A Midsummer Nights Dream- Play within a play Essay Example

A Midsummer Nights Dream A Midsummer Nights Dream- Play within a play Paper A Midsummer Nights Dream- Play within a play Paper Reason and love keep little company nowadays, in fact, both plays possess the same message. Towards the climax of both plays, the lovers no longer hold senses and unreason begins to appear. Under the effects of the love- in- idleness, both Lysander and Demetrius who once adored Hermia turn their love towards Helena. Being neglected and unloved before, Helena immediately thinks of herself as a laughing stock and hence points the finger to Hermia as one of this confederacy. As a lady who is desperate for love a long time, all of a sudden getting that much, it seems quite natural to think of this as a jest. Yet, invisibly, she is actually laying down bias and putting her point of view into this issue. In the same manner, seeing the mantle of Thisbe stained with blood, Pyramus instantly think of her dead. Again, this seems logical, yet, personal emotions overrule and thus Pyramus has not thought twice and kills himself afterwards. On one hand, the play- within- a- play serves the use of restating the theme of love, yet it also serves as a warning in which unreason is the root of danger and tragedy in the future. With such unreason, the lovers encounter various dangers. In the main story, fairies are there to disturb ones thought whereas, in the play- within- a- play, something physically dangerous appears, the lion causes bloodshed which eventually makes Pyramus think of Thisbe dead. And at the same time, unreason makes Pyramus thinks without second thought, thus suicides wrongly, ending the play in tragedy. On the contrary, the main story shows the other side of a coin, despite of all those dangers surrounding the lovers, none of them are deadly and the problem finally resolves in the end with the help of the fairies. This creates great contrast between the two plays, so as to show the potential danger of unreasoned love. Dealing with a tragedy, the mechanicals production definitely makes a difference towards the tone of the play as a whole. The play itself loses it seriousness and heaviness, and is then becoming a lot more like a comical interlude. As the actors lack knowledge towards acting and the play, it adds comic effect to the play. Overusing poetic techniques such as alliteration and weird acting made by the wall, lion and moonlight make the performance the silliest stuff ever heard. This in fact quite matches with the Dukes intention that the pale companion is not for [his] pomp and that melancholy [should] forth to funerals. Instead of putting attention on the content of the play, much emphasis is on the simplicity of the workers. In fact, readers are reminded not to take the play seriously as they are just dreams which comes and goes quickly. As mentioned by Theseus the best in this kind [of play] are but shadows; and the worst are no worse, if imagination amend[s] them. Therefore, we should take the play lightheartedly as they are no more than visions. All in all, the tedious brief scene parallels with the main story as both plays deal with the obstacles of love and the unreason of love. Though the play- within- a- play ends tragically, it turns out to have a hilarious ending and matches with the plays ending as well.

About John Stuart Mill, a Male Feminist and Philosopher

About John Stuart Mill, a Male Feminist and Philosopher John Stuart Mill (1806 to 1873) is best known for his writings on liberty, ethics, human rights and economics. The utilitarian ethicist Jeremy Bentham was an influence in his youth. Mill, an atheist, was godfather to Bertrand Russell. A friend was Richard Pankhurst, the husband of suffrage activist Emmeline Pankhurst. John Stuart Mill and Harriet Taylor had 21 years of an unmarried, intimate friendship. After her husband died, they married in 1851. That same year, she published an essay, The Enfranchisement of Women, advocating for women being able to vote. It was barely three years after American women had called for womens suffrage at the Womans Rights Convention at Seneca Falls, New York. The Mills claimed that a transcript of a speech by Lucy Stone from the 1850 Womens Rights Convention was their inspiration. Harriet Taylor Mill died in 1858. Harriets daughter served as his assistant in subsequent years. John Stuart Mill published On Liberty shortly before Harriet died, and many believe that Harriet had more than a small influence on that work. The Subjection of Women Mill wrote The Subjection of Women in 1861, though it was not published until 1869. In this, he argues for education of women and for perfect equality for them. He credited Harriet Taylor Mill with co-authoring the essay, but few at the time or later took it seriously. Even today, many feminists accept his word on this, while many non-feminist historians and authors do not. The opening paragraph of this essay makes his position quite clear: The object of this Essay is to explain as clearly as I am able grounds of an opinion which I have held from the very earliest period when I had formed any opinions at all on social political matters, and which, instead of being weakened or modified, has been constantly growing stronger by the progress reflection and the experience of life. That the principle which regulates the existing social relations between the two sexes - the legal subordination of one sex to the other - is wrong itself, and now one of the chief hindrances to human improvement; and that it ought to be replaced by a principle of perfect equality, admitting no power or privilege on the one side, nor disability on the other. Parliament From 1865 to 1868, Mill served as a Member of Parliament. In 1866, he became the first M.P. ever to call for women being given the vote, introducing a bill written by his friend Richard Pankhurst. Mill continued to advocate for womens vote along with other reforms including additional suffrage extensions. He served as president of the Society for Womens Suffrage, founded in 1867. Extending Suffrage to Women In 1861, Mill had published Considerations on Representative Government, advocating for for a universal but graduated suffrage. This was the basis for many of his efforts in Parliament. Here is an excerpt from chapter VIII, Of the Extension of the Suffrage, where he discusses womens voting rights: In the preceding argument for universal but graduated suffrage, I have taken no account of difference of sex. I consider it to be as entirely irrelevant to political rights as difference in height or in the color of the hair. All human beings have the same interest in good government; the welfare of all is alike affected by it, and they have equal need of a voice in it to secure their share of its benefits. If there be any difference, women require it more than men, since, being physically weaker, they are more dependent on law and society for protection. Mankind have long since abandoned the only premises which will support the