Tuesday, January 21, 2020

The Pilgrimage to Cathedral of Compostela :: Religion

The Pilgrimage to Cathedral of Compostela In the twelfth century one the most popular destinations for pilgrimages was to the city of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. The shrine of St. James the Great is in the Cathedral of Compostela and it is what attracted so many people. The saint's shrine was believed to be a healing shrine for all sorts of problems. The religious relics that the Cathedral contained held a special power for the pilgrims by curing them of their problems. The pilgrims used the road to Santiago as a test of their faith and love for God. At the same time that they were testing their religious devotion they were also contributing to generating massive information. The pilgrims were creating and recycling information and taking that information on the road to more people. Two ways that the pilgrims were putting information out was by visiting the shrines on the way to the cathedral and at the actual Cathedral of Compostela and through the book of Codex Calixtinus. A pilgrimage was essentially a course of movement along a sequence of shrines along a road until one reached a final destination (usually a large cathedral or religious site). Besides the remission of sin, a reason for a person to go on a pilgrimage was to search for the renewal of physical or mental health. In the twelfth century, there was a deeply rooted belief in Christians that plague, leprosy, fever, migraines; even toothaches were all caused by sins. A doctor did not heal the person as well as saint could and thus, pilgrimages were occurring all the time. Not just people who were ill went on the pilgrimage, people seeking religion or adventure also set out on the road of Compostela. The pilgrims that were on the road to Santiago came from a wide variety of backgrounds. The route of Compostela became literally a cultural highway. The pilgrims "founded churches, monasteries, and hospitals; they robbed and killed, composed stories, legends, poems and songs, and slept rough in the hostels provided for them" (Tate, Pg. 1). Most importantly, the pilgrims talked. They talked about St. James, about the church, and about their different ideas and beliefs. By doing so they were exchanging information that otherwise would not be available to them. They talked about the history pertaining to St. James and at the same time learned through the shrines themselves at the Cathedral about the Moors, Charlemagne and other historical figures. The Pilgrimage to Cathedral of Compostela :: Religion The Pilgrimage to Cathedral of Compostela In the twelfth century one the most popular destinations for pilgrimages was to the city of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain. The shrine of St. James the Great is in the Cathedral of Compostela and it is what attracted so many people. The saint's shrine was believed to be a healing shrine for all sorts of problems. The religious relics that the Cathedral contained held a special power for the pilgrims by curing them of their problems. The pilgrims used the road to Santiago as a test of their faith and love for God. At the same time that they were testing their religious devotion they were also contributing to generating massive information. The pilgrims were creating and recycling information and taking that information on the road to more people. Two ways that the pilgrims were putting information out was by visiting the shrines on the way to the cathedral and at the actual Cathedral of Compostela and through the book of Codex Calixtinus. A pilgrimage was essentially a course of movement along a sequence of shrines along a road until one reached a final destination (usually a large cathedral or religious site). Besides the remission of sin, a reason for a person to go on a pilgrimage was to search for the renewal of physical or mental health. In the twelfth century, there was a deeply rooted belief in Christians that plague, leprosy, fever, migraines; even toothaches were all caused by sins. A doctor did not heal the person as well as saint could and thus, pilgrimages were occurring all the time. Not just people who were ill went on the pilgrimage, people seeking religion or adventure also set out on the road of Compostela. The pilgrims that were on the road to Santiago came from a wide variety of backgrounds. The route of Compostela became literally a cultural highway. The pilgrims "founded churches, monasteries, and hospitals; they robbed and killed, composed stories, legends, poems and songs, and slept rough in the hostels provided for them" (Tate, Pg. 1). Most importantly, the pilgrims talked. They talked about St. James, about the church, and about their different ideas and beliefs. By doing so they were exchanging information that otherwise would not be available to them. They talked about the history pertaining to St. James and at the same time learned through the shrines themselves at the Cathedral about the Moors, Charlemagne and other historical figures.

