Tragic Heroines: Medea and Clytemnestra Essay -- Aristotle, Greek trage

Aristotle (384-322 B.C. believed that tragedy, as an imitation or mimesis of life as it could be, held more importance than history, which simply records the past. He considered that performance of a tragedy provided the perfect cathartic experience for an audience, leaving them spiritually purified and inspired. He felt spectators seeing and experiencing great hardship befall the play’s hero or heroine would achieve this emotional state and benefit from it. The tragic hero, according to Aristotle, must be essentially good and be of high or noble birth. The misfortune that precedes their downfall must evoke compassion and pity. The tragic hero must experience a peripeteia. Two of the most famous Greek tragic heroes (heroines) were Medea and Clytemnestra. They share characteristics Aristotle deemed essential for the heroic character in a tragedy. They are both of high rank. Medea is a princess and a sorceress, and Clytemnestra was the de facto ruler of Argos in Agamemnon’s absence. Their tales initially evoked sympathy, but hamartia and hubris were instrumental in each woman's downfall. Both suffer significant peripety as victims of their overly passionate natures. Clytemnestra is obsessed by the desire for vengeance over the death of her daughter at the hands of her husband, Agamemnon. While Clytemnestra's passion is for vengeance, Medea's is her unreasonable love for Jason, which turns into seething hatred. Clytemnestra’s peripeteia begins the moment Agamemnon sacrifices their daughter, Iphigenia. Heartbroken and grieving, Clytemnestra schemes, plotting vengeance for her daughter’s death. She obsessively plans her husband’s murder for so many years that it becomes a fait accompli. Clytemnestra greets his return with fa... ...s got to be done, -- do it without flinching. Whatever I do, my life will be unhappy. I’ll armor my heart with callousness, and take the sword in my hand...try to forget that they are my children and that I love them. I only need forget for a short time. And then I can remember all my life.† (Medea, pg. 343, 344). Revenge is at the core of the Greek tragedies Agamemnon, the first play in the trilogy Oresteia (Aeschylus (525 - 455 BC), and Medea (Euripides (431 – 480 B.C.). The protagonists in each play are women who carry out horrifying acts of revenge on their husbands. Both characters – Clytemnestra and Medea – are at once heroines, villainesses and victims. Works Cited Corrigan, Robert W. Classical Tragedy, Greek and Roman: 8 Plays in Authoritative Modern Translations Accompanied by Critical Essays. New York, NY: Applause Theatre Book, 1990. Print.

