Telemachus And Penelope Essays - Greek Mythology, Phemius, Penelope

Telemachus And Penelope The disagreement between Telemachus and Penelope arises from differing opinions on the entertainment of Phemius. Phemius is singing the tale of the Greek warriors of Troy and their homecomings when Penelope descends from her chambers to protest this choice of music. She scolds him, and orders him to stop because he has reminded her of Odysseus, who's long lost at sea. Telemachus rebukes his mother by protesting that the bard has the right to sing anything he wishes. He then sends his mother off to her chambers, declaring that he is the master of the house. This clash between Penelope and Telemachus was caused by both. Penelope's fault was that she did not stop to consider Telemachus' feelings on the subject. She is so engrossed in her own pain for her lost love that she is blind to the problems of her son. She does not see his insecurities on his past and especially his future, or his lack of confidence in himself. Most of all, she is ignorant to his inner struggle between love and hate for Odysseus. She does not realize his need to learn of his legacy, she only sees her grief and her pain. . She is very detached from the world, and focuses on her grief and pain. Because she is so preoccupied with her own problems, she has neglected her duties as a mother. She, in her distress, has pushed her son away from her. This disagreement over Phemius only shows the deep chasm that has come between them. As for Telemachus, he makes the same mistakes as his mother in that he refuses to see her side of the issue. He, too, is deeply engrossed in his problems that he does not see the deep extent of his mother's pain. Him ordering her to leave is a sign that he believes her feelings to be almost inconsequential compared to his. His eagerness to learn of Odysseus' great deeds seems to overshadow the sadness his mother feels. The tales of the Trojan War are the only way in which he can come to know his father, who he does not remember, since Penelope obviously avoids the topic entirely. He needs to know his legacy. Most importantly, he is searching for a way to justify his father's absence, and to justify why he has left Ithaca in such a state of disorder. However, his quest for his legacy was not the only reason he had for defending Phemius. It was also caused by his resentment towards his mother for having known his father and not telling him about him. He feels that his mother has prevented him from gaining an understanding of his heritage. This disagreement over Phemius was a window to the anger that Telemachus had towards his mother for not familiarizing him with the legacy of his father. Another reason Telemachus was so quick to rebuke Penelope was his deep desire to exert his power and his dominance, his rightful dominance over the household. By ordering his mother to leave the hall, he is showing to the suitors that it is he, not his mother, who has more power. When he declares that he is master of the house, partially caused by the newfound courage distilled in him by Athena, he is introducing a new him. This was his opportunity to establish his position above the suitors and prepare for his announcement that he will go search for his father. This disagreement allowed Telemachus to step into the limelight, and express himself as a force to be reckoned with.

Hamlet Vs. The Bacchae Essays - Characters In Hamlet, Free Essays

Hamlet Vs. The Bacchae Essays - Characters In Hamlet, Free Essays Hamlet Vs. The Bacchae Hamlet and The Bacchae have many similarities and differences, in this paper, I will discuss some of them, as well as the questions posed in class. Both of these plays are tragedies, ending with a great number of the featured characters dying, or meeting another terrible fate. First of all, I dont think that Hamlet took place in a godless universe. Of course, the god in Hamlet, vs. the gods in The Bacchae are very different gods. In Hamlet, God affects the decisions the characters make (e.g., Hamlet decides not to kill Claudius while hes praying, because he believes God will forgive Claudius for his sins, and not send him to hell), however he doesnt have a direct role. You have no proof of a god in Hamlet, while in The Bacchae, the gods are the main characters in the play, performing a good percentage of the action. Also, the presence of the ghost means that in the world of Hamlet, there is an afterlife, but since there are not more ghosts in the world, there must be some divine presence, affecting why the ghost is there. Continuing with the issue of the ghost, the presence of the ghost in the play has many implications. First of all, the presence of the ghost may be an attempt to satisfy the religious beliefs of both the Protestants and the Catholics, which both would have been watching the plays during Shakespeares time. The Protestants do not believe in purgatory, so the ghost may be a way to explain the afterlife, without offending either religion. The ghost also creates some confusion with heaven and hell, because if the soul is in a ghost, then it means that it went neither to heaven, nor hell. Yet, throughout the play, the characters often talk of both heaven and hell, and the presence of the ghost doesnt change their belief in any way. Another significant difference between the two plays, is the role of revenge, and how it varies between gods revenge (in the Bacchae) and mans revenge (in Hamlet). Hamlets revenge tended to have logic, and was fairer to those that werent the point of his revenge. However, in The Bacchae, Dionysus shows very little logic, simply punishing on his own whim. In some cases, Dionysus took out his revenge on people that he had no dispute with. He was simply in a bad mood, so his revenge was also taken out on them. Hamlets revenge showed a lot more reason and organization to it, as opposed to Dionysuss, who had no reasons for quite a few of his actions. Another difference between the two plays is the characters reasons for killing. Dionysus obviously kills out of passion, sometimes simply because hes bored, or in a bad mood. Hamlet does have reasons, although there are cases in which Hamlet kills out of passion. When Hamlet kills Polonius, its out of passion. Hes in a hurry to kill Claudius, and in his rage, kills Polonius instead. However, when he actually does kill Claudius at the end, its not really out of pure passion. Its much more a planned, logical murder. In summary, Hamlet and The Bacchae have various similarities and differences, which I hope Ive shown in this paper. Neither Hamlet, nor The Bacchae ends in a pleasant way, which is characteristic of a tragedy. However, the end of Hamlet basically kills off all the main characters, except one, who carries the story on. The Bacchae ends with those whom Dionysus thinks should be punished, are punished. Those who have done him no wrong, are not affected. Both plays end with the idea that the story should be told, either to keep Hamlets memory alive, or to prevent others from going against Dionysus. In Hamlet, when someone dies, theres usually a reason for it, while in The Bacchae, its simply because Dionysus wishes it so.