conclusion that women ought not to have votes. No one now holds that women should be in personal servitude; that they should have no thought, wish, or occupation but to be the domestic drudges of husbands, fathers, or brothers. It is allowed to unmarried, and wants but little of being conceded to married women to hold property, and have pecuniary and business interests in the same manner as men. It is considered suitable and proper that women should think, and write, and be teachers. As soon as these things are admitted, the political disqualification has no principle to rest on. The whole mode of thought of the modern world is, with increasing emphasis, pronouncing against the claim of society to decide for individuals what they are and are not fit for, and what they shall and shall not be allowed to attempt. If the principles of modern politics and political economy are good for any thing, it is for proving that these points can only be rightly judged of by the individuals themselves; and that, under complete freedom of choice, wherever there are real diversities of aptitude, the greater number will apply themselves to the things for which they are on the average fittest, and the exceptional course will only be taken by the exceptions. Either the whole tendency of modern social improvements has been wrong, or it ought to be carried ou t to the total abolition of all exclusions and disabilities which close any honest employment to a human being. But it is not even necessary to maintain so much in order to prove that women should have the suffrage. Were it as right as it is wrong that they should be a subordinate class, confined to domestic occupations and subject to domestic authority, they would not the less require the protection of the suffrage to secure them from the abuse of that authority. Men, as well as women, do not need political rights in order that they may govern, but in order that they may not be misgoverned. The majority of the male sex are, and will be all their lives, nothing else than laborers in corn-fields or manufactories; but this does not render the suffrage less desirable for them, nor their claim to it less irresistible, when not likely to make a bad use of it. Nobody pretends to think that woman would make a bad use of the suffrage. The worst that is said is that they would vote as mere dependents, the bidding of their male relations. If it be so, so let it be. If they think for themselves, great go od will be done; and if they do not, no harm. It is a benefit to human beings to take off their fetters, even if they do not desire to walk. It would already be a great improvement in the moral position of women to be no longer declared by law incapable of an opinion, and not entitled to a preference, respecting the most important concerns of humanity. There would be some benefit to them individually in having something to bestow which their male relatives can not exact, and are yet desirous to have. It would also be no small matter that the husband would necessarily discuss the matter with his wife, and that the vote would not be his exclusive affair, but a joint concern. People do not sufficiently consider how markedly the fact that she is able to have some action on the outward world independently of him, raises her dignity and value in a vulgar mans eyes, and makes her the object of a respect which no personal qualities would ever obtain for one whose social existence he can ent irely appropriate. The vote itself, too, would be improved in quality. The man would often be obliged to find honest reasons for his vote, such as might induce a more upright and impartial character to serve with him under the same banner. The wifes influence would often keep him true to his own sincere opinion. Often, indeed, it would be used, not on the side of public principle, but of the personal interest or worldly vanity of the family. But, wherever this would be the tendency of the wifes influence, it is exerted to the full already in that bad direction, and with the more certainty, since under the present law and custom she is generally too utter a stranger to politics in any sense in which they involve principle to be able to realize to herself that there is a point of honor in them; and most people have as little sympathy in the point of honor of others, when their own is not placed in the same thing, as they have in the religious feelings of those whose religion differs f rom theirs. Give the woman a vote, and she comes under the operation of the political point of honor. She learns to look on politics as a thing on which she is allowed to have an opinion, and in which, if one has an opinion, it ought to be acted upon; she acquires a sense of personal accountability in the matter, and will no longer feel, as she does at present, that whatever amount of bad influence she may exercise, if the man can but be persuaded, all is right, and his responsibility covers all. It is only by being herself encouraged to form an opinion, and obtain an intelligent comprehension of the reasons which ought to prevail with the conscience against the temptations of personal or family interest, that she can ever cease to act as a disturbing force on the political conscience of the man. Her indirect agency can only be prevented from being politically mischievous by being exchanged for direct. I have supposed the right of suffrage to depend, as in a good state of things it would, on personal conditions. Where it depends, as in this and most other countries, on conditions of property, the contradiction is even more flagrant. There something more than ordinarily irrational in the fact that when a woman can give all the guarantees required from a male elector, independent circumstances, the position of a householder and head of a family, payment of taxes, or whatever may be the conditions imposed, the very principle and system of a representation based on property is set aside, and an exceptionally personal disqualification is created for the mere purpose of excluding her. When it is added that in the country where this is done a woman now reigns, and that the most glorious ruler whom that country ever had was a woman, the picture of unreason and scarcely disguised injustice is complete. Let us hope that as the work proceeds of pulling down, one after another, the remains of the mouldering fabric of monopoly and tyranny, this one will not be the last to disappear; that the opinion of Bentham, of Mr. Samuel Bailey, of Mr. Hare, and many other of the most powerful political thinkers of this age and country (not to speak of others), will make its way to all minds not rendered obdurate by selfishness or inveterate prejudice; and that, before the lapse another generation, the accident of sex, no more than the accident of skin, will be deemed a sufficient justification for depriving its possessor of the equal protection and just privileges of a citizen. (Chapter VIII Of the Extension of the Suffrage from Considerations of Representative Government, by John Stuart Mill, 1861.)

