Friar Lawrence in William Shakespeares Romeo and Juliet Essay

Friar Lawrence of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet In reading critical analysis of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" I found that many people call Friar Lawrence a moderate man who elicits to others his voice of wisdom and reason. An example of this sort of conclusion is George Ian Duthie's opinion that Lawrence is "A very worthy man", "prudent" and "worldly-wise"(xix.xx). G.B. Harrison views him as "sympathetically treated", "wise, grave, patient"(6). Due to this continuing interpretation, the view of Friar Lawrence has not really changed through the years. Mutschman and Wentersdorf followed the herd when they stated in their book that Shakespeare reveals no trace whatever of the widespread prejudices of non-Catholics in connection with this aspect of the life of the Roman Church. On the contrary: he does everything in his dramatic power to show his friars and nuns, their lives and customs, in an unequivocally favorable light. (267) I feel that these conclusions about the character of Friar Lawrence are not so completely true. His character needs deeper examination in spite of the conventional ideas that have been passed from one critic to another throughout the years. Lawrence's highly questionable actions in the drama need be looked at in regards to the position he holds as a man of the cloth. Are his actions wise and acceptable to the church? Is Lawrence a meddlesome man going against his vows to his religion? Or could he merely be yet another stock character that Shakespeare stole from his predecessors? A Historical Look Back In 1594 Shakespeare's audience would have been used to the convention of the friar or other religious persons as the brunt of jokes or humorous situation... ...ml. Byrne, Muriel St. Clare. Elizabethan life in Town and Country. London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd, 1954. Duthie, George Ian. Romeo and Juliet. Cambridge: J. Dover Wilson, 1955. Harrison, G.B. Shakespeare The Complete Works. New York: New York Press, 1952. Kennard, Joseph S. The Friar In Fiction. New York: Haskell House Publisher Ltd., 1923. Muir, Kenneth. "Shakespeare and Politics." Shakespeare in a Changing World. 1st. Arnold Kettle. London: Lawrence and Wishart, 1964. 124-5. Mutschmann, Henrick, Karl Wentersdorf. Shakespeare and Catholicism. New York: AMS Press, 1969. Reed, Robert Rentoul Jr. Crime and God’s Judgement in Shakespeare. Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky, 1984. Simmons, Joseph Larry. Shakespeare’s Pagan World. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1973.

Hamlet :: essays research papers

Soliloquies make us understand the true feelings that someone is feeling. It unlocks the secret of the mind. What are soliloquies? â€Å" A literary or dramatic form of discourse in which a character talks to himself or reveals his thoughts in the form of a monologue without addressing a listener†. Specific soliloquies illustrate what really goes on in Hamlet’s mind, and also other characters in the play. Hamlet is a very complicating character, and the only way we can actually understand him is through his soliloquies. â€Å"O, that this too solid flesh would melt, thaw and resolve itself into a dew†¦Ã¢â‚¬ (page 31), in this soliloquy, its like he’s saying that he wants to melt inside earth like water into the ground. Hamlet expresses here his feelings towards his mother marrying his uncle, two months after the death of his father. â€Å"How weary stale, flat and unprofitable seem to me all the uses of the world â€Å"(page 31). This quote shows the attitude Hamlet uses towards life, he is saying that the world is stale, it has no taste left. Hamlet is showing his pessimistic side in him in this soliloquy. When the ghost of Hamlet’s father reveals to Hamlet who killed him, Hamlet becomes more complicating, he becomes furious. â€Å"†¦That one may smile and be a villain atleast I’m sure it may be so in Denmark† (page 69) in this soliloquy Hamlet shows his feelings towards Claudius, that Claudius is smiling to show that he is nice when he isn’t. In this soliloquy we also understand more about Hamlets character that he tends to be sarcastic and a bit hysterical. Another soliloquy that shows us Hamlets feelings is the one after Hamlet finds out that Rosencrants and Guildenstern were trying to spy on him for Claudius. â€Å"What a rogue and peasant slave I am†¦am i a coward?†¦but i am a pigeon livered and lack gall† (page 125) Hamlet shows here his anger that he has to himself for not taking yet revenge against his father’s killer. He’s basically saying in this quote that he has no courage. Therefore this soliloquy reveals to the readers that deep inside Hamlet isn’t courageous. â€Å" Why what an ass am I.. the son of the dear murdered prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell, must like a whore unpack my heart with words. At the end of this soliloquy, Hamlet reveals his plan to reenact the killing of his father to see Claudius’s reaction.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Essay -- Essays Papers