Culture Appropriate Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Culture Appropriate - Essay Example The story showed the fusion of the American and Mexican culture as the characters, who were of Mexican heritage tried to integrate themselves into the American society. The fact that story focuses on the issue of gender equality from a feminist perspective, the role of women in the society and cultural integration justifies the work as a culturally appropriate one and underlines its importance as a good cultural source for the American literature. It could be seen that Cisneros tried to draw reference from the American society that has women withdrawing themselves from the role that culture assigned to them and make attempt to attain a certain degree of independence. It also shows the extent at which women struggled against stereotypes and taboos that have a cultural undertone (Perkin & Perkins 2038-2042). What you Pawn I will Redeem by Sherman Alexie shows the journey of the protagonist, Jackson, a Spokane Indian to repossess the powwow regalia of his grandmother. The cultural appro priateness of the Alexie’s work is evident from Jackson’s description of the oppression and violence which is common with indigenous America.

Online Discussion 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Online Discussion 2 - Essay Example y part describes the expectation of linguistics learners to have simple languages so that they can easy apply their comprehension in literature (Shemshadsara, 2012). To that effect, the tutors compromise the standards of language proficiency in order to impress the learners. It shows teachers as being selective in developing their teaching programs instead of maintaining the prescribed schedule to develop critical and analytical skills in students (Cameron, 2001). The objective of the article is to first articulate the fact that linguistics is a challenging field of study. Secondly, it aims at developing constructive perception of teachers and students with regards to linguistics in order to develop skills that challenge the community beyond the classroom environment (Fairclough, 1995). This article demonstrates an understanding of the needs of sequential stages of learning, and suggests a low level proficiency requirement for elementary classes. The ultimate aim of the article is to trigger a paradigm shift for both the students and learners about languages by providing solution to the emerging challenges. The article addresses different categories of audience, with a variety of reasons. First, it exposes the attitude with which teachers discharge their duties. It focuses on pointing to teachers their real experiences in teaching with the hope that they can improve on their attitudes. The second target group is students. It focuses on developing a sense of proactive participation of students in the acquisition of linguistics and literature skills. The third target group is that of the authors of various literatures. It recommends the use of simplified languages for the low level literature and linguistics classes to develop relevant skills in a progressive manner. The strengths of the article is evident in its understanding of the linguistics and literature challenges. In the introductory section, Cots (2006) describes the tasks as problematic. Secondly, it

