The Climb Towards Tenacity free essay sample

It was three in the morning when the black van pulled up to the hotel. A tall man with crazy hair climbed out and greeted us. Half asleep, I clambered into the car, and hours later; I awoke to the sight of the desert and the driver swerving through the barren road. He pulled into a parking lot and I unsteadily got out of the car and stared at the mountain. â€Å"Come on, yalla! Let’s go!† He shoved a water bottle into my hand as we started the climb. I knew the stories and facts about the landmark. In the final accords of the First Jewish-Roman War, a siege of Masada by the Roman army led to a mass suicide of the Jews living on the mountain. It is one of the Jewish people’s great symbols, an ironic icon of survival in the face of adversity. The guide reminded me of the story as I stepped over rocks and stumbled up the narrow stone steps. We will write a custom essay sample on The Climb Towards Tenacity or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page As we dragged on, I learned more about the guide. His name was Avi Goren—a medal-winning soldier who fought in the 1973 Yom Kippur War. He drove tanks throughout the war; every tank he drove was attacked and the soldiers inside injured. In many of these instances, Avi was the only survivor of the attack. Injured, he repeatedly left the tank into open fire to retrieve bodies for proper burial. As he told the story, I could see the emotions and hardships he was carrying with him. He is the bravest man I know, for, regardless of what he went through, he continues on with courage and selflessness. He finished his story as we reached the top of Masada and we sat down to watch the sunrise over the Israeli desert. When the sun reached the top of the sky we toured the ruins of the ancient mountaintop fortress. We moved through the beautiful architecture of the bathhouse and the aqueducts and I tried to imagine the difficult choice my ancestors had to make. As the story goes, the Rom ans seized the fortress and instead of allowing themselves to be captured and enslaved, the Jewish people inhabiting the fortress took their own lives as an act of defiance. They realized that to surrender their freedom would be worse than death. By keeping the Jewish flame alive, they became a symbol of triumph of the Jewish spirit. After the tour, we started the grueling walk down the mountain. The sun was at full height, raising the temperature to 110 degrees. With my next step, my ankle rolled and I fell to the ground. I felt the prickle of tears and I nursed the searing pain in my foot as two options flashed before my eyes: turn around and take the cable car, or, continue my pilgrimage regardless of my injury. I thought of the perseverance that the people of Masada and Avi had in the face of adversity, and knew I simply had to continue. After many painful steps, I limped over to the car and replayed the last few hours in my head. Perseverance in the face of affliction: the Jew ish people are always overcoming hardships, and as we move forward and celebrate the Hanukkah miracle or being saved from slavery in Egypt, we must remember the importance of maintaining the Jewish light and spirit. As I finished my climb of Masada, I started a new climb towards strength and courage as my Jewish ancestors and heroes did before me.

The Field Written by John B. Keane

The Field Written by John B. Keane The Field is a play written by John B. Keane. The play is set in a small village of Southwest Ireland. The main character, Bull McCbe, is a man who transforms a barren rocky piece of land to a fertile field. Years of commitment, hard labor, and dedication enabled him to achieve all these.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on The Field Written by John B. Keane specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More He cultivated this land for a very long time. He even considered owning it. The owner of the plot finally decided to sell it through public auction. To McCbe, this was an opportunity to own the field. Somehow, McCbe succeeded in keeping the town people out of the bid. This disappointed Mick Flanagan, the auctioneer. Much of this was through intimidation. The arrival of William Dee surprised McCbe. The American was on the mission of acquiring land in order to be accepted as part of the societal member. Together with his son, McCbe set out on a mission to convince the stranger to withdraw his bid. Their encounter ended fatally because the stranger was killed. Subsequently, villagers covered-up the story. McCabe was so concerned with his farming to an extent that he did not care about his family. The play explores the importance of land to the people of Ireland during the 20th century. This is observed in the beginning of the play when the father claimed that land was what mattered. He advised the son to acquire huge tracts of land before marrying. He even sacrificed his life for land. He advised his son not to marry a woman who did not own land. Though the actions of MacCbe appeared cruel and violent, they should be understood in a positive way. He was fighting to keep the land because it was a source of livelihood. Moreover, land was important to his children. John Keane uses strong narrative lines that