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings In the beginning of I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Marguerite, later known as Maya begins to tell the story of her childhood. When her parents divorced, they sent her & her brother, Bailey to live in Stamps, Arkansas with their Grandmother (Momma) and their Uncle Willie. The kids go to school in Stamps and work in the store that Momma and Uncle Willie own. One year, while they were in Stamps, their father came to visit. When he was getting ready to return to California, he asked the kids if they wanted to come back with him to live. They agreed. Momma was also glad to have them off her hands even though she enjoyed having them around. While they were in the car, their father revealed that they were going to St. Louis to see their mother. Maya and Bailey hadn’t seen her for a very long time to they were happy about the side trip. After three days in St. Louis, their father left again. They were there to live with their mother. Maya felt that he was a stranger anyway so it didn’t bother her at all. Maya and Bailey’s mother had three brothers who had good jobs with the city. Their family was respected in the area they lived in and everyone knew who they were. The children were also introduced to Mr. Freeman, their mother’s boyfriend. He didn’t interact with them much. He often came home late at night and they didn’t talk to him very much. One morning, after Maya’s mother had left, Mr. Freeman ca...

Cultural Background Paper Essay

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization – 2002) defined Culture â€Å"as the set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features of society †¦. it encompasses, in addition to art and literature, lifestyles, ways of living together, value systems, traditions and beliefs. † With migrant ethnic groups, they become so far removed from their homeland that their traditions have considerably been altered, are gone, or simply forgotten. It was mostly after World War I, in the 1500s to the 1800s in the Great Migration when most African immigrants were taken against their will to the New World. They were brought in as slaves and their hard work was responsible for the prosperity of the New World. Similarity of African and American Culture. America is a melting pot, where all cultures meet and blend. America is multi-racial because of the continuous influx of foreign migration to American shores. The culturally-diverse population of America makes it a pluralistic society. The Wikipedia (11 Jan 2002) describes Africa as â€Å"one continent with many worlds. † Various ethnic, social and tribal groups make up Africa. Africa is more of a multi-ethnic culture. Contrasts between African and American culture. The difference between Africa and America is on certain significant cultural aspects. African society is male-dominant, where women submit to patriarchal authority. America is more liberal and espouses gender equality. Societal relationship in Africa is familial, very family-oriented even in business. America is individualistic. Food and eating in Africa is a ritual, in America food and eating is a basic need. Behavior, values and norms are often clannish or often dictated by the ethnic group or the clan. America has always been independent. Africa has many languages, America speaks only English. Having been born in America, I have totally embraced the culture that is predominantly American. However, this is not denying my roots and my rich African heritage. On the contrary, I feel that there is something great that people like me can contribute to the mainstream culture. The support system of families, the sharing of trials and triumphs of Africans are cultural strengths that I would rather have than the individualistic ways of America. The equal treatment and opportunities to both sexes of America, to me however is more acceptable than the male-dominant practices in Africa. The similarities in my cultural background and that of the dominant American culture made it easy to integrate to a society that is made up of culturally diverse people. I did not feel isolated or left out because of my color or creed. The similarities and differences of the both cultures had a positive effect on my life. I am shown the strengths and the weakness of each one. The primarily independent-thinking American culture is necessary to make choices and standing by it. It is a trait that I believe in and which I try to be all the time. Food and Eating as rituals and basic needs at the same time are to me necessary for us to enjoy and sustain life. I do not wish to rush all the time and so I take every moment to find meaning in my every action. I believe that my own cultural background has to a certain extent contributed to the mix in the dominant American culture. When the early Africans banded to demand equal rights from a society that was once discriminatory of their race, it showed the world and history what unity can do to push for reforms. That movement has indeed gone a long way. There is respect for cultural diversity and equal opportunities now. In a culturally diverse society such as America, culture exchange flourished. With people of African descent like me in mainstream society, other people became aware of Africa. They got introduced to the sights and sounds, literature, its people, traditions, ways, and everything else. Pretty soon famous African Americans are into government service, entertainment, the academe, the media, and business. I believe that to be the greatest contribution to of the African culture to dominant American culture. I learned of my cultural roots through a conscientious effort on my part. I knew I look different, I knew I belong to a defined group, I knew we had different ways of doing things, practically we have our own culture. I asked my parents about us, about our culture. Our family is one that takes pride on who we are. It became a pleasant, welcomed, and enlightening revelation. I read books about Africa, searched the web for more information and watched movies about Africa. It was a moment of discovery. I connected to our cultural past. I have not let up until today. I still visit sites of Africa and learn more of my forefathers’ homeland. Having lived in America all these years, I know I have developed an entirely new culture that is neither African nor America. It might yet be a blend of both cultures. I may look and sound African, think and act American and I am African American. I have in me the clannish African and the independent American. The influences on me to develop a new culture are varied. Interaction with those people who belong to other dominant cultures, opportunities to experience these other cultures first hand, unconsciously picking up the best in each one and living it are possibly the first ones that come to mind. The world is getting smaller by the day. With the advent of modern means of travel and communications getting in touch is relatively easy. Cultures meet and merge every second, every day. Sources: http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/American_culture#Relationship_to_other_countries. 2Fcultures http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Culture_of_Africa