Who are you Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 1

Who are you - Essay Example le, I have a passion for the study of history, something that is very rare today considering that most of my friends consider history to be a boring subject. I am kind of a loner because except for my family, I have very few friends and in fact, I find it very difficult to make new friends. I like to study politics, again a subject that most of the people I know find to be boring or a waste of time but I think that it is a very relevant thing to study so that we can know what exactly is happening in our society, because these two cannot be separated. Some parts of me that have changed over time while there are others, which have remained the same since childhood. I was raised in a very conservative family whose values were instilled in me from an early age. However, as I have grown older, I have come to realize that some of the values which I was brought up to believe in are very discriminatory towards people of other cultures and that is why I strive to study other people and their cultures in order to better understand them. In other aspects, I have remained the same considering that I am still proud of my country, as well as the community within which I grew and most of all, I am still very close to my family and friends. I value my body a lot and in fact, many religions state that the body is a very holy thing (Angel, 141 – 156). I believe that it is our duty to take very good care of it because it is the vessel in, which our souls are carried. I exercise regularly and have a well balanced diet to ensure that my body remains healthy because if I were to do otherwise, then it is certain that my body would deteriorate quickly. I would like to live a long life and the best way to achieve this would be to maintain my body at the best standard I possibly can. There are many ways through, which I have come to know other people and many of these vary. The first people I have come to know are my family; this is because they are the people I first interacted with

Contract Law. Westwood Ltds Case Study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1750 words

Contract Law. Westwood Ltds - Case Study Example Clint inspected the machine and, thinking that it would be appreciated by both the customers and staff of his toy store, agreed to buy it. The toy store had never had a drinks vending machine before nor anything like it. Westwood Ltd said that it would partially dismantle the machine and pack it into a wooden crate in order to make it easier for Clint to take delivery. Delivery was arranged for the following week with payment to be made on delivery. On Tuesday, the warehouse manager of Westwood Ltd packed the remaining stock of 500 toy guns into two separate wooden crates, one containing 200 and the other 300. Westwood Ltd had not yet managed to find anyone other than Clint to purchase any of the toy guns. The warehouse manager screwed a wooden lid onto the crate of 200 toy guns and then marked it with Clint's name ready for delivery. The crate of 300 toy guns remained directly next to the crate of 200 toys guns which was now marked for Clint. On Tuesday night, vandals broke into Westwood Ltd's warehouse and destroyed the crate of 200 toy guns labelled for Clint. The vending machine as agreed to be sold to Clint was also damaged. The crate of 300 toy guns was not damaged. 3) Further explain how your advice would differ, if at all, if the retail toy store referred to above wa... Answer: Background of the Case In the United Kingdom, Contract of Sale of Goods is a contract by which the seller transfers or agrees to transfer the property in goods to the buyer for a money or consideration, called the price (Sec. 2, par.1, Sale of Goods Act 1979). The Sale of Goods Act 1979 is the main statute that binds the contract of sale in the United Kingdom and was amended by the following relevant or related law and legislation: Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982, Sale and Supply of Goods Act 1994, and The Sale of Goods to Consumers Regulations 2002. A contract of sale is deemed perfected when both of the parties, the seller and the buyer, of the contract had accepted unconditionally the terms of the contract like the price, mode of payment, date and place of delivery, and others. Once a contract is perfected, certain duties are imposed under the law of contract of sales for both of the parties to perform and certain rights also were created the performance of which can be reciprocally demanded from one another (Part IV, Sales of Goods Act 1979). Normally, a contract of sale of goods should be reduced in writing to conform to the Statute of Frauds. Other form includes oral contract or combination of oral and written contracts (Sec. 4, Sale of Goods Act 1979). Failure to follow the tenor of the terms of the contract is equivalent to breach of contract by which the party at fault can be held liable for the payment of damages or other relevant legal remedies (Part VI, Sale of Goods Act 1979). The latest relevant regulation that is The Sale of Goods to Consumers Regulations 2002, apply to a range of transactions between businesses and consumers, including the sale

Arthur Millers Death of a Salesman Essays -- Death of a Salesman Arth

Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman was written after the second World War while the American economy was booming. Society was becoming very materialistic, and the idea that anyone could â€Å"make it† in America was popular. These societal beliefs play a large part in Death of a Salesman, a play in which the main character, Willy Loman, spends a lifetime chasing after the American Dream. Willy was sold on the wrong dream. He was enamored with a myth of American ideals and chose to put aside his real talents in pursuit of a fantasy. In several instances of the play, we see that Willy is a skilled carpenter. He wants to redo the front step just to show off to his brother, and he is constantly fixing things around the house. However, he doesn’t see carpentry as an acceptable occupation. It entails hard work and there isn’t any glory in it. Instead, he chooses to follow the dream of being a successful salesman. The problem is that Willy doesn’t seem to have any of the skills needed to be a salesman. He deludes himself into thinking that he is â€Å"vital in New England† but we find out during his meeting with Howard that even during his good years he wasn’t doing as well as he thought he was. He has convinced himself that he averages one hundred and seventy dollars a week in commission, but Howard tells him otherwise. This is a sh ock to Willy; he’s not used to having reality forced upon him. Willy sees being a salesman as a worthy profession; he apparently puts a lot of effort into his sales pitches. His ideal fate is the same as Dave Singleman’s; to be so â€Å"well-liked† that he can make sales over the phone and to have hundred of people attend his funeral. Willy is blind to the... ... he tries to tell Happy that Willy didn’t know himself. Unfortunately, Happy is still living in a world of illusions, and he becomes angry with Biff and says â€Å"He had a good dream. It’s the only dream you can have – to come out number one man. He fought it out here, and this is where I’m gonna win it for him.† Ironically, Willy killed himself so that Biff could carry out his dreams of success, but Happy is the one who actually believed in Willy’s dream and vows to â€Å"win it for him†. As Linda looks over Willy’s grave, she tells us that the house has finally been paid off; that they are finally out of debt. If only Willy had been willing to take a job from Charley, they could have been living an easy life. But, Willy’s illusions of being a good salesman and his pride in false beliefs would not allow him to. Willy has died chasing the illusion of the American Dream.

Extended commentary of ‘The Convergence of the Twain’ by Thomas Hardy Essay

On the Title: Hardy uses two interesting words: ‘convergence’ and ‘twain’. A convergence is a meeting of two paths, or entities – in this case, a collision! ‘Twain’ is an archaic word for ‘two’, i.e.; both the ‘Titanic’ and the iceberg. Such a title immediately positions the reader to the direction in which the poem will go. Hardy is not, as many elegiac poems of the day were, preparing to mourn the loss of the ship and the lives upon it but rather proceeding to examine the philosophical nature of the collision; perhaps it was fated? The other current use of â€Å"twain† was in the pseudonym â€Å"Mark Twain,† made famous by the publication – initially in England – of â€Å"The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn† in 1886. Clems adopted the nom de plume to suggest â€Å"uncomfortable waters† or â€Å"tight navigation,† since two fathoms (â€Å"twain,† the sounding of a Mississippi deck-hand measuring the depth beneath the keel) would be dangerous for a steamboat. Background Information: The ocean liner ‘RMS Titanic’ famously sank, at two o’clock in the morning, upon the 15th April 1912. The disaster claimed 1,502 lives. Hardy was asked to write a poem to be read at a charity concert to raise funds in aid of the tragedy disaster fund. It was first published as part of the souvenir program for that event. Overall Structure: Hardy writes eleven regular triplet stanzas, with an AAA rhyme scheme throughout. The use of triplets allows for a more thorough exploration of ideas in each stanza; unified by the use of the rhyme scheme. Perhaps he also does this to create the effect of inevitability, for the rhymed words form their own â€Å"paths coincident† that lead to a preset conclusion – the reader knows, that is, with which sound each stanza will end after he or she has only read the first line of that stanza. However, that knowledge only appears are having read the first few stanzas or so, echoing the idea that knowledge of those coincident paths of which the poem speaks is not always immediately discernible. Themes: The Vanity of Man, The Relationship between Man and Nature, Fate, Classical Entities. Difficult Language Notes: â€Å"The Immanent Will† – a force of fate. â€Å"Salamandrine† – associated with the salamander (a mythical creature) The poem runs in straight sets but I wish to divide in two for ease of analysis. ‘Part I’ exists from Stanzas I to VI, whilst ‘Part II’ takes the form of Stanzas VII to XII. Part I Notes: First Stanza Notes: Hardy introduces his poem in medias res – the ship has been sunk and lies silently at the bottom of the ocean. He creates a calm effect over his poem through the consonance of the ‘s’ sounds: â€Å"In a solitude of the sea Deep from human vanity, And the Pride of Life that planned her, stilly couches she.