create suspense. In spite of his intimidating character, the villagers still supported him. They beat up the st ranger and killed him, but vehemently protected the McCabe family. The villagers did not trust the legal institutions at all. This is seen from the way they addressed the sergeant, the father, and the Bishop. When Leamy accused McCabe of being a bully, his mother labeled him a weak man who was very different from the rest of men. However, Leamy claimed that the whole village would forget the injustices meted out to innocent people, but his experiences would be remembered forever. This is associated with events that develop later in the play. The death of the son resulted from his father’s stubbornness. The father did actions that really put the son in a compromising position. Tadgh McCabe was always in agreement with his father’s decision. For instance, they had teamed up with his father at night to formulate the ways through which they could kill the stranger. His father’s stubbornness aimed at stopping anybody from interfering with his interests.Advertising Looking for essay on literature languages? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More His main interest was acquisition of land. Tadgh and his father McCabe succeeded initially to convince the town people to support them. The truth, however, came out later and contributed greatly to the death of Tadgh. The son died while trying to protect his land from perceived grabbers. This was because of his father’s stubborn teachings. The father informed the priest about the death of the villager, who reported the case to the widow. What was happening in that village was not in line with the international norms and standards. Technology was everywhere and could not be stopped. The society described in the text was lagging behind culturally because marriage could be sacrificed for land. The son could not subscribe to his father’s ideas. In other words, everything they did involved land, which forced the son to escape with his lover.

Assess the extent to which governments shape the global oil economy Essay - 1

Assess the extent to which governments shape the global oil economy. In your analysis, consider the respective roles of nature, industrial structure and war - Essay Example Often, governments use regulatory policies such as tax exemptions to encourage private companies to drill oil in the region. The Iraqi government pays oil-drilling companies a fee per barrel, as an incentive for them to meet the unrealistic quotas it sets (Muttitt 2012, p. 1-2). Corruption amongst government officials remains the biggest challenge of oil production in the region. For example, the two ruling families of Kurdistan destabilize oil production in the region through indiscriminate trading of oil through corrupt means (Muttitt 2012, p. 1-2). Generally, any form of conflict, be it external or internal adversely affects a country’s economy. Jones (2012, p. 208) infers that successful oil production in the Middle East peaked US’ interest, which in turn led to the latter invading the former. Years of war adversely affected the Middle Eastern states especially their economic output. Muttitt (2010, p. 1), states that nine years after the withdrawal of US troops from Iraq resulted in increased oil output whereby in 2011, Iraq ranked second among other countries affiliated with OPEC. In conclusion, civil war, unfavorable government policies, and the limited nature of natural resources adversely affects oil production across the globe. Weeding out corruption in government, adoption of renewable (alternative) sources of energy, and preventing the onset of war are factors likely to improve the global oil

West Nile Virus Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

West Nile Virus - Research Paper Example Over the next few years, this virus had spread across the whole of North America and the Caribbean, increasing the risk of new infections. While this virus does not commonly affect human beings, cases of infections are on the increase as this virus spreads globally. The first step, in the contamination process, takes place when a female mosquito bites an infected bird. This mosquito obtains the virus while consuming the bird’s blood and in the process, the virus is passed on to it. The infected female mosquito then spreads the virus through their bites to humans and most of the infections occur among the elderly and people who have impaired immune systems. There is also a high possibility of this virus to be spread to those people who live in areas where there are mosquitoes. According to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, people who get the virus display mild symptoms as fever, headaches, body aches, skin rash, and swollen lymph glands, but in cases where the virus enters the brain however; it can cause inflammation of the brain (encephalitis) or inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord (meningitis). Most of the deaths caused by WNV have been among birds with few human cases, an example of which is in 2009, where there were 720 human cases of the disease in the United States amongst, which only thirty-two were fatal. There are currently no vaccines or treatments for the human WNV disease and now, scientists have accelerated the research on developing the tools necessary for its treatment and prevention. According to Margulies (47), the best way to prevent the virus is by continuously testing for it so that it can be detected early and steps taken to prevent its further spread. Furthermore, it is advisable to frequently used mosquito repellent on exposed skin so that the possibility of being bitten is reduced. Those living in areas where mosquitoes of any species