On the sidewalk bleeding Essay

Sixteen year old, Andy Anderson, was found dead 3:00 am in the morning by his girlfriend Laura. Andy Anderson a member of a gang that refer to themselves as the ROYALS recently got stabbed by another gang group the GUARDIANS. This incident took place in a dark alley right in front Alfredo’s, a local corner store. The police think that andy was stabbed around 11:30 p.m. and slowly bled to death. He was stabbed with a knife just below his rib cage. Due to some evidences we’ve gathered at the scene and witnesses we spoke to, we have some major leads on this crime scene. Our first witness was a 32 year old man, luke lucas, who was sorry that he was too drunk to realize that andy was dying. â€Å" I only wish I would have been sober, I would of been able to help.† He said during his interview. Our next witnesses were two teens, they saw Andy lying down â€Å"on the sidewalk bleeding† and wanted to help †¦ until they saw his bright purple ROYALS jacket. The two teens did not want to get mixed up in between these two gangs. We are still asking them further questions on this because we feel that we’re not getting the whole story. This devastating tragic event really shows the extreme dangers of gang violence. When the police saw Andy’s ROYALS jacket that he had taken off, they knew that this wasn’t just a random act of violence, and that this was a planned attack. What a price to pay for being in a teen death, what a tragedy. Police would like anyone with any kind of information with any kind of information to contact 69 division or to leave an anonymous tip for crime stoppers. Andy’s funeral will be held at Holy Redeemer Roma n Catholic Church in Ottawa Sunday afternoon. Donations are being accepted by the Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa in the teen’s honour.