† Particular elements of diction are worthy of note: * â€Å"Deep from human vanity† – this line points to the emerging theme of man’s failed vanity, in creating such a grand object to rule over the natural world, only to have Nature smite it. The phrase â€Å"Pride of Life† accentuates this principle. Note how Hardy uses capital letters to make otherwise simple abstract nouns definitive. Although this is pre-emptive, I will now examine the theme of vaingloriousness (and point out notable pieces of evidence throughout the remainder of the poem) which Hardy presents. He uses irony to evoke the ridiculousness of man’s plans. In stanzas I through to V, he juxtaposes images of the ships opulence, such as its â€Å"mirrors meant / To glass the opulent† and the ship’s â€Å"gilded gear† with images of the â€Å"cold currents†, â€Å"sea-worms† and â€Å"moon-eyed fishes† that now flow, crawl and swim through those former interiors. This creates a tangible image of the human vanity referred to in this first stanza; what people design for greatness ultimately ends up in a place of abasement. * â€Å"Stilly† is a highly unusual adverb. Hardy uses it to create a sense of ‘peace’. This is furthered by â€Å"solitude† and â€Å"couches†. ‘Couches’ suggests restfulness, or an equanimity. S.L.S considers an image of a ‘death bed’ upon the sea floor. Second Stanza Notes: Hardy focuses upon images of death and change in this stanza: â€Å"Steel chambers, late the pyres Of her salamandrine fires Cold currents third, and turn to tidal rhythmic lyres.† The furnaces of the ship, which contained the â€Å"salamandrine fires† of her engines (a form of LIFE), now have â€Å"Cold currents thrid† (note the a contrast in temperature – and consequently, a contrast in living state) running through them. ‘Thrid’ itself is another reference to the title, as an archaic word for ‘two’. Where there was once heat and life driving the engines of the ship, there is now coldness and death. A further juxtaposition within this second stanza is the use of the word â€Å"pyre†, as it connotes funerals and death, while the use of â€Å"salamandrine† insinuates a certain tenacity for life (as salamanders were said to live through fires) that could be associated with the ‘Unsinkable Ship’ idea – there was a theory prior to the sinking, now tragically ironic, that the Titanic was unable to sink. Yet, for all of the tragic (or formerly energetic, given the nature of fire) nature of the ship, Hardy once again returns to ideas of peace and harmony. â€Å"Rhythmic tidal lyres† are reminiscent of the classical entities – such as Apollo’s lyre and his place in Arcadia – and consequently calming images. The distinct iambic meter in this phrase aids the calming lilt of the lines. Hardy presents the Titanic’s corpse in a peaceful light, however chilling and panicked her death. Third and Fourth Stanza Notes: I have above described the idea of vanity. I will pick out key phrases from these stanzas which support this idea – their key point is to achieve the above: * â€Å"mirrors meant to glass the opulent† CONTRASTED TO â€Å"grotesque, slimed, dumb, indifferent† sea worms. Note the cruelty and emphasis on â€Å"indifferent†. * â€Å"Jewels in joy designed† CONTRASTED TO â€Å"lie lightless, all their sparkles bleared and black and blind† Note the use of polysyndeton. * â€Å"gilded gear†. Note alliteration. Fifth and Sixth Stanzas: Thus far Hardy has thoroughly examined the idea of vanity and the sunken ship itself. At stanza VI, Hardy changes his focus to the process by which the ship sank, in reference to Hardy’s ‘question’ formulated in stanza V. V â€Å"Dim moon-eyed fishes near Gaze at the gilded gear And query: ‘What does this vaingloriousness down here? VI Well: while was fashioning This creature of cleaving wing, The Immanent Will that stirs and urges everything† It is obvious that Hardy engineers the explanation of the collision as a response to the â€Å"fishes’† question – although one would initially expect the final line of stanza V to be rhetorical. Before diverging upon the analysis of Hardy’s response, note some key elements of this stanza: * â€Å"moon-eyed† (white and dull) contrasts with the shiny, golden nature of the â€Å"gilded†. This accentuates the differences between the metallic (man-made) ship and the natural world. Also note the alliteration used in this line. Question why? * In an final assault on the vanitas vanitatum, observe that Hardy utilises anthropomorphisation to allow even the fish to question Man’s will in creating such ‘vaingloriousness’ – a Natural force (perhaps a personification of Nature itself?) labels the ship a vanity. What consequence does this have? This query, although appearing rhetorical, is answered by Hardy. Denoted by the use of ‘Well’, he switches to a colloquial register – this again adds to the sense of a Volta at stanza VI. Also note the sudden introduction of prominent enjambment at the end of the poem. The sense of stanza VI rolls into the VIIth, in direct opposition to the previous use of ‘poetic closure’ to end all previous stanzas – Hardy normally uses a form of punctuation. Now it’s gone. Apart from being a ‘change’ in its innate self, the enjambment aids in increasing the pace of the poem. This is highly significant. Seeing as, from this point forth, Hardy creates a ‘convergence of the twain’ within the poem itself – i.e.: he brings the two entities together (I will later explore this