Auditory processing in Speech Production

Auditory processing in Speech Production The integration of auditory feedback from self generated speech sounds into upcoming motor commands is important for the stability and control of speech production. For example, children with profound hearing impairment experience greater difficulty acquiring and maintaining speech than their normal hearing peers (Campisi, Low, Papsin, Mount, Harrison, 2006; Kishon-Rabin, Taitelbaum-Swead, Ezrati-Vinacour, Hildesheimer, 2005; Moeller, Hoover, Putman, Arbataitis, Bohnenkamp, Peterson, Lewis et al., 2007; Moeller, Hoover, Putman, Arbataitis, Bohnenkamp, Peterson, Wood et al., 2007). Also, adults with acquired hearing loss show a gradual degradation of their previously proficient articulatory ability that is partially restored after cochlear implantation (Kishon-Rabin, Taitelbaum, Tobin, Hildesheimer, 1999). The importance of auditory feedback for speech motor control in normal speakers has been demonstrated via perturbation studies. Various studies have shown the compensatory impact perturbing the volume (Bauer, Mittal, Larson, Hain, 2006), pitch (Burnett, Senner, Larson, 1997), phonetic accuracy (Houde Jordan, 1998) and timing (Jones Striemer, 2007) of auditory feedback has on the kinematic and acoustic outcomes of speech production in normal speakers. Computational neural network models of speech production have also been used to demonstrate the importance of auditory feedback for articulatory control (Guenther, Husain, Cohen, Shinn-Cunningham, 1999; Perkell et al., 2000). Perturbing the timing of auditory feedback in people who are fluent is known to induce a variety of articulation disturbances. Specifically, delayed auditory feedback varied between 200 ms and 400 ms during reading aloud results in a reduced number of correct words, increased total reading time, monosyllabic sound substitutions, omissions, insertions and additions including repetitions (Fairbanks, 1955; Fairbanks Guttman, 1958; B. S. Lee, 1950; B. S. Lee, 1951; Stuart, Kalinowski, Rastatter, Lynch, 2002; Yates, 1963). Conversely, delayed auditory feedback has been shown to positively influence speech fluency in people who stutter (Adamczyk, 1959; Kalinowski, Stuart, Sark, Armson, 1996; Ryan Van Kirk, 1974; Soderberg, 1968; Stuart, Kalinowski, Armson, Stenstrom, Jones, 1996; Stuart, Kalinowski, Rastatter, 1997). The degree of fluency enhancement varies depending on a number of variables (e.g. delay duration, feedback intensity), the context and the individual (Armson, Kiefte, Ma son, DeCroos, 2006; Wingate, 1970). As a result of the variable responses reported in the literature, the clinical effectiveness of altered auditory feedback as a treatment tool remains controversial (Antipova, Purdy, Blakeley, Williams, 2008; Lincoln, Packman, Onslow, 2006; ODonnell, Armson, Kiefte, 2008; Pollard, Ellis, Finan, Ramig, 2009; Stuart, Kalinowski, Rastatter, Saltuklaroglu, Dayalu, 2004; Stuart, Kalinowski, Saltuklaroglu, Guntupalli, 2006; Wingate, 1970). The basis for the variable response of adults who stutter to delayed auditory feedback is not known. Various theories have been put forward to describe how delayed auditory feedback induces fluent speech in some individuals who stutter. It has been proposed that delayed auditory feedback results in speech improvement by forcing the person who stutters to assume a new pattern of speech movement (Goldiamond, 1965). The new pattern is claimed to be established and maintained via operant learning principles with the delayed auditory feedback functioning as aversive negative reinforcement. As pointed out by Wingate (1970), the conceptualization of this process is unclear and incomplete. However, there is some evidence to support the claim that a new speech pattern is learned (Ryan Van Kirk, 1974). It has also been proposed that the delayed auditory feedback is corrective in nature thereby improving fluency. However, the contrary that delayed auditory feedback is distorted feedback seems to be obvious (Wingate, 1970). Some authors have posited that the key to delayed auditory feedback’s effectiveness is the reduction of meaningful feedback (Wingate, 1970) denying the person who stutters the ability to rely on this potentially inefficient control system. This assertion is somewhat supported by the observation that masking of auditory feedback also induces fluent speech in some individuals who stutter (Sutton Chase, 1961; Wingate, 1970). Lastly, it has been proposed that delayed auditory feedback is effective because of the tendency of individuals to slow their speech rate, prolong vowel duration and increase vocal intensity and fundamental frequency (Wingate, 1970). However, changes to speech characteristics such as a slower rate cannot be the only reason that delayed auditory feedback is effective, as it has been demonstrated to have similar fluency enhancing effects even at fast rates of speech (Kalinowski et al., 1996; Stuart et al., 2002). The effects of altered auditory feedback on speech fluency in people who stutter demonstrate the importance of auditory processing in the disorder. Advancing our understanding of the role auditory processing plays in the speech production of people who stutter may begin to elucidate the mechanisms behind fluency inducing altered auditory feedback. 