Halfway House Programs and the Community Essay

The use of halfway houses as a starting point for those who were once in prison is a great idea and can be beneficial to not only the individuals who are having to adjust to life outside of prison but also to the community around them. These homes help to stabilize the individual, help them to be able to adjust to life in society again and help them to become better parts of society. There are many who believe that halfway houses are not a good thing and would rather not have them but there are many reasons that these people are not looking at the whole picture and are not looking into the benefits that halfway houses can provide. There are many reasons that the surrounding neighbors and communities could fear a halfway house. Some of these reasons are the stereotypes that are associated with these places. This means that there is the common thoughts and beliefs that those who are in the halfway houses are not truly ready to be reformed and therefore it can be thought that these individuals should remain in prison. This is a misconception as the halfway house provides the individual with stability and helps them to be able to transition into a life outside of prison. The halfway house often provides the individual with a way to be able to find employment, get hooked up with needed medical and other health care services including rehabilitation and mental health, and a way to be able to live until they are able to stand on their own two feet (Welsh and Harris 2009). Without halfway houses these former criminals would be left on their own to find all of these resources and many times in the past the individuals had a hard time finding these things which has resulted in them committing more crimes. With halfway houses the return rate to prison is lower. Another problem that many individuals have with halfway houses is that they do not understand how giving the individual a place to live is really what they deserve. However there are some new programs that are offered in some halfway houses where the perpetrators of crime are forced to pay restitutions to the victims of their crimes. These programs have been successful in the satisfaction for both the perpetrator and the victim. In a recent study on this issue, the results were found to be positive for all that were involved (Bonta, Boyle, Motiuk, and Sonichsen 1983). Another common misconception is that the residents of the halfway house are not ready to be in the real world when they leave and that there is a high rate of repeat criminal offenses. This was looked at by a group of researchers and what was found was that those who had successful completions of the halfway house programs were less likely to have repeat criminal offenses where as those who were not successful in their treatment through halfway houses (Hartman, Friday and Minor 1994). This is very important to note as there are many reasons that an individual would not have a successful completion but then when an individual did have a successful treatment that they should be allowed the benefits of reformation and believed to be reformed and hoping for a better life. Halfway houses can be very beneficial to both the former criminals that inhabit them and the local communities in which they are located. In many cases halfway houses provide a place for these former prisoners to live while they are working on getting back on their feet and becoming stable. Halfway houses and their programs beneficial to the individual as they are not on the street or trying to make it on their own in a world where it is more difficult for them to find a place to rent, obtain employment or anything else. The benefit to the community is that these former criminals are off of the streets and in a place where treatment and supervision is mandatory while they are becoming more stable. Thus they are less likely to commit petty offenses like theft in order to eat or make money for needed items.

