitious wife, Lady Macbeth, tells her husband of her plan to murder Duncan and persuades Macbeth. It is here that we see the status of their relationship and realize that Lady Macbeth is â€Å"wearing the trousers† in this relationship. She is in control and can easily manipulate her husband. Macbeth realises that the murder of the king is the quickest way to achieve the destiny that her husband had been promised and when King Duncan pays a royal visit to Macbeth’s castle, Lady Macbeth sees this as the perfect opportunity to bring the prophecy to life. It is here that we see the dramatic irony take place. Both Macbeth, Lady Macbeth and the audience know that King Duncan will die once he stays over at Macbeth’s, but King Duncan himself does not know that his fate has been sealed. Here, we see the couple call each other endearments, for example, Macbeth calls Lady Macbeth â€Å"My dearest love† (Act 1, Scene 5), which suggests that they are a loving couple but at first Macbeth hesitates about killing King Duncan and Lady Macbeth is outraged, she takes control and scolds him, prevailing upon him again and again, which shows us she pushes and blackmails him revealing the positions in their relationship. She questions his manhood, â€Å"When you durst do it,† she says, â€Å"then you were a man†. Lady Macbeth wins out, she drugs the guards of the king’s bedchamber; then, at a given signal, Macbeth ascends to the King’s room and murders him while he sleeps. Lady Macbeth says she could not have killed King Duncan because he resembled her father, a figure which Lady Macbeth loved and cared for. â€Å"Had he not resembled My father as he slept, I had done’t†. Haunted by what he has done, Macbeth is once more scolded by his wife. It is here that we see Macbeth weaken and Lady Macbeth take almost complete control of their relationship. Suddenly, both are alarmed by a loud knocking at the castle door, but again, it is Lady Macbeth who takes control. The drunken porter of Macbeth’s castle opens the door to Macduff, a loyal follower of the king, who has been asked to awaken Duncan in preparation for the return journey. Macbeth, concealing the bloody truth, signals the location of the King’s room and Macduff heads towards it. He discovered the King’s body. When the murder is revealed, Macbeth kills the prime witnesses, the sleepy guards of the king’s bedchamber, and Lady Macbeth faints. The lords of Scotland present, including Macbeth, swear to avenge the murder. The King’s two sons flee in fear that they might be next, and this action raises suspicion that they might be the culprits. Donalbain flees to Ireland and Malcolm flees to raise an army in England. Macbeth is crowned the new king of Scotland, but, because of Banquo’s knowledge of the witches’ prophecy, Macbeth sees no other choice but to kill his friend, Banquo and his son Fleance, as he will be the successor after Macbeth. They both pose a threat to Macbeth but Macbeth does not tell Lady Macbeth of his plans this time, this shows he still cares for her and does not want her hands to be covered in blood anymore, thus taking on a more dominant role in their relationship. The hired murderers kill Banquo but Fleance escapes. At a banquet that night, Macbeth sees Banquo’s ghost at the dinner table and the audience see Macbeth weaken greatly as the ghost appears. Again, his wife tries to strengthen Macbeth. We see Lady Macbeth showing some of her irritation towards Macbeth, she is genuinely worried about him as she cannot see what he can and is trying to calm him, but on the other hand, she is also scolding him, desperate to save her neck and his, as she is trying to stop him from confessing Duncan’s murder. â€Å"O proper stuff: This is the very painting of your fear: This is the air-drawn dagger which you said Led you to Duncan. O, these flaws and starts (Imposters to true fear) would well become A woman’s story, at a winter’s fire Authoriz’d by her grandma: shame itself, Why do you make such faces? When all’s done You look but on a stool.† (Act 3, Scene 4). In the next scene, Macbeth returns to the Witches. The Witches not only confirm that the sons of Banquo will rule in Scotland, but they also add a new prophecy: Macbeth will be invincible in battle until the time when the forest of Birnam moves towards his stronghold at Dunsinane, â€Å"Macbeth shall never be vanquish’d be, until Great Birnam Wood, to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him.† (Act 4, Scene 1). They also predict that no man born of a woman shall hurt Macbeth, â€Å"Be bloody, bold and resolute: Laugh to scorn The power of man: for none of woman born shall harm Macbeth.† (Act 4, Scene 1). Ignoring both of these predictions because he thought they were nonsense, Macbeth prepares for invasion. When he is told that Macduff has deserted him, Macbeth begins the final stage of his tragic descent. His first move is the destruction of Macduff’s family; his wife and children. In England, Macduff receives the news at the very moment that he swears his allegiance to the young Malcolm. Malcolm persuades him that the murder of his family should act as the spur to revenge, â€Å"Be comforted. Let’s make medicines of our great revenge, To cure this deadly grief.