1.5.2 Auditory processing in normal and stuttered speech production: Behavioural studies of auditory processing in adults and children who stutter have yielded evidence of central auditory processing differences in these populations relative to fluent age-matched peers. Rousey, Goetzinger and Dirks (1959) reported that 20 stuttering children showed below normal performance on sound localization. Lack of sound localization skills may be indicative of temporal lobe disorders (Jerger, Wekers, Sharbrough, Jerger, 1969). Various studies have employed batteries of audiometric tests to behaviourally evaluate central auditory processing in adults children who stutter. Rousey, Goetzinger and Dirks (1959) reported that 20 stuttering children showed below normal performance on sound localization. Hall and Jerger (1978) reported that adults who stutter performed poorly relative to fluent adults on a subset of such tests. They concluded that the results suggested the presence of a subtle central auditory processing deficit in adults who stutter. Anderson, Hood an d Sellers (1988) conducted a similar study and found that adolescents who stuttered performed poorly on only one subtest as compared to a group of age-matched control participants. They similarly concluded that if a deficit exists it is subtle. Evidence of a subtle central auditory processing deficit has also been demonstrated in children who stutter. For example, children who stutter have been found to have higher thresholds on backward masking tasks than children who do not stutter (Howell, Rosen, Hannigan, Rustin, 2000). Howell et al. also found a positive correlation between backward masking thresholds and stuttering severity in children who stutter. In a follow-up study Howell and Williams (2004) investigated children who stutter on a battery of audiometric tests including backward masking tasks. Based on the profile of performance on the audiometric battery of tests, Howell et al. (2004) reached the conclusion that children who stutter had a different developmental pattern of central auditory processing abilities relative to their fluently speaking age-matched peers but they did not specify the nature of that difference. More recently, central auditory functioning was evaluated behaviourally and with electroencephalography in adults who stutter (Hampton Weber-Fox, 2008). Behaviourally, adults who stutter performed less accurately and demonstrated longer reaction times in response to the prompt tone in a standard oddball paradigm. However, a small subgroup of adults who stutter was found to be driving the results. The same subgroup of poor performing adults who stutter also demonstrated abnormal evoked auditory waveforms. Hampton and Weber-Fox (2008) concluded that this subgroup demonstrated deficient non-linguistic auditory processing. Objective tests like AEPs are valid and useful measures to study auditory processing in persons with stuttering as they reflect changes in auditory system as stimuli is processed.

Love is Pain Essay

â€Å"Then almighty Juno, pitying her long agony and painful dying, sent Iris down from heaven to release her struggling soul from the prison of her flesh.† – The Aeneid, Book 4, line 693   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In Book four of the Aeneid, the selection narrates the tragic story between the protagonist of the story, Aeneas and Dido, the queen of Carthage. Although Aeneas and Dido’s relationship only spans a small chapter in the entirety of the Aeneid, it still represent striking themes on love, betrayal, and omnipotent interference of the gods in the affairs of human beings. The story of Aeneas and Dido is a classic symbolism of love; the man, compelled by duty, sheds love that he could never have while the woman scorns for her downcast state yet finds retribution with death as she escapes her mortal prison full of pain and anguish.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   After the death of her husband, Dido swears that she will not marry again. However, the interference of Venus and her son Cupid causes the love of Dido for Aeneas to grow as she listens to his tragic tales. Dido’s sister Anna consoles the queen and reassures her that by marrying Aeneas, Carthage’s military power will increase since Trojan warriors loyal to Aeneas will follow him. Juno, the wife of Jupiter and the goddess of marriage, sees that Dido’s love for Aeneas has consumed her and plots to prevent Aeneas from going to Italy. Juno convinces Venus to aid her into getting Dido and Aeneas together so that they could be alone together. Juno promises a storm so that they could take shelter in a cave. In doing so, the Trojans and Tyrians would forge a truce and the two goddesses will end their squabble. The following day, the queen of Carthage and the Trojan warrior leave the city to go hunting. In the middle of the forest, Juno brings down the promised storm and the couple takes refuge under a cake. The two enjoy a moment together and openly declare their love for each other as they returned to Carthage. Dido considers their experience together as a married couple yet to be consecrated in ceremony. Meanwhile, rumors spread around the mismanaged city that couple submitted themselves to lust and began to neglect their duties as rulers.