Credo Paper Essay

To have a belief is to have confidence, faith and trust in something that cannot always be proven right or wrong. Some families are required to have certain beliefs due to religions where as other individuals develop their own core beliefs based on experience or teaching from mentors in their life. Whether they are taught to you or you create them yourself, whatever you believe in makes up your core beliefs. Most of my core beliefs deal with my relationship with God, but a few beliefs go into how I live my life. To believe or not to believe in God; and how many God’s exactly? There are a lot of good explanations for both beliefs but I choose to believe in one eternal God. I have gone to church all of my life and over this time period I was taught to memorize and practice the Ten Commandments. The first commandment was to worship only one God. Due to how I was raised I have always only worshiped one God and that will never change. Some religions choose to worship more than one God but I do not understand this theory. Jesus was one human being and it is said that God lived through Jesus so therefor there is only one God to worship to. Nowhere is it said that there was more than one Jesus so why would one believe that there would be more than one God? The explanation is clear to me that since there was one human teaching God’s word on the Earth, than there would be only one Holy Spirit up in heaven telling his son what to teach. I choose to pray and worship to one Holy Spirit and I do this because I believe in one God almighty. Due to my belief in God being all-powerful, I believe this plays into my belief about him being all-knowing. God is the creator of our lives and is aware of what our futures will consist of. Although it is known that each human has free will, I think that God watches over us and encourages us to do the right things. The saying â€Å"do what your heart tells you† is why I bel ieve that God is all knowing. In my opinion I believe that God’s place is in our hearts. When the heart first beats that is when one knows that God has created another human being, but when the heart stops that person enters God’s kingdom. The time in between the first heart beat and the last God does his job through our hearts that is why I believe he is all powerful. He has the ability to control every person, but I do not believe he takes advantage of this power. God only controls us when we deeply need it and that is when we are told to do what our heart says. God tries to speak tous through our heart and minds because he has the power to do so. Although there is Evil in this world, I believe God is omnibenevolent. Omnibenevolent is to be all-good. If God did not have the characteristic to be all good then how different would the world and the people within it look? I have experienced God showing off his good deeds after attending major sports games (i.e. baseball, basketball, football, etc.). Typically individuals, who are homeless or jobless, sit on the side of the street and beg other people for money. Some people choose to just walk past and say nothing, while others choose to place money in the cup and say God Bless You. Because of people donating money to needy individuals there is good in the world. God teaches us to treat everyone like they are our bothers and/or sisters, but yet some people treat others as though they are devils. I do not believe that God wants us to give up everything in our lives to make one single person happy, but I do believe that God wants everyone to share wealth to stop suffering. I have read and seen that God wishes for peace on this Earth, with peace comes good and through God’s teachings, good will rise. I believe that God is the creator of all things. What or who else could have created us to be how we are? This belief could also tie into another one of my beliefs which is that God is omnipotent or otherwise stated as all-powerful. To me God is omnipotent because there are events that have no explanation to them. One event in particular is the creation of the Earth and everything living. Some individuals believe the Big Bang was the cause to the creation of the Earth and everything that came with it, but I believe differently. To create such a complex and genius design of everything cannot just come from an explosion; it had to come from a person with an ingenious brain. God created this earth because of knowing what all had to be put into it in order for people and animals to survive and reproduce. An explosion does not know how to created life on Earth but the Lord knows everything and therefor knew how to create a prosperous Earth for people and animals to strive on. Overall in m y opinion God is the creator of all things and there is no other explanation. I believe in predestination and I believe God is in control of it. My  reasons for believing in these theories are held in specific examples. My 11 year old cousin, Claire, was born missing optic nerves which caused her to lose sight. At the beginning of her life, my family was devastated and scared as to what would happen in the future. After watching her mature for 11 years, I am utterly amazed at the goals she has accomplished. Claire is now able to play the drums, play the piano, sit in a normal classroom setting, get around in certain places on her own, and socialize with people she is not familiar with. In my opinion she is downright a miracle in our family and I believe this was all in God’s plans. God predestined Claire to be born without sight so she could live a better life and show those around her what life is really about. My friend Austin also emphasizes my belief in predestination. Austin is homosexual and according to the Bible this is a sin. Due to what I believe in I do not agree with what the Bible says about homosexuality. I believe that God creates us and lives through us, but this would mean that God created Austin to be homosexual. If God thought that homosexuality was a sin, then he would not have predestined Austin have feelings for men. God loves all and that is why he creates a plan for us to follow for the rest of our lives. Overall, God has a plan for everyone, some plans may look scary or wrong, but in the end the events are already planned and will benefit us in the future. I believe that God can work through the hand of physicians to cure and save humans and animals. I have had a first-hand experience with this phenomenon with my cousin Claire who was mentioned earlier. Through Claire I have seen God’s miracles at work in multiple ways. About 4 years ago Claire and my Aunt Jennifer traveled across the world to China for a specific stem cell treatment. The treatment was supposed to supply Claire with the stem cells that she was born missing. My family had high hopes for this treatment, but no one was one hundred confident that it would work. After about 2 weeks of constant injections, I was able to witness through a computer screen, Claire call out certain shapes and colors to her doctors. This was truly a miracle that she could see as much as she did and it was all because of doctors and studies done. To this miracle I say thanks to God for blessing each doctor or researcher with the brain to invent such a treatment to help my cousin see just a little color in her life. This experience taught me to trust in doctors and researchers because they are given God’s hands and can cure a  lot more than most believe. The golden rule states â€Å"treat others the way you want to be treated.† I hold this rule t o a high standard because I live my life by it. Personally, I do not understand why people choose to judge others. I have experienced countless situations where a handicapped individual received the awkward stare down and then overheard the group of people start whispering about them. Every time this has happened, I get sick to my stomach. I do not understand how some people can be okay with judging people. So many times I have walked around with my cousin Claire and I cannot say how many times I have seen those eyes and heard the quieted talks amongst others. No, I am not the one being treated this way but I never want Claire to be treated in this regard either. I cannot imagine that those individuals judging innocent people do not wish to be judged in that regard, so my question will always stand; why do you look and or treat people that way if you would not want the same in return? Because of personal experiences of watching others being judged and being treated wrong myself, I strongly believe in the Golden Rule which again states that people should treat others the way they want to be treated. Some of my beliefs may not agree with your core beliefs but that is okay, because God created us all to be different. Whether one agrees or disagrees with my beliefs I think that everyone could come to an agreement that one’s core beliefs are how we choose to live our lives. In my life I choose to worship one eternal God who I believe is the power over all. I also believe that everyone should be treated equally in this world. I find peace within myself when I live out my beliefs daily and I hope to do this for the rest of my life.