† Meanwhile, in Scotland, Lady Macbeth has been taken ill: She walks in her sleep and seems to recall, in fragmentary memories, the details of the murder. It is here that she has no control over their relationship, moreover, her own sanity. Macbeth hears of her sanity deteriorating, yet he does not sound like he cares in the slightest, he sounds cold, emotionless, all he does is tell the doctor to â€Å"Cleanse the stuff’d bosom, of that perilous stuff Which weighs upon the heart†. In the end, she eventually falls to her death from the castle’s battlements. We do not know whether it was her insanity that caused her suicide, or the evil spirits that consumed her soul. Macbeth hears her scream, as he is informed of Lady Macbeth’s death, he acts as if he doesn’t care, he cold-heartedly said â€Å"she should have died hereafter†, his speech is pessimistic and full of despair which spells the end of their once loving relationship. Malcolm’s attacking army is advancing while Macbeth’s defenses are preparing. When Malcolm’s army disguise themselves with sawn-off branches from Birnam Wood, Macbeth sees what appears to be a wood moving towards his stronghold at Dunsinane. When he finally meets Macduff in single combat, his sworn enemy reveals that he came into the world by caesarean section; he was not, precisely speaking, â€Å"of woman born†, (Act 4, Scene 1). On hearing this news, Macbeth rejects one final time the Witches’ prophecy. With a loud cry, he launches himself at Macduff and is slain thus revealing the final twist to this tragedy. In the final scene, Malcolm is crowned as the new king of Scotland, to the acclaim of all. At first, Macbeth had a casual, loving relationship with Lady Macbeth. However, both their ambitions led them astray. Firstly, the relationship began to change when Macbeth became more dominant. This was when he ordered Banquo and his son Fleance murdered. â€Å"Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck†, by saying this, not only is Macbeth protecting his wife, he is also taking on a more dominant role in their relationship. Clearly, he still loves his wife as he is protecting her. However, there is another twist in their marriage. In act 3 scene 4, we see the appearance of Banquo’s ghost at the banquet which only Macbeth can see, because of this; Macbeth is reduced to a weak, helpless man. Meanwhile, his wife, unsure of what is going on, appears to be sure footed and most definitely stronger than her husband. She scolds him and questions his manhood, â€Å"Are you a man?† Drawing to the end of the play, we see Macbeth take control again, while Lady Macbeth is slowly deteriorating along with her relationship to Macbeth, her mind is flooded with guilt and paranoia. We see the end of their relationship when Lady Macbeth falls off the battlements of the castle to her death. We do not know whether it was her guilt that caused her to commit suicide, or the evil spirits consuming her soul and driving her to die. Macbeth feels no emotion upon hearing of her death; instead he says life is meaningless and has no purpose, â€Å"is a tale Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing.† This is the end of their relationship. The audience initially has a good impression of their relationship. They called each other endearments and protected each other. In act 3, scene 2, we see Macbeth protecting his wife from finding out the bloody truth, even though he had performed evil deeds, the audience would’ve thought of him as a ‘good person’ or a loving husband beneath the blood stained ambition. In act 1, scene 5 however, Lady Macbeth reveals her true colours by calling forth evil spirits to aid her ambition to kill Duncan. Also, in act 4, scene 1, we see Macbeth’s true colours when he meets the witches for help. The audience now sees him as too deep in the blood for him to carry on, his time will come. When Lady Macbeth dies, he shows coldness, which creates hatred from the audience towards Macbeth. Indeed, his time comes, when he faces Macduff, and is slain. The audience now sees the classic victory over evil, performed by the good. In conclusion, Macbeth’s relationship with lady Macbeth slowly deteriorates throughout the course of the play, it seems that the more blood drenched onto Macbeth’s hand, the more dominant he grew and this weakened Lady Macbeth’s mental state. The audience sees them as a loving couple at first, calling each other endearments protecting each other, but their actions caught up with them, and they faced the consequences of meddling with the evil spirits. Their relationship is like a candle, slowly burning, burning through the wax, slowly deteriorating, until there is nothing left.