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Jupiter learns of the situation of Dido and Aeneas and sends Mercury to convey a message to Aeneas to remind him of his duty and must immediately leave for Italy. Aeneas is shocked but obeys the command. Yet he is in dilemma; compelled by his divine responsibilities, he is left to think by himself on how would explain his leave to Dido. Aeneas commands his men to secretly prepare the ship for departure but Dido catches him in the act. Dido’s anger is unexplainable as she began to insult Aeneas and accusing him for stealing her honor. Aeneas is torn by regret, yet he pushes aside his emotional burden for his greater responsibility with fate. Dido sends her sister Anna to persuade Aeneas to stay, but the Trojan warrior has made up his mind.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Amid a period of distress, love, and anger, the queen appears one day calm and replete and quietly orders her sister to start a fire the courtyard. By starting a fire, she can get rid of Aeneas memory by burning all his clothes and things that he left. Dido’s grief causes her a sleepless night while Aeneas dreams of Mercury again and sends him another message that he has lingered too long and must leave soon. With this, Aeneas leaves the city of Carthage.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   The queen sees Aeneas fleet depart and falls into emotional disrepair. Running to the roaring flames burning all their memories together, she turns it into her own funeral pyre. In her grief, she takes a sword and stabs herself while cursing the departing Aeneas. Her sister and their servants run up to the dying Dido and Juno takes pity and sends Iris to redeem Dido’s struggling soul from her mortal prison.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Dido and Aeneas’ story of love is only for a brief moment as Aeneas leaves for Italy, leaving Dido behind. As implied by the introductory passages, Dido is already torn between her emotions and better judgment as early as her relationship with Aeneas begins to grow. â€Å"But the queen, long since smitten with a grievous love-pang, feeds the wound with her lifeblood and is wasted with fire unseen† (IV, 1). Her character is put to the test between the coming of Aeneas and the recent death of his husband. The use of lifeblood in the sentence implies that Dido already hides her emotional scars and attempts to restart a new life. Dido mentions, â€Å"He who first linked me to himself has taken away my hear; may he keep it with him, and guard it in the grave!† (IV, 6). Dido engulfs herself in her own grief, denying her change in rekindling love and an opportunity for happiness. It can be deduced from the passage that she has suffered a number of painful experiences with love and has lost the will to love again. Consequently, the goddess Juno sees Dido’s love for Juno grows to a point that it could kill her: â€Å"Soon as the loved wife of Jove saw that Dido was held in a passion so fatal, and that her good name was now bar to her frenzy†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (IV, 90). This means that her love for Aeneas was true and real, so true that if ever she has her heart broken again, it would cause her a tragic death. Dido already gave all her love to a man who she knew in herself that she would love forever. Dido’s tragedy is reflected her own love; she was unable to see past the consequences of the choice she was making because of her already miserable state.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   With help of Juno and Venus, Dido’s love grows and plans to set the couple alone during the hunt. The goddesses’ plan may be mistaken as pity in the case of Dido but she is only a distraction for Aeneas to not embark on his journey. Dido and Aeneas are unaware of this ploy and enjoy happiness for a short period of time. As the couple goes hunting, Dido and Aeneas finally have the time to be alone together as they shelter themselves in a cave against a violent storm. The two make love and Dido is satisfied and happy â€Å"†¦for no more is Dido swayed by fair show or fair fame, no more does she dream of a secret love: she calls it marriage and with that name veils her sin† (IV, 160). Dido at last experiences true happiness and Aeneas feels the same for her. Their love was no longer a subject of suspicion and their acts in the cave made Dido feel that they were already married and only to be ‘officialized’ by a formal ceremony. For a brief moment of time, Dido and Aeneas find happiness with each other, finally separating themselves from their tragic lives even though only quantified with physical pleasure.