process in detail) from obscurity to the point of their collision – then increasing the pace at which the two entities move (which is obviously determined by the pace of the poem) must bring them together faster. This adds to the sense of movement, of fast movement and of dramatic effect. Well done, Mr. Hardy. Note some language details: â€Å"Creature of cleaving wing† is a very interesting phrase. â€Å"Cleaving† has multiple meanings, all of which are appropriate to Hardy’s imagery. Primarily, he may be imagining the ship as it ‘cleaves’ through the water, as all good ships should do. Remember, in its day the Titanic was the fastest liner afloat. â€Å"The cleaving wing† may therefore be the iron bow of the boat. Notice how Hardy is utilising additional anthropomorphisation, in referring to the ship as both a â€Å"creature† and one with â€Å"wing[s]†. The iceberg, however, remains inanimate. I doubt that there are any really deliberate poetic techniques to be synthesized from this but perhaps Hardy encourages a larger empathic response from the animate ship than from the inanimate iceberg? However, we must also acknowledge the metallic â€Å"knife-like† associations with ‘cleaving’ – like ‘cleaver’. This has a highly inanimate connotation. [Another weak point, acknowledged.] There also exists an archaic definition in the verb ‘to cleave’ – as in a Biblical usage – meaning ‘to join in matrimony’. This is of enormous interest. Hardy later plays a great deal upon the idea of the twain being marital (and even sexual) mates. Throughout the poem he refers to them with terms connotating a â€Å"confirmed relationship†. We may be â€Å"reading into† the phrase a little too deeply but it is a comment worthy of note. Perhaps Hardy is using the archaic definition of the verb to further advance his marital imagery? He is certainly no stranger to using such odd vocabulary; observe â€Å"The Darkling Thrush†! Finally, I wish to examine ‘The Immanent Will’. â€Å"Immanent† is not an archaic spelling of â€Å"imminent† – do not get confused in terms of these different words! â€Å"The Immanent Will† is somewhat comparable, in terms of a philosophical idea, to the Christian concept of the â€Å"Holy Spirit† or â€Å"Holy Ghost†. It is a spiritual, but existent, entity within every object which determines its fate or actions. Christianity has branches – notably in Catholicism – which believe in a pre-determined plan, of God’s design. In other words, we are all on a plan set out by God. The Holy Spirit helps us to achieve what God wishes; it provides inner strength and resolve. Hardy did not have an easy relationship with religion; born a Christian, he went through multiple tumultuous periods of atheistic belief. That’s probably why he hasn’t gone and just written; â€Å"God, or some deified entity, has allowed and planned for the demise of this here ship. And that’s why the iceberg, which could have been anywhere in a 3,000 mile radius of the vast Atlantic Ocean, just so happened to strike the ship. Deal with it.† So, instead, he has substituted a strictly non-religious term to his idea of Fate. Indeed, he later refers to the Classical ‘Fate’ entities to again replace any otherwise religious terminology. Remember also that Hardy is not aiming to criticise Christianity in a poem intended to raise money for the victims’ families. Thus, clear religious controversy was not a good idea. Stanzas VIII and IX Notes: â€Å"And as the smart ship grew In stature, grace and hue, In shadowy silent distance grew the iceberg too. Alien they seemed to be: No mortal eye could see The intimate welding of the later history,† Again, Hardy invites further comparison through the use of juxtaposition; he now places the two entities in a relative time scale. The use of the word ‘as’ creates this effect, as it brings almost a simile-esque comparative sense to the stanzas. We must focus on the idea of the twain ‘growing’ – as that is the image which Hardy evokes – and the way in which both are joint in the use of the same verb. The obvious mental image is one of a familial relationship; they grow simultaneously but are fatally unaware of each other. Indeed, the distance between them is made explicitly clear and further emphasized by the alliteration used with â€Å"shadowy† and â€Å"silent†. Observe, in the phrase â€Å"In stature, grace and hue†, Hardy returns to the original theme of the ship’s grandeur. He appears, in this occurrence, to be rather more commending (or perhaps simply more mournful) of the ship and its purpose. Stanza IX further dwells upon the notion of fate. Indeed, Hardy utilises some more imagery worthy of note, full of oxymorons. â€Å"The intimate welding of the later history† It takes little to see that this further advances the ideas of both the twain’s ‘marital intimacy’, of the metal-related imagery associated with the ship, but also, in the final few words, the idea of Fate. If one can know, in the present, the details of the future’s past – in other words, the near future – then surely one is saying in an oddly convoluted way that a certain action is destined to soon take place? It’s an oxymoronic (â€Å"later history† is oxymoronic in my book!) way of saying the same as before; the twain are destined to collide. Stanzas X and XI Notes: â€Å"Or sign that they were bent By paths coincident On being anon twin halves of one august event, Till the Spinner of the Years Said ‘Now!’ And each one hears, And consummation comes, and jars two hemispheres. Very little needs to be said about the action in these stanza. The Twain collide, bringing together the long wait in both metaphorical and poetic terms. Hardy’s precise choice of words and imagery is somewhat more interesting, however. For example: * â€Å"Paths coincident† does not point to a coincidence, as one might initially assume, but rather to a â€Å"co-incident† (i.e. â€Å"together†) act. The Twain are, on reflection, on a course which emulates two graphical lines, in the way that they bisect. Does this then also reflect a sense of Fated entity? Graphical lines do not change, thus their ‘collision’ is determined and sealed. * â€Å"Twin halves of one august event† reminds the reader of the action and precise existence of the collision. In the end, the act was a very physical, not philosophical one. Hardy acknowledges this, but attempts to draw out the unified nature of the Twain, in the intrinsic act of their collision. Note that the usual use of â€Å"august† to mean â€Å"awe inspiring or admiration; majestic† is not intended by Hardy here in a positive way. He merely wishes to express wonder at the grand, if tragic, culmination of two great forces. And yes, it is rather melodramatic. * Hardy at lasts then returns to his Fated theme with the phrase â€Å"The Spinner of the Years†. Reminiscent of the Classical Greek Moirai or the Roman Parcae (three old hags who would run, spin and cut the threads of life), Hardy refers to the middle of the three – the Spinner. Spinning a mortal thread has always occupied a position in mythology. Hardy utilises it to draw out a sense of fate. Fate itself conducts the affair, it seems, given that the Twain act upon the word â€Å"Now!† to converge. * Emerson Brown, scholar of medieval literature, pointed out that the poem is 33 lines long, whilst line 33 echoes the 33-year-old Christ’s last words: â€Å"consummatum est.† In any case, when â€Å"consummation comes†, Thomas Hardy sends 1,500 souls to the bottom with an obscene pun. To â€Å"come† has borne a sexual connotation since the 17th century, at least, while consummation traditionally means the fulfilment of the marriage contract by intercourse. The image of the ‘Titanic’ and the iceberg copulating is hard to take seriously – therefore we must question whether Hardy truly intends it. Nevertheless, it advances the idea of the twain existing in a marital bond. Note the sudden use of speech, in the present tense. Very dramatic. Brings the Twain together in Time for the last time!

Compare And Contrast The Ways Essay - 1347 Words

Compare and Contrast the ways in which the poet describes the breakdown if the relationship. Comment on the effectiveness of their verse-craft I chose to compare the poems: An Anniversary, by Vernon Scannel Dismissal, by John Tripp A Winters Tale, by D.H. Lawrence In the poem amp;#8220;An Anniversary; the poet describes the relationship and itamp;#8217;s breakdown as two leaves on a river, this is and example of amp;#8216;Personificationamp;#8217;. In contrast to this poem in the poem amp;#8220;Dismissal; Tripp describes the breakdown very much as it was, describing two people in a dreary pub, this is an example of amp;#8216;Pathetic fallacyamp;#8217; as the setting is very boring and dark like the breakdown of the†¦show more content†¦The poet uses a lot of contrasts in this poem: amp;#8220;The skyamp;#8217;s smeared monotone.; amp;#8220;Once, on a branch in the sun, they danced; This contrasts the happiness in the relationship before the breakdown to the boring monotone they have between each other now. The poet uses vivid imagery all the way through the poem to describe the two leaves; he also uses amp;#8220;Personification; the way that he describes the two leaves as people. The tone of the poem changes as at the beginning when the poet is describing the relationship now it is quite morose, as the two leaves are no longer together. At the end he is describing the relationship before the breakdown and the tone is quite happy. This is an example of amp;#8216;Pathetic Fallacyamp;#8217; as the tone reflects and complements what the poet is talking about. Some examples of amp;#8220;Alliteration; in the poem are: amp;#8220;stream slides; amp;#8220;stares amp;#8230;..slithering; amp;#8220;skyamp;#8217;s smeared; amp;#8220;shimmering skin; They are all S sounds, this complements the flowing, smooth, gliding rhythm of the poem. In the poem amp;#8220;Dismissal; the poet describes the relationship breakdown very much like a story. In the whole poem he uses amp;#8220;Enjambment; and the poem has a very continuous rhythm he also doesnamp;#8217;t use rhyme or assanance which also adds to its story-like quality. The poet describes; amp;#8220;To this day I remember that alcove:Show MoreRelatedCompare and Contrast the Ways1494 Words   |  6 PagesCompare and Contrast the ways in which the poet describes the breakdown if the relationship. Comment on the effectiveness of their verse-craft I chose to compare the poems: An Anniversary, by Vernon Scannel Dismissal, by John Tripp A Winters Tale, by D.H. Lawrence In the poem #8220;An Anniversary#8221; the poet describes the relationship and it#8217;s breakdown as two leaves on a riverRead More Compare and contrast the ways In which Grace Nichols represents The1032 Words   |  5 PagesCompare and contrast the ways In