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Essay Example for Free

Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Essay After Chielo took Ezinma away, Okonkwo was not able to sleep. He made several trips to the cave before he finally found and joined Ekwefi waiting outside the cave. When Chielo came out of Agbalas cave with Ezinma in the early morning hours, she ignored Okonkwo and Ekwefi and carried the sleeping Ezinma home to her bed, with the girls parents following behind. On the following day, the village celebrates the next event in the marriage of the daughter of Obierika, Okonkwos friend. The uri is a ritual in which the suitor presents palm-oil to everyone in the brides immediate family, her relatives, and her extended group of kinsmen. For this ceremony, primarily a womans ritual, the brides mother is expected to prepare food for the whole village with the help of other women. Ekwefi is exhausted after the preceding nights events. She delays going to the celebration until Ezinma wakes and eats her breakfast. Okonkwos other wives and children proceed to Obierikas compound; the youngest wife promises to return to prepare Okonkwos afternoon meal. Obierika is slaughtering two goats for the soup and is admiring another goat that was bought in a neighboring village as a gift to the in-laws. He and the other men discuss the magic of medicine used in the other village that draws people to the market and helps rob some of them. While the women are preparing for the feast, they hear a cry in the distance, revealing that a cow is loose. Leaving a few women to tend the cooking, the rest go find the cow and drive it back to its owner, who must pay a heavy fine. The women check among themselves to be sure that every available woman has participated in rounding up the cow. The palm-wine ceremony begins in the afternoon as soon as everyone gathers and begins to drink the first-delivered wine. When the new in-laws arrive, they present Obierikas family with fifty pots of wine, a very respectable number. The uri festivities continue into the night and end with much singing and dancing. Analysis This chapter further contributes to the understanding of several tribal customs and beliefs: the uri ceremony, which illustrates the phase of the marriage process following the agreement on bride-price (Chapter 8); the belief in supernatural powers to attract people to a market and even to help rob them; the law that requires villagers to control and corral their animals or else pay a penalty; and the custom that requires all available women to chase an escaped cow home. These descriptions follow the events of the preceding chapter and illustrate the strength of the villagers beliefs in the earth goddess and her powers, even when she requires the near abduction of a child. Yet, in most of the traditional events, the less than complete, blind obedience to a law or custom by some men and women suggests several strong, individual personalities. For example, Ekwefi is certainly one of the less-traditionally constrained women, and Obierika represents men who question some traditions and rituals. Sexual activity is a subtle part of courtship and marriage rituals. The chant at the end of the celebration, when I hold her waist beads / She pretends not to know, suggests that sexual anticipation is an enjoyable game for women as well as for men. In the preceding chapter, Okonkwos protective, manly presence in the darkness by the cave triggers Ekwefis fond memories of her first wedding night, when he carried her into his bed and . . . began to feel around her waist for the loose end of her cloth. Glossary umunna the extended family and kinsmen. a great medicine a supernatural power or magic that may take the shape of a person. In the Umuike market, the medicine assumes the shape of an old woman with a beckoning, magical fan. yam pottage a watery gruel made of yams. Summary In the dead of night, the sound of a drum and a cannon announce the death of Ezeudu, an important man in the village. Okonkwo shivers when he remembers that Ezeudu had warned him against playing a part in the killing of Ikemefuna. Everyone in the village gathers for the funeral ceremony of a warrior who had achieved three titles in his lifetime, a rare accomplishment. During the ceremony, men dance, fire off guns, and dash about in a frenzy of wailing for the loss of Ezeudu. Periodically, the egwugwu spirits appear from the underworld, including a one-handed spirit who dances and brings a message for the dead Ezeudu. Before the burial, the dancing, drumming, and gunshots become increasingly intense. Suddenly an agonized cry and shouts of horror are followed by silence. Ezeudus sixteen-year-old son is found dead in a pool of blood in the midst of the crowd. When Okonkwo fired his gun, it exploded and a piece of iron pierced the boys heart. In the history of Umuofia, such an accident h as never occurred. Okonkwos accidental killing of a clansman is a crime against the earth goddess, and he knows that he and his family must leave Umuofia for seven years. As his wives and children cry bitterly, they hurriedly pack their most valuable belongings into head loads to be carried as they prepare to flee before morning to Mbanta, the village of his mother. Friends move Okonkwos yams to Obierikas compound for storage. After the familys departure the next morning, a group of village men, carrying out the traditional justice prescribed by the earth goddess, invade Okonkwos compound and destroy his barn, houses, and animals. Okonkwos friend Obierika mourns his departure and wonders why Okonkwo should be punished so severely for an accident. Again, Obierika ponders the old traditions, remembering his own twin children who were abandoned in the forest because of tribal tradition. Analysis In the literary tradition of the tragic hero, Okonkwos undoing continues with his accidental killing of Ezeudus son. Early in the chapter, Achebe foreshadows the event with Okonkwos memory of Ezeudus warning about not killing Ikemefuna. The author builds dramatic tension by describing an increasingly frenzied scene of dancing, leaping, shouting, drumming, and the firing of guns, as well as the frightening appearance of the egwugwu. The action climaxes with an explosion of gunfire and then comes to a stop with the phrase All was silent. Achebe emphasizes the gravity of Okonkwos crime by saying that in Umuofia nothing like this had ever happened. As in Chapter 8, Obierika quietly questions clan traditions — this time, the tradition demanding that Okonkwo be banished for seven years because of an accidental killing. He also questions the tribal abandonment of twins, remembering his own innocent children left to die in the forest. The chapter includes several intimations of impending doom for the clan and its traditions. Achebe ends the chapter dramatically with the proverb, If one finger brought oil, it soiled the others, suggesting that Okonkwos crime may lead to the ultimate downfall of Umuofia itself. Glossary Go-di-di-go-go-di-go. Di-go-go-di-go the sound of drumbeats on the ekwe, or drums. esoteric intended for or understood by only a chosen few, as an inner group of disciples or initiates (said of ideas, literature, and so). raffia 1) a palm tree of Madagascar, with large, pinnate leaves. 2) fiber from its leaves, used as string or woven into baskets, hats, and so on. Mbanta The name means small town and is where Okonkwos mother comes from, his motherland, beyond the borders of Mbaino (Ikemefunas original home).