Jaguar Manufacturer

Explain the advantages and disadvantages for jaguar of using just in time production rather than the more traditional just in case stock system. Just in time is a manufacturing method based on pull system which means the raw materials are only delivered only when needed which reduces waste due to overproduction and lowers the storage rent e. g. warehouse storage. Advantages: * Reducing set up times * Goods from warehouse to the production line flow much smoother which saves time. * Increases supplier quality * Consistently supplying the plant with the raw material for production * Workers are used more efficiently Scheduling and planning is improved * Reduces space requirements for raw materials Disadvantages: * Relying on a limited amount of stock so there is a chance of running out and interrupting production * Change in the culture of production can take time to get used to so it could be less control in the beginning * Need trustful and reliable suppliers who can deliver on time * The suppliers have to be very flexible because the demand for raw material could come up at any time. * The machinery is at risk to breaking down and slowing down the production.Using appropriate motivation theory, analyse how jaguar has managed to increase the pride and commitment of its employees. Jaguar has managed to increase the pride and commitment of its employees by implying continuous improvement. This type of motivation required entrustment and empowerment from the workforce. The fresh start to this new implication meant that the workforce had to be trained in order to perform and improve. Team work has to be implemented because this way everyone is involved and the ideas can be shared for enhancement of the production.Also because the work is in teams no one is left out and each member feels more valuable in the workplace which then motivates them further. Once more the team working leads the workforce to a new level on Maslow’s hierarchy where the employees are social and esteemed. Being valued and cared for is a great motivator especially in a big workforce such as Jaguar. Targets and objectives are set for the employees and it is something to strive for, this will give them a some sort of a bonus or a pay rise.Once there is a target and a bonus at the end it will motivate the worker to reach that target as Taylor said money is a motivator in a workplace. The bonuses don’t just have to be set for individual employees they could be set for the whole team and if a target is met the whole team will enjoy a reward at the end, again this will motivate not only individuals but the whole group of workers. Evaluate methods for achieving a total quality culture in large organisations like Jaguar.Total quality culture is based on the involvement of all employees in the organization in improving processes, products, services and the mores in which they work and it is also based on meeting the customer’s requirements with the right stan dard of quality. It is essential to work in teams to share ideas and to advance the quality by setting objectives such as zero defects. Every member of the organisation can take action if a certain product is not up to a set standard. Quality circles or kaizen can be a part of team work where employees can share their skills and ideas to improve the quality of their products.If the skills are not at a fine quality then certain training regimes can be set also in the training the employees can be taught to have prevention rather than cure which would aim at zero defects. Kaizen cannot be relied up one because it doesn’t cover all aspects of improving so things like identifying the consumer needs and having cell production will certainly be covering more of the objective such as the zero defects. If the manager takes up the total quality management and seeks the best quality not only out of the products but the employees who make these products.The workforce has to always be co mmitted to what the manager has set as an aim or an objective and be ready to reach and fulfil that aim. The high motivational skills of the manager will definitely make reaching the target much easier than if the employees are not motivated. Describe the organisational culture of Microsoft as identified by Steve Ballmer. The recent culture in the Microsoft organisation can be described as an innovative culture where Microsoft are trying to develop something brand new and something that no other organisation has.Explain the meaning of business aims, and use in managing large organisations such as Microsoft. An aim in an organisation can be seen as a direction in which the business can move on this path certain objectives and targets can be set to further improve the organisations structure. The objective and targets that may be set can aspire and motivate the workforce. Aims could look at the company’s weaknesses and strengths, the weaknesses can be reduced in the future by c hoosing appropriate objectives and the strengths can be further strengthened by setting targets which once again will motivate the workers.Having an aim will set order in the work place which will lead to sharing among staff and more accountability cooperation. An aim is like a mission which the business is striving to achieve and complete as many objectives along the way as possible. Microsoft has four aims and they are building industry trust, building customer loyalty, altering structure of the company and devolving power from the top. Analyse four practical strategies Microsoft could implement to help it achieve its aims. First of all Microsoft needs to build its trust with the industries based around them.One way could be to merge or to have joint ventures with other computing companies but this is not the best way to recover trust because Microsoft are very competitive and they will prefer to be a single organisation with control. Other ways can be to provide employment in the company because Microsoft is a large organisation and it needs skilled workers to continue improving. It can also provide income for local communities for example universities where better ICT training courses can be implemented. Another strategy is to build customer loyalty which will give strong ideas on what the customers want.Primary research methods such as focus groups where direct opinions can be gained from the customers even though it is only a very limited number of people surveyed. Secondary data can definitely give more of a bigger picture of what the customer wants even though sometimes it may not be as honest as having focus groups. This way of researching will show new trends in the customers taste and choice. This can be improved by creating departments which will concentrate only on the customer relationships this way online help can be more supportive towards the customers.Changing or altering the way the organisation is structured is another aim for Microsoft. Te am working is very important in this type of organisation and the teams in the company should often be rewarded for their efforts. Individuals shall not be rewarded because this will tend to break the team up into individuals and this means there would be some sort of competition between the workers. Matrix structure is very appropriate for Microsoft especially when a company tends to have many different departments.This would team working on another level, the teams will be very flexible and will cooperate with workers from other departments. This way a culture of team working and collaboration is created in the organization and the ability to work on different projects gives a huge variety to the work which will increase staff motivation. Microsoft are always looking to find the best way to improve their products by keeping up to date from the customer surveys but when you have the experts from each department the product will tend to be much more improved and up to date.Making de cisions is often very difficult especially when you are in control of a huge organisation such Microsoft. Devolving the power or decision making from the top will certainly take a lot of pressure off the top management team. Creating another layer in between of the hierarchical orders of company’s structure will involve and motivate other workers who will be motivated because they get to make important decision in certain areas of the organisation. Another motivator in this is that whoever makes the decision a team or an individual will always think that the top managerial team is relying on his/hers or their decisions.This not only motivates workers but it makes them communicate and improve communication skills in the procedure of this. This would be a great way of splitting important decisions in the company because the pressure is taken off the managers and shared with the rest of the workforce, of course the more important decisions like putting the company as stake or so me sort of risk will always be down to the highest ranked people but this is an effective way to motivate and at the same time take pressure off the main people in the company.