African American Population Essay

At the beginning of each decade in the United States a census is taken to determine the population (Gale, 2008). While the 2000 census states that the African American population makes up 13% of the American population. And predicts it will stay the same percentage until the year 2050. The African American population will reproduce and contribute to the world as other majority and minority groups. So why wouldn’t this group grow as a population. African American Growth The African American population has been growing in America since they were involuntarily brought here. From 1492 to 1820 the African American population grew to 9. 5 million in the west alone (POPULATION, 2000). In 1900, there were 8. 8 million African Americans in the United States, representing 11. 6% of the total population. Between 1910 and 1930, the African American population percentage declined, reaching a low point in 1930 when the population was only 9. 7% of the United States population (Gale, 2008). Since 1930, the African American population has grown at a faster rate than national averages (POPULATION, 2000). Over four centuries the African American population has become less rural and concentrated than it was in the nineteenth century (POPULATION, 2000). African Americans do not have to endure slavery. The group has also gained the same rights as other minority and majority groups. The United States Department of Commerce The Department of Commerce expects growth in the Black population. The United States Department of Commerce expects the Black population to make up 16 percent on the American population, by the year 2050 (Black Collegian, 2002). The Department Economic and Statistic Administration will examine effect of the 2010 census and the black population. The Administration will concentrate on the finances of the Black population and any other new aspects to review. The census Bureau The 2000 census states that the African American population makes up 13 percent of the American population (U. S. Census Bureau, 2000). The census also predicts that the African American population will continue to make up only 13 percent in the year 2050 (Census, 2000). The Almanac suggests that African American are ranking lower than any other group in all categories. The almanac reference income gaps between African Americans and other races. The Black, American Indian and Alaskan Native, and Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander populations are expected to maintain their shares of the population in all series (U. S. Census Bureau, 2008 and 2009). A population that is having children and playing a major to the world as all other populations cannot stay the same for a period of 50 years. The encyclopedia of population stated that African American population growth increases much faster than statistics assume. The Department of Commerce predicts the African American population will rise to 16 percent in the year 2050. While the Census Bureau predicts that there will be no increase in the African American population in the year 2050 with out giving details of why this prediction is accurate. African American have endured a great struggle in America. They have over came many obstacles and they will overcome this one also. References POPULATION. (2000). In Encyclopedia of the United States in the Nineteenth Century. Retrieved from http://www. credoreference. com/entry/galeus/populationSmith, M. (2001). Ed. ). (1993). Black Collegian. [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-Text]. : . Retrieved March 31, 2010Year, from com220. Encyclopedia of population (Ed. ). (2003). African American population History. [University of Phoenix Custom Edition e-Text]. : . Retrieved March 26, 2010Year, from com220. Boyle, K. (2010). The Promise land: The making of African America. Retrived from New York Times book review. Table 1 Type the table text here in italics; start a new page for each table [Insert table here] Figure Captions Figure 1. Caption of figure [Figures – note that this page does not have the manuscript header and page number].