Essay --

1. Descartes takes upon the task of finding what beliefs he holds are certain and in order to do this he partakes in the method of doubt. This is the method of doubt: â€Å"reject every belief which you can find reason to doubt† (Ginsborg Lecture 1/19). However, he finds the task of attacking every single belief that he holds to be too difficult, so he looks at the foundations for his beliefs. This will cause the beliefs built upon those foundations to also fall apart (AT 19). Throughout the first meditation Descartes goes through deeper stages of doubt, which leads him lastly to his supposition of the evil genius. The first foundation that Descartes breaks down is the belief of what his senses tell him about â€Å"very small and distant things† (AT 19). He notices how his senses have deceived him about these things and, therefore, attacks the beliefs he has about â€Å"very small and distant things†. Because the foundation of beliefs concerning â€Å"very small and distant things† is flawed, all the beliefs that were implicated from it can no longer be believed. Upon breaking down this first foundation, Descartes finds that he can still come to believe certain things that his senses tell him, like sitting next to a fire and holding a paper (AT 19). Therefore, Descartes considers that he may be dreaming, which makes these beliefs doubtful. Descartes argues that it is possible that he may be asleep and dreaming because there have been times in which he dreamt of mundane things such as sitting next to a fire. He cannot distinguish being awake and asleep. Dreaming has deceived him – it has made him think that he has been doing something other than actually sleeping (AT 29). Due to dream skepticism, the foundation of beliefs gained through his s... ...ed into. In essence, Descartes is a programmed computer that is being controlled, and seemingly has free will over his thoughts, but really does not. His future thoughts have already been assigned and his past and current thoughts were assigned. This idea of thoughts being instilled within him also indicates a second flaw in Descartes argument, in that he assumes he has free will in his thinking. The God in this scenario instills every aspect of thinking, such as to â€Å"doubt, understand, affirm...†, and so forth within Descartes. He cannot be certain that he has any control over the thoughts within his mind because he may not actually even have the ability to think. Thinking is not going on, but thoughts are inputted. Thus, having argued that he cannot assume that his thoughts belong to him and that he has free will, Descartes cannot be certain of his own existence.

Parents Should Use Physical Force to Discipline Children Essay

Introduction                     Discipline is a set instructions laid down for correction and training. It can be in form of punishment, physical activity, exercise or training aimed at changing and/or improving the behavior of the person being corrected. Discipline has always been seen as forceful correction, thus bringing negativity in its perception (Foucault, 1977). Generally, for any parent, a child should grow in a manner that pleases the parent and the community. The use of force has always been associated with the phrase â€Å"to discipline†. Physical force when used by a parent in disciplining a child, may leave a mark on the body of the child that will always serve as a reminder to the child whenever the child goes wrong. But it’s the way to child abuse. Schwan (2011) states the mark will serve as reminder thus bring self-control in any child whom is a victim, thus the willpower that will drive the child what is right. With self-control, comes motivation that is the steering to propel a victim. Physically inflicting pain brings training and control. Training is a routine as well as control therefore calling the parent to come out strongly and be ready to bring back the child to the desired direction any time the child goes wrong. Force can be quick and effective because not all children react to other forms that parent use to discipline them, this is true for children with hearing impairment as a disability, under this situation parents are left with no option but to use force to make the child grow in accordance to the ways that pleases not only the parents but the society to which the child belong. References Shaver, P. R., & Mikulincer, M. (2011).  Human aggression and violence: Causes, manifestations, and consequences. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Fairchild, J. H. (1892).  Moral science: Or, The philosophy of obligation. New York: Sheldon & Co. Crosser, S. (2005).  What do we know about early childhood education?: Research based practice. Clifton Park, NY: Thomson Delmar Learning. Films on Demand., & Films Media Group. (2010).  Breaking the Cycle of Abuse. Lawrenceville, NJ: Films Media Group. Source document