which Grace Nichols represents The theme of slavery in her poems I coming back and sugar cane. The two poems written by Grace Nichols are similar because both of them are about slavery. But they are very different in some ways like I coming back is about getting revenge and sugar cane is about the suffering of slaves. The styles of the poems are different from each other. This essay will try to explore these poems similarities and differences. TheRead MoreCompare and Contrast  the Way Keynes and Friedman Approach the Economy701 Words   |  3 PagesJohn Keynes and Milton Friedman were the most influential economists of the 20th century. Friedman spent much of his intellectual energy attacking the legacy of Keynes, it is natural to consider them opposites. Their differences were, indeed, profound and so was what they shared. Believe it or not, neither won or lost: todays policy orthodoxies are a synthesis of their two approaches.( http://gecon.blogspot.com July 19, 2009) Some of there key differences were Keynes thought the great depressionRead More Compare And Contrast The Way Plath Presents The Speaker’s Fears In Three1303 Words   |  6 PagesCompare And Contrast The Way Plath Presents The Speaker’s Fears In Three Of The Poems That You Have Studied Sylvia Plath writes poems that are thoughtful and intriguing. They have clever and subtle suggestions that leave her poems open for interpretation by the reader. Her poems mainly have themes with either an odd or disturbing nature. The three poems I have chosen to compare and contrast are; â€Å"Mirror,† â€Å"Bluebeard† and â€Å"The Arrival of The Bee Box.† In the three poems there are severalRead More COMPARE AND CONTRAST THE WAY WORDSWORTH AND HUGHES WRITE ABOUT NATURE900 Words   |  4 PagesCOMPARE AND CONTRAST THE WAY WORDSWORTH AND HUGHES WRITE ABOUT NATURE IN THEIR POEMS DAFFODILS AND THISTLES Hughes wrote the poem â€Å"Thistles† which is about how these plants are. He speaks about them as if they were a sign of violence, and violent creatures. He views them as a symbol of vengeance, pain and threat. The thistles are spiky and can hurt anyone. They are dull, immortal, green, rough, and produce a big amount of chaos, written in Wordsworth on the other hand, wrote aboutRead More Compare and Contrast the Way in which Emerson and Thoreau Represents American Identity1290 Words   |  6 Pagesmany writers amongst who is Henry David Thoreau. Transcendentalism believed in individuality being affected by politics and religion. They also believed in God being reflected in nature. Emerson and Thoreau both being transcendentalist had different ways of presenting their ideas about transcendentalism with regard to American identity. Emerson had actually delivered The American Scholar as a speech to graduates of the Phi beta Kapa Society of Cambridge in 1837. Here he states his idea about â€Å"ManRead MoreCompare and Contrast Protagonists from The Way Up to Heaven and The Story of an Hour1411 Words   |  6 Pageswell in â€Å"The Way Up To Heaven† penned by Roald Dahl who blatantly critiques the accepted societal roles of women in the mid-twentieth century and â€Å"The Story of an Hour† by Kate Chopin who highlights a woman’s plight in the 19th century. This is not only painted through the events of the stories, but also through the way each protagonist evolves into a dynamic character. The two main characters in these stories show many similarities, but they are also remarkably different in the ways they deal withRead MoreCompare and Contrast the Ways in Which Prospero Talks to Miranda, Ariel and Caliban1307 Words   |  6 Pagestalks to Ariel he does not use his actual name instead h e merely calls him, ‘my spirit’. This is a quite possessive use of ‘my’, which emphasis’s that Ariel is Prospero’s slave but makes him sound like a belonging. However Prospero does change the way he talks to Ariel after he finds out how well he has done the job that he had asked Ariel to do. This is almost as if he waiting to see whether or not he should be angry with Ariel, after that he starts to call him,’ but are they Ariel safe?’ SometimesRead MoreCompare and Contrast the Way Rupert Brooke and Wilfred Owen Approach the Subject of War2244 Words   |  9 PagesThe title of this poem is very powerful. It tells the reader that this is a very sad poem and that by going to war death is almost certain. Sassoon has done this to give the reader an idea of war, and, as the reader reads the poem their insight into the brutality and the sorrow of war increases. The first paragraph of this poem tells of the slow death of a soldier as the sun rises. Sassoon has skilfully manipulated language and his choice of words in order to create a visual image that is slowlyRead MoreCompare And Contrast The Ways In Which The American Dream Is Presented Through Walter Younger In Lorraine Hansberry1711 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿Compare and contrast the ways in which the American Dream is presented through Walter Younger in Lorraine Hansberry’s ‘ A Raisin in the Sun’ and Willy Lehman in Arthur Miller’s ‘Death of the Salesman’ The American Dream is something many Americans desire. The desire to the mind – set or belief that anyone can be successful if they worked hard for what they’ve been yearning. It is considered to be a ‘perfect life’; it can be full of money, contentedness or even love. There are many divergent opinions