Dance in my life Essay

Ever since I was a little girl dance has always been an important part of my life. When I was five, my mom enrolled me in dancing classes after my sister, never realizing that dancing would ever lead to anything serious. For the first year, dancing was a side hobby to help keep me busy after school. Even though dancing was really fun to me, it did not become serious until my dance teacher looked me in my eyes and said â€Å"Lexus you have a big and lovable heart and I want you to dance with that heart of yours because I know that you have what it takes to become a great dancer.† That moment I knew that dance was going to always be a passion of mine. Over the years dance has helped me to grow in other ways. From it I have learned that hard work really does pay off. I learned that discipline and self-control are not only a vital part of dancing, but a necessary part of life. Also, I have recognized that motivation and perseverance are keys to success. What matters is not who wins in the beginning, but who is still on her feet in the end. Perhaps the most important lesson dance has taught is responsibility. Kaleidoscope has helped me in a lot of areas; even though I am small and tiny, I am very athletic, strong and I have a high self-esteem that anything is possible as long as you put your heart to it. I am encouraged now more than ever to try my best in class even if I look stupid because practice makes perfect. Becoming a Kaleidoscope officer hasn’t been a dream of mine till this year. Last year I thought I didn’t have what it took to become one, but this year, seeing how much you encouraged me to become a better dancer, it encouraged me to become a better person. When I tried out for Kaleidoscope, I wasn’t expecting to make it because I wasn’t in a dance class and I didn’t know Mrs. Karl personally at all. One day after school my friend told me to try out with her because she was scared to try out by herself. When I walked into the dance room I would have never thought I would be staying in that dance room. When I tried out, I took it as if god was giving me a chance to dance again and to fulfill a dream of mine. The term leader is someone who is in an advanced position to take the initiative in order to go forth and show the way but also to be able to make intelligent and creative decisions quickly and efficiently. Dance teams are all about unity. An exceptional dance group glides across the floor with all of its dancers moving as one. There are no individual standouts. No weak links. But there is one person whose job is to make the team as strong as  possible, on the floor and off. It’s one thing to be a good team player, but it’s another to be a good leader. Few will have the opportunity to feel the weight of the responsibilities and the happiness of knowing you are making a difference. Becoming a leader of any type of organization in my eyes is a huge job. It’s teaching respect by showing respect. It’s helping the other dancers, including myself, to strive and push themselves to be the best dancers I know we all can be. Having the title of being a Kaleidoscope Officer doesn’t mean being the boss of everyone, being in front of every dance, or just thinking that the Officer should come before everyone else. Officers are the inspiration of the team. They’re the person that everyone looks up to. Being a natural born leader is also a big role of a dance team. That means having self-confidence, good communication skills, courage, clear desire to make progress towards a goal, and a fair degree of understanding your fellow teammates. Being a leader requires focus on the big picture, doing what’s best for your team even on your worst days. If you’re negative, the team will take on the same attitude, even if everyone else has had a great day. As Officer of your dance team, I’ll definitely encounte r some sticky situations, like have to confront one of my teammates when they aren’t practicing full-out or not trying they’re hardest.

Why are policies in Germany so difficult to reform Essay

Why are policies in Germany so difficult to reform - Essay Example These included the modern poor relief, the Bismarckian paradigm or ‘worker policy’, protocorporatist social policy, and scientific social work. While the Bismarckian paradigm addressed workers as reliant on state policy, the proto-corporatist paradigm considered them as a partial subject. The latest measures taken by ‘conservative corporatist’ or Bismarckian welfare capitalistic regimes of Germany have not been examined through systematic comparative research (Bleses and Seeleib-Kaiser, 2004). However, literature related to welfare state change depicts the development of the Bismarckian family of welfare systems, and their distinction from other regimes. Bismarckian welfare systems confront the greatest challenges and require the most intensive changes. At the same time, there is documentary evidence of the Bismarckian welfare systems’ inability to implement essential reforms, state Palier and Martin (2007). On the other hand, Palier and Martin (2007) argue that in Germany over the last three decades, social insurance programmes have been developed, and changes incorporated in the Bismarckian welfare systems. Initially the emphasis was on raising social expenditure and social contribution towards funding a ‘labour shedding’ strategy to resolve the economic crisis. ... Two decades ago, researchers began investigating the ways in which mature welfare states including Germany, responded to those pressures. The findings indicated an absence of fundamental policy shifts, along with a significant contradiction that although structural pressurs for change could not be ignored for longer, there was relative stability in welfare state programmes. The two main approaches of historical institutionalism (Pierson 1994, 1996) and welfare regime theory (Esping-Andersen, 1990, 1999) helped to explain the continued stability inspite of the growing requirements for core changes to take place. According to these two approaches, â€Å"powerful institutional and electoral mechanisms and regime-specific characteristics prevented comprehensive reforms of European welfare states† (Stiller, 2010, p.9). At the same time, these explanations have been challenged, with increasing numbers of substantial reforms taking place across Europe, from the late 1990s onwards. Th is generated extensive research interest in the reasons and manner in which welfare state reform occurs. In the Federal Republic of Germany, the well-established Sozialstaat has undergone significant reform efforts, as seen from Katzenstein’s (2005) observation that major reform efforts related to labour markets, economic policymaking and social policy, together with partisan conflict and political stalemate, may have created a â€Å"recalibration or a dismantling of Germany’s semisovereign state† (Katzenstein, 2005, p.304). This development is significant because Germany has not demonstrated policy flexibility in the past. In fact, the country’s government had long been regarded as the key example of