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   However, Aeneas receives a message from Jupiter to remind him of his duty to Italy. He is torn with regret. â€Å"He burns to fell away and quit that pleasant land, awed by that warning and divine commandment. Ah, what to do? With what speech now dare he approach the frenzied queen?† (IV, 279). Aeneas tragic trait falls under his burden of fate but not of choice. Aeneas immediately considers his divine responsibility without any choice of disregarding his duty. He is bound to his fate without means of escape. Based from his initial reaction, he immediate thinks on how to address his fate to Dido, who is hopelessly in love with him. Dido, upon hearing of the news, flies into a maddening rage and confronts Aeneas: â€Å"False one! Did you really hope to cloak so foul a crime and to steal my land in silence? Does neither our love restrain you, nor the pledge once given, nor the doom of a cruel death for Dido?† (IV, 305). Her love causes her madness, torn between the idea of her kingdom’s fate without a strong army and her blinded love for Aeneas. It can be observed in the passage that she cannot contain her emotion anymore and says what she truly feels. Aeneas, in turn, replies: â€Å"Now, too, the messenger of the gods sent from Jove himself – I swear by both our lives – has borne his command down through the swift breezes; my own eyes saw the god in the clear light of day come within our walls and these ears drank in his words. Cease to inflame yourself and me with your complaints. It is not by my wish that I make for Italy† (IV, 331). Aeneas is compelled by his duty and tries to explain his situation to Dido, making her understand. Dido, enraged by her loved and fear, retorts: â€Å"Truly, this is work for the gods, this is care to vex their peace! I detain you not†¦Yet I trust, if the righteous gods have any power, that on the rocks midway you will drain the cup of vengeance and often call on Dido’s name. Though far away, I will chase you with murky brands and, when chill death has severed soul and body, everywhere my shade shall haunt you† (IV, 362). Dido’s love causes her uncontrollable rage and he imparts Aeneas a haunting thought for him before leaving. Clearly, she is angered over this development and curses Aeneas from being adamant in his quest. She even favors her sister to persuade the Trojan hero from leaving as a last resort.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In the end, Dido prays for her death. She instructs her sister to construct a fire that would burn all her memories of Aeneas: clothes, weapons, armor, etc. â€Å"I want to destroy all memorials of the abhorred wretch, and the priestess to directs† (IV, 474). Driven by madness of love, regret, and bitterness, she throws herself into the pyre and stabs herself with Aeneas’ sword.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   Aeneas’ has the greatest tragedy as a character. He spurns the love of Dido, compelled by his duty to Jupiter and his quest to Italy. After a night thinking about Dido, he falls asleep and in his dream, he sees the messenger of the gods hastening him with his journey. Without any other thought, he calls his men and leaves the ports of Carthage that same night. He feels no remorse or regret as shown in this passage: â€Å"Thus indeed Aeneas, scared by the sudden vision, tears himself from sleep and bestirs his comrades. ‘Make haste, my men, awake and man the benches! Unfurl the sails with speed! A god sent from high heaven again spurs us to hasten our flight and cut the twisted cables†¦Ã¢â‚¬â„¢ The same zeal catches all at once; with hurry and scurry they have quitted the shore; the sea is hidden under their fleets; lustily the churn the foam and sweep the blue waters† (IV, 571). Aeneas cares nothing about his feeling or his emotions once the divine gods imperiously command his return. He is more fearful of his life and fate rather than his love for Dido.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   For Dido, her most tragic trait was her selfless love for Aeneas. She did not once waver in her love, yet she was driven by madness. After a fruitful experience with Dido, she viewed their relationship beyond physical pleasure. Aeneas also felt exactly the same way, but he considered his duty before love. Consequently, Dido’s painful and bitter remark represented her regret, anger, and sorrow at the same time: â€Å"At least, if before your flight a child of yours had been born to me, if in my hall a baby Aeneas were playing whose face, in spite of all, would bring back yours, I should not think myself utterly vanquished and forlorn† (IV, 305). This is probably her ultimate sacrifice and the cause of her eventual downfall. Dido was ready to establish a new life with Aeneas. Yet, after all her love and sacrifices, she feels betrayed by Aeneas sudden departure. She feels a mixture of fear, anger, sorrow and hopelessness in her part. The passage implies her most tragic trait – torn by love yet a memory of him survives in form of his child is alive to remind her of a tragic and painful love from the past. Works Cited Virgil. â€Å"Eclogues, Georgics, Aeneid.† trans. Fairclough, H. Loeb Classical Library Volumes 63 & 64. Cambridge, Mass: Cambridge University Press, 1916.   