Monday, January 13, 2020

Tutankhamen was not a very influential Pharaoh

Tutankhamen was not a very influential Pharaoh. However his tomb has revealed significant information about the New Kingdom Egypt. When Tutankhamen moved the court back to Thebes, he turned his back to the Reforms of Amarna period. He was at a very young age therefore his decisions must have been under the advice of someone. ROLE OF THE PHARAOH The Pharaoh had many objectives throughout his life on the throne. These activities included keeping order of his people, religion and had many roles as a warrior and a ruler. Akhenaton’s religious beliefs did not last. His was where seen as heretic. When Tutankhamen came into power, within 10 years he restored all beliefs in the gods that Akhenaten ignored. This put all his followers behind him and gained him respect. This can be illustrated through the decorations in Tutankhamun’s tomb. He was seen with various gods, which depicted he believed in number of gods that Akhenaten did not. Further more there were drawings and pictures of the god Hapi and statues of the gods Isis, Nephthys, Serqet and Neith protecting the body of the king. It was important that the Pharaoh had strong relation with the gods and his religion. This showed a power within the pharaoh and provided loyalty by the people of the kingdom. He also had to be a ruler and keep his people in order. He did this through entertainments such as hunting. Evidence of this is found on his chest when he is hunting for animals. Hunting was a way of entertainment and to keep people please in the New kingdom Egypt. Hunting wild animals showed that there was none greater than the pharaoh. This secured his people’s belief and trust in him. There are also statues of the god of Water and Fertility (Hapi). This is an indication that Tutankhamen believed in this god. Therefore the fertility and wealth of the kingdom must have been good. The people of the kingdom had the pharaoh to thank to as a living god. MILITARY Tutankhamen was seen as a warrior in various drawings of him in his tomb. He was seen as a ruler and Ma’ar of the kingdom. Infact he is seen wearing the blue war crown of a pharaoh to indicate his relation with war and hunting. His rule over war and military is also demonstrated in the painting on the sides of his treasure chest, showing him either hunting wild animals or in battle. In the scene he is seen has fighting in a battle on his chariot, with his bow and arrows, he is shown has huge however his enemies much smaller. Tutankhamen was a great influence to his people in war. His ruling power was shown through his mask, which states him as a pharaoh. The mask is made of pure gold and has the two protective animals in it, the cobra and the vulture. However, Tutankhamen has never been involved in a war himself as there is no evidence of any battles. EGYPTIAN SOCIETY Fashion, food, economies, entertainment and fundamental living ways were very advanced and crucial in the Egyptian Society. The Egyptians usually wore white clothing, because white sustained coolness while black sustained heat. Their clothing was made from the stem of the flax plant. The clothing was a symbol of wealth as poor people and workers usually walked around naked and lived naked. Clothing also showed a man’s rank in the society, this depended on how elaborate his kilt was. Kings, gods and higher-class rulers usually wore colourful clothing this showed that they were noble and rich. Therefore clothing performed the role of symbolism for wealth, rank and importance in the society. However as well as clothing, fashion was very crucial. In Tutankhamen’s tomb, there are bottles of perfumes made from pure coconut oil. This shows the class and quality of the society and it had already advanced to perfumes and make up. The pharaoh had all sorts of skin care in his tomb for after life. There was also food and water provided in Tutankhamen’s tomb for his travel, which indicated the type of food consumed. There was also money provided in the tomb, which indicated the type of currency used. The Egyptian life stile was unique and advanced to all other. Tomb of Tutankhamen help is illustrate the needs of Egyptian society and its unique fundamentals. BURIAL CUSTOMS The burial customs of the ancient Egypt is very complex and symbolic. There are 3 aspects of a soul that the Egyptians believed in, the Kha, the Ba and the Akh. The mummification and burial of the pharaoh was crucial for the soul to keep safe and alive. The Egyptians would mummify someone in the belief that the body would be needed in the after life. The first process was the remove all moisture from the body so the body would not decay. After that his stomach, intestines and liver would be removed and put into special alabaster containers. The heart was left in the body as it would be needed to be weighted in the afterlife. The body then would be wrapped up with over 143 items such as amulets and jewellery to protect the pharaoh in the afterlife. There is proof of the process painted on the walls of Tutankhamen’s tomb. The process of the mummification would take 70 days in total. The body then would be sealed in the pharaoh’s body shaped coffin. In fact the body was put into 3 coffins. 2 made out of wood and the final one pure gold. After 70 days of process, the pharaoh is taken to his tomb and receives the opening of the mouth ceremony. Finally the body is sealed and the gods are left alone with the pharaoh to protect the body. RELIGION AND THE AFTERLIFE The pharaoh’s religion was the most crucial part of his ruling time. He was considered a living god, therefore his way of living was a role model to those below him. The previous pharaoh before Tutankhamen disobeyed all gods but himself. This caused unhappiness in the public and when Tutankhamen came into power, he revived the religious beliefs of the kingdom. The Egyptians believed that in the afterlife, pharaohs would become gods and their hearts would be weighted in line with a feather, if the heart is heavier than the feather than the pharaohs would not gain access.