Free Essays on Samuri

Samurai and Bushido: What You Didn’t Know It is fairly common for people to have heard of samurai. It goes along with a lot of ideas associated with Japan and their culture. People think of majestic warriors from long ago. However, a lot of people, like myself, are not familiar with the word bushido. There is a huge association between samurai and bushido. Bushido was the way by which samurai were guided in life. Samurai were a huge part of the Japanese civilization for several hundred years. In this paper, I will cover the history of the samurai and the principles by which they lived their lives. Although a warrior class had existed for hundreds of years in Japanese society, the samurai did not emerge until the twelfth century C.E. (Hall, 8). The word samurai was derived from the word saburai, meaning â€Å"to serve. â€Å" The first mention of the term was seen sometime in the eighth century, but in reference to servants (Turnbull, 16). Although royalty lived lavishly, there were warlords and rebels always challenging their authority and causing a concern for their safety. Unable to rely on their royal guards, they put their sons and servants under the leadership of warrior-chiefs well known for their fighting ability. The groups of warriors offered their services to lords in exchange for protection and a share in the booty captured. The relationship between the lord and warrior was very serious. The warrior was expected to dedicate his life to the service of the lord in return for certain rewards. Towards the end of the twelfth century, the rival clans, Taira and Minamoto, assisted the emperor in quelling his enemies. However, after the episode the clans turned against each other and began fighting. Eventually the Minamoto clan won and the leader of the clan proclaimed himself shogun, or military leader. The position of shogun was normally temporary, but the leader of the Minamoto made it a permanent position, taki... Free Essays on Samuri Free Essays on Samuri Samurai and Bushido: What You Didn’t Know It is fairly common for people to have heard of samurai. It goes along with a lot of ideas associated with Japan and their culture. People think of majestic warriors from long ago. However, a lot of people, like myself, are not familiar with the word bushido. There is a huge association between samurai and bushido. Bushido was the way by which samurai were guided in life. Samurai were a huge part of the Japanese civilization for several hundred years. In this paper, I will cover the history of the samurai and the principles by which they lived their lives. Although a warrior class had existed for hundreds of years in Japanese society, the samurai did not emerge until the twelfth century C.E. (Hall, 8). The word samurai was derived from the word saburai, meaning â€Å"to serve. â€Å" The first mention of the term was seen sometime in the eighth century, but in reference to servants (Turnbull, 16). Although royalty lived lavishly, there were warlords and rebels always challenging their authority and causing a concern for their safety. Unable to rely on their royal guards, they put their sons and servants under the leadership of warrior-chiefs well known for their fighting ability. The groups of warriors offered their services to lords in exchange for protection and a share in the booty captured. The relationship between the lord and warrior was very serious. The warrior was expected to dedicate his life to the service of the lord in return for certain rewards. Towards the end of the twelfth century, the rival clans, Taira and Minamoto, assisted the emperor in quelling his enemies. However, after the episode the clans turned against each other and began fighting. Eventually the Minamoto clan won and the leader of the clan proclaimed himself shogun, or military leader. The position of shogun was normally temporary, but the leader of the Minamoto made it a permanent position, taki...

PENA - Surname Origin, Meaning and Famous Penas

PENA - Surname Origin, Meaning and Famous Penas Individuals with the Peà ±a surname may have originally lived near a cliff, large rock, or rocky land, The surname  derives from the Spanish word peà ±a, meaning rock, crag or cliff.  The name is especially common  in Galicia, Leà ³n, and Castile, Spain. Peà ±a is the 42nd most common Hispanic surname. Surname Origin:  Spanish Alternate Surname Spellings: PINA, PINILLA, PENNETTA, PENNAZZI Famous People with the Surname PENA Enrique Peà ±a Nieto - Mexican lawyer and politician; president of MexicoPaco Peà ±a - Spanish flamenco guitarist and composerMichael Pena - American actor Genealogy Resources for the Surname PENA 50 Common Hispanic Surnames Their MeaningsGarcia, Martinez, Rodriguez, Lopez, Hernandez... Are you one of the millions of people sporting one of these top 50 common Hispanic last names? The PENA DNA ProjectThis Y-DNA and mtDNA project is open to all families with the Pena surname, of all spelling variations and all locations. Use DNA to connect and work together to discover your common Pena ancestors.   PENA Family Genealogy ForumSearch this popular genealogy forum for the Pena surname to find others who might be researching your ancestors, or post your own Pena query. FamilySearch - PENA GenealogyFind records, queries, and lineage-linked family trees posted for the Pena surname and its variations. PENA Surname Family Mailing ListsRootsWeb hosts several free mailing lists for researchers of the Pena surname. DistantCousin.com - PENA Genealogy Family HistoryFree databases and genealogy links for the last name Pena. Looking for the meaning of a given name? Check out First Name Meanings Cant find your last name listed? Suggest a surname to be added to the Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins. - References: Surname Meanings Origins Cottle, Basil. Penguin Dictionary of Surnames. Baltimore, MD: Penguin Books, 1967. Menk, Lars. A Dictionary of German Jewish Surnames. Avotaynu, 2005. Beider, Alexander. A Dictionary of Jewish Surnames from Galicia. Avotaynu, 2004. Hanks, Patrick and Flavia Hodges. A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford University Press, 1989. Hanks, Patrick. Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University Press, 2003. Smith, Elsdon C. American Surnames. Genealogical Publishing Company, 1997. Back to Glossary of Surname Meanings Origins

Women are not treated fairly in prison Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Women are not treated fairly in prison - Essay Example Through the work of Davis, she says that almost all the woman that were in prison during her time were either black or Porte Ricans (Davis 19). The very reason for her imprisonment was her political views even though the authorities claimed that she had committed he offence of conspiracy and murder. The high number of racial imbalance within the prisons may demonstrate unfairness in other processes that come before imprisonment as was in the case of Davis. Davis makes a resounding call to the reader by stating several times that there was bias within the prison and that the population dynamics in the prison did not reflect any reality with regard to the criminality of the people in. Further she states that the bias in the system was such that it did not favor people who were poor and that explain why black people and other minorities were found in jails. Davis further points that not all women were treated the same once they found themselves in the prison walls.   It is pointed tha t while women were not restrained while Chicana and black women were put in handcuffs (Davis 298). A clear picture of what happens to the woman can be summarized through the story of Shakur. From the onset, she was imprisonment on an allegation that she had killed state trooper, something that was false. Based on the wrong allegation, she was subjected to inhumane treatment such as being stripped naked so that searchers were carried out. This kinds of treatments were not done to all other girls especially Chicano and black.