Examine Hamlet’s Relationship with Gertrude Essay

At the beginning of the play, during Hamlet’s first soliloquy, Hamlet contemplates suicide because he is so furious with his mother for marrying Claudius within a month of his father’s death. This is when Hamlet comments, ‘frailty thy name is woman’ to express his bitter feelings towards his mother for not only the speed of her remarriage and betrayal of his father, but the ‘dexterity to incestuous sheets’. The situation, and Hamlet’s reaction to it, is a trigger of an increasing negative attitude towards all women, viewing them as weak. It is shown through his relationships with Gertrude and Ophelia. The audience learn through the other characters that Hamlet has shown affections towards Ophelia; whether they are genuine and lasting feelings is uncertain as Leartes advices Ophelia that they are not. Leartes asks Ophelia to ‘hold it a fashion, and a toy in blood;/ A violet in the youth of primary nature.’ Leartes not only says that Hamlet’s feeling towards Ophelia is short-lived nonsense of his youth but highlights that ‘for he himself is subject to his birth’. Polonius also echoes a negative portrayal of Hamlet’s relationship with Ophelia as he advises her to ‘be somewhat scaner of your maiden presence’. Ophelia sees that Hamlet’s feelings are genuine as he ‘hath importuned me with love / In honourable fashion’ and ‘hath given countenance to his speech†¦ with almost all the holy vows of heaven’. However, she is obedient and follows the wishes of her brother and father to ‘keep as watchman to my heart’ or to not ‘give words or talk with the Lord’. The rejection of Hamlet by Ophelia is a significant influence in him believing that ‘frailty thy name is woman’ as Ophelia could be seen as weak for following the orders of others who assumed that Hamlet’s affections could not be trusted when she, herself, believed them to be true. Hamlet’s reaction to Ophelia’s rejection is extreme and she is ‘affrighted’ by his state of ‘knees knocking each other†¦ with a look so piteous in purport/ As if he had been loosed out of hell’. His bitterness has been exaggerated by the ‘antic disposition’ that he has adopted since learning that his father was murdered by his uncle from his father’s ghost. This would make him feel even more anger towards his mother for marrying Claudius. He is manipulated by the Ghost who encourages his frustration for her when he says, ‘ shameful lust/ The will of my most seeming-virtuous Queen’. Hamlet is in a vulnerable position as he is shocked by the revelations and is still grieving his father; it is comforting to ally his own feelings with his father’s in his resent towards Gertrude for marrying Claudius so soon after the King’s death and is quick to believe that he is a murderer. Hamlet follows the Ghost’s orders to not seek revenge on Gertrude but to ‘leave her to heaven’. Hamlet’s despise for Gertrude festers within him through the play and with it, his views of women. Hamlet follows the Ghost’s wishes not to take action against Gertrude and as a result he makes Ophelia suffer for his hatred of his mother. The extreme behaviour which Ophelia reports to her father leads Polonius to believe that he is ‘mad’ with the ‘very ecstasy of love’. Ophelia was obedient to her father’s wishes and ‘did repel his letters, and denied/ His access to me.’ In contrast to Hamlet’s ‘mad’ behaviour a letter written by him to Ophelia shows his strong feelings of affection towards her as he says, ‘To the celestial and my soul’s idol, the most/ beautified Ophelia’. The language is passionate in a very exaggerated style and shows that Hamlet had powerful emotions for her, and a rejection would cause an exaggerated reaction also. In conversation with Polonius, Hamlet’s bitter feelings towards women come out through quick and crude puns: ‘Let her walk not I’ th’ sun. Conception is a blessing, but not as your daughter may conceive’. This echoes Hamlet’s comment that ‘frailty thy name is woman’ as the punning suggests women are improper and easily influenced. In Hamlet’s next meeting with Ophelia he is harsh towards her and denies sending her letters but speaks abruptly to her, making connections between chastity, beauty and immorality. He repudiates Ophelia, the woman he once claimed to love, in the harshest terms and urges her to go to a nunnery as she ‘wouldst thou be a breeder of sinners’ and comments unfavourably on the flirtatious tricks of women such as ‘lisp’ and ‘nickname’. Hamlet says ‘we will have no more marriage’, this is not only because he believes women make ‘monsters’ of their