Labour Law seen examination Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Labour Law seen examination - Essay Example Thus, each individual application must be treated on the merits. Fareeda Fareeda may be able to make a claim for direct discrimination given that she surpassed all the requirements that were listed by Allan in their invitation. However, there is no express mention by the Allan’s of any reason that they may have considered to select Lady Monique in Fareeda’s place. The only statement that may allude to any discrimination is their justification of Lady Monique’s associations with ‘the right sort of families and the right sort of children’. From the facts of Mandla v Dowell Lee [1982]1, it follows that Muslims may also form part of a nationality with distinct ethnic origins in order to be classified as a racial group for the purposes of the Race Relations Act 1976. The scope of discrimination was expanded by this Act to people who were treated unfavorably as a result of racial profiling of third parties (Weathersfield Ltd v Sargeant)2.  With the incep tion of the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003, religious discrimination took statutory form by protecting people with â€Å"any religion, religious belief or philosophical belief†. ... However individually she may not be able to be compensated for her grievance and her remedy must be based on the validity of the claims of the other applicants. Beverly McLaughlin Beverly also fulfills the requirements of the job offer. Her claim would be based on the assertion that she was discriminated on account of her age which is protected under the Equality Bill 2006. Given that she was more than qualified for the job, the Allan’s belief that Lady Monique would have more connections with the right families and the right children could be more than attributable in Beverly’s favor since she has more experience as a nanny working under an extremely wealthy employer for 20 years. Lady Elizabeth Porter Lady Elizabeth Porter can assert that she was discriminated against on account of her blindness under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 as amended by the Disability Discrimination Act 2005, since her disability qualifies as one recognized by s.1 of the 1995 Act (as amended by s.18 of the Act of 2005); â€Å"a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on his ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities†. Her credentials are also far superior than that of Lady Monique’s. Moreover, the Allan’s are no longer under the protection of the 1995 regime which exempted employers with less than 20 employees, as the 2005 amendment changes that to include small employers as well. However, in this case, the Allan’s can resort to the defense of ‘justification’ since the child to be taken care of is 2 years old and would require to be tended to much more closely than a blind person can afford. Under the act, this defense may be

MILITARY PAY SYSTEMS Research Proposal Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

MILITARY PAY SYSTEMS - Research Proposal Example DATA ANALYSIS AND REPORT l. APPENDICES AND REFERENCES Time schedule Resources needed Personnel Assurances /Clearances Questionnaire/ survey/interview A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF MILITARY PAY SYSTEMS a. INTRODUCTION The military is a major arm of the government; it is an organization that is endowed with the sole and sensitive function of providing internal and external security of the country. A vital area of research under the military pay system would be general rather than specific. The research is therefore concerned with addressing the military pay in a diverse perspective: the structural make up of the system; how the structure operates; accountability; and responsibility of the system. Also, all the issues that impact the overall system will be addressed by the research undertaking; under issues, gender and military will be addressed, military and crime, recruitment in the military and their salary schemes including other relevant issues. It is these kinds of motivations and u rge to find out that have propelled the urge to find out about the military pay system. This study will lead to the development of strategies to help deal with the challenges depicted (Neuman 2009). This is to ensure that the future benefits realized from the system are maximized for the future generations. Research on Military pay is also because there is tremendous transformation in the socio-economic sector. The socio-economic changes have severely affected the stakeholders in the military by causing severe stress due to the culture and the social make up of the society. This has lead to the creation and sustained social crimes like rape, murder, and economic vices in the military. Therefore, this research project is towards seeking, exploring and investigating/finding out the following: To examine the extent to which the military pay systems and structures have influenced the economy of the country. To identify and evaluate the areas which require change and restructuring for ef ficiency. To assess the impacts of the changes affected ones they are in position. The evaluation here seeks towards finding a sustainable solution for the military pay tribulations. b. PROBLEM STATEMENT Military officers are an important asset to any country hence must be accorded all the assistance they need in order to perform their work efficiently. The research is hence seeks to find out why there is never enough compensation to the military for the work they do and the risk they expose themselves to. The relevant expected risks shall be identified and advocacy plus awareness be shouted to the government that they will never be in the position to provide enough compensation for the risks that the military are engaged (Neuman 2009). Those seeking to join the forces will also have enough knowledge and facts to make a basis before deciding to join the forces or not. c. RESEARCH RATIONALE The problem is that the compensation is never enough and the reason therefore has a fundamenta l task of finding why this is so; the major reasons behind this fact. This research is also towards finding out about the nature and magnitude of the risks and tries proposing a compensation that if given to the service men would be closer to substituting the risks that they face in the course of discharging their duties (Financial Friendly fire 2006). The research requires a dissection into the roles of the study and can only be determined using qualitative approach of data collection and analysis; this will be done through collection of information from a varied group of persons in the military identified through random selection, topics to be discussed with them is as well got randomly. The methods of investigation entail