husbands but the resent of his mother’s marriage to Claudius is also implied. When Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are sent to find out what is troubling Hamlet he feels betrayed his mother as his mother and Claudius are together plotting together ways spying on Hamlet; his mother is being led by Claudius. He goes on to say that he has lost all interest in life, ‘Man/ delights not me; no, nor woman either’. He talk of men and women separately suggesting that they are different creatures. During the play Hamlet is cold towards both Gertrude and Ophelia, when his mother asks him to sit by her he refuses as ‘metal more attractive’. He comments, ‘how cheerfully my mother looks, and my father died within these two hours’, and speaks of ‘country matters’ crudely to Ophelia. Hamlet is thinking about the way his mother has acted and as he cannot confront her he offends Ophelia. Even though it is not suggested that Gertrude connived at her husband’s murder, but by marrying Claudius she is guilty by association, â€Å"None wed the second but who killed the first’. It reminds the audience the way in which the circumstance has changed him to believe ‘frailty thy name is women’. Once the play has been stopped, Gertrude asks to speak to Hamlet which is when he confronts her about his feelings as before he had to ‘hold my tongue’. He tells her that it was Claudius ‘blasting his wholesome brother’. He asks why she would desert his father for his uncle and aggressively shames her ‘in the rank sweat of an enseamed bed/ Stewed in corruption, honeying, making love/ Over the nasty sty’. The audience recognise the crude language that he used when speaking to Ophelia as he condemns the ‘frail’ women. Gertrude is convinced mainly by Hamlet’s insistence and power of feeling, which illustrates her ‘frailty’ and tendency to be dominated by powerful men and her need for men to show her what to think and how to feel. Ophelia is driven mad by her father’s death and it contrasts strongly with Hamlet’s, differing primarily in its legitimacy: Ophelia does not feign madness to achieve an end, but is truly driven mad by the death of her father. After Polonius’s sudden death and Hamlet’s subsequent exile, she finds herself abruptly without any of them. She is obsessed with death, beauty, and an ambiguous sexual desire, expressed in startlingly frank imagery: ‘Young men will do’t, if they come to’t, By Cock, they are to blame. Quoth she ‘Before you tumbled me, You promised me to wed.’ Shakespeare has demonstrated her chaste dependence on the men in her life; similar to Gertrude’s character. Ophelia is in such a ‘frail’ state when in the same situation as Hamlet – their fathers both murdered – she commits suicide, which Hamlet also contemplated in his first soliloquy. Ophelia is associated with flower imagery from the beginning of the play. In her first scene, Polonius presents her with a violet; after she goes mad, she sings songs about flowers; and then she drowns amid long streams of them. The ‘fragile’ beauty of the flowers resembles Ophelia’s own ‘fragile’ beauty, as well as her nascent sexuality and her exquisite, doomed innocence. Despite Hamlet’s harsh treatment of Ophelia, Hamlet is grief-stricken and outraged when declaring in agonised fury his own love for Ophelia. He fights with Laertes, saying that ‘forty thousand brothers / Could not, with all their quantity of love, / make up my sum’. This shows that his despise of women could not overcome his love for Ophelia in the same way that Hamlet had trusted his mother to believe he is not mad but not tell Claudius that is an act, even though he had felt betrayed by her throughout the play. Therefore, Hamlet was shattered by his mother’s decision to marry Claudius so soon after her husband’s death, Hamlet becomes cynical about women in general, showing a particular obsession with what he perceives to be a connection between female sexuality and moral corruption. This motif of misogyny, or hatred of women, occurs sporadically throughout the play, but it is an important inhibiting factor in Hamlet’s relationships with Ophelia and Gertrude. He urges Ophelia to go to a nunnery rather than experience the corruptions of sexuality and exclaims of Gertrude, ‘Frailty, thy name is woman’. Gertrude seems to have a powerful instinct for self-preservation and advancement that leads her to rely too deeply on men much like Ophelia who is also submissive and utterly dependent on men. As these are the only two significant women in Hamlet’s life it is easy for him to conclude that ‘frailty thy name is women’.