Sunday, January 5, 2020

Yuri Knorozov A Difficult Student - 1250 Words

Yuri Knorozov was born in 1922 in Kharkiv, Russia. Although Yuri’s parents were Russian intellectuals, he spent a majority of his younger life as a delinquent. Yuri has been described as â€Å"a difficult student† and was even on the boarder of being expelled from education for misbehavior when it suddenly became clear that his inquisitive temperament and extreme accuracy with attention to detail became outstandingly noticeable. In 1940, at the age of 17, Yuri left his home in Kharkiv for one in Moscow. His travel to Moscow eventually got him enrolled in Moscow State University where he studied under the newly created Department of Ethnology. The major of his study was Egyptology, and later he came to specialize in that field. However, his undergrad study was cut short as WWII came to Russia and Yuri was drafted into war in 1943. From 1943 until 1945, Yuri fought for the Red Army of Russia as an artillery spotter (a person in war who is responsible for directing artille ry or mortar fire into enemy lines). In the autumn of 1945, he returned to his studies at Moscow State University in order to complete his courses. At the time, he displayed particular interest in the study of ancient writing systems. During his duration at Moscow State University, he spent a great deal of time devoted to the studying of ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. This interest led him to one of his more preferred professors. This professor then helped turn Yuri’s attention from Egyptian Hieroglyphics to Mayan

Saturday, December 28, 2019

Hedda Gabler By Henrik Ibsen - 1325 Words

Women have always been a point of interest in the eyes of many readers in all time periods. They are seen by society as mysterious, beautiful, sometimes outspoken, and so much more. However, women of today s day and age don t hold a candle next to the Victorian Era’s Hedda in the play Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen. Hedda Gabler, although a heinous person at heart, is an extremely powerful woman who uses that power to mask her own fears. So why is it that Hedda Gabler displays herself in such a manner? Within this essay the reader will learn how Hedda acts, the forms in which she controls those around her, in what ways she gets exactly it is that she wants, when and how she wants it, as well as what her fears are and where they may have stemmed from. In the play, the author, Henrik Ibsen, describes Hedda as a women caught up with only the aesthetic aspects of life. She cares not for the feelings or well-being of those around her, but rather how those same people view her. As any woman in this time period would desire, especially a prestigious one being born from a general, a spotless and well rounded reputation is essential in obtaining respect , gaining power, and going on about simple day to day living. As described by one scholar, â€Å"Their work ranged from the grand sweep of politics to the minutiae of everyday life† (Maitzen). Often, Hedda would put aside responsibility and other tasks to focus on her beauty and how she was viewed. Her beauty was one of the manyShow MoreRelatedHedda Gabler By Henrik Ibsen926 Words   |  4 Pages Hedda Gabler Hedda Gabler is a play written by Henrik Ibsen about a daring woman and her relationship with those around her. Ibsen portrays the way the pressures of society affect a person and how Hedda Gabler personally deals with it. Hedda is indeed a complex and fascinating character and the audience’s opinion can differ as many see Hedda as a selfish coward while others can see her as a brave, independent person. In the play, she is faced with these two judgements: she can show an act ofRead MoreHedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen906 Words   |  4 Pages The play â€Å"Hedda Gabler† revolves around the life of a socially deprived woman living in the late 1800s. Hedda Gabbler’s crippled emotionally draining life is the epicenter of the entire body of work. As Ibsen wrote of Hedda’s emotional state and life he revealed the distinct role women played in the late nineteenth century. Manipulation and the reputation of the protagonist, Hedda Gabler reveals the message Henri k Ibsen was trying to send out. Hedda Gabler lived in a world of repressed feelingsRead MoreHenrik Ibsen s Hedda Gabler Essay2029 Words   |  9 PagesPAPER: HENRIK IBSEN’S â€Å"HEDDA GABLER† Part 1: Henrik Ibsen Henrik Ibsen was born on March 20th, 1828 and grew up in a Norwegian coastal town of Skien, as the oldest of five children. His Father, Knud, was a successful merchant providing a plentiful life for his family, while his mother, Marichen, played the piano and loved theater. Ibsen showed little interest in theater as a child until his family went into bankruptcy and eventually into poverty. That tragic event in his life made Ibsen put hisRead MoreAnalysis Of Hedda Gabler By Henrik Ibsen914 Words   |  4 Pagesis shown in many works of literature. For example, Hedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen shows the ways of character moral ambiguity and its way in deceiving others; this is shown through the character Judge Brack. Judge Brack is portrayed to be a good friend of George Tesman and Hedda Gabler Tesman, a psychological trickster and manipulator who is ultimately revealed to be a morally ambiguous character. Judge Brack is introduced into Hedda Gabler as a man of authority, which allows him to able toRead MoreHedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen652 Words   |  3 Pageshalf empty or half full. Your choice will determine how you look at things. In Hedda Gabler, I think that her approach to living life was looking at the glass as half empty. She was negative about everything and she was also a very manipulating, ungrateful, crazy woman. I wish I got to go on a 6 month honeymoon like she did!! She didn’t seem to appreciate her long honeymoon. Not many people get a 6 month honeymoon. Hedda looked at suicide as a beautiful thing and that is not having a positive lookRead MoreHedda Gabler by Henrik Ibsen556 Words   |  2 Pagesmay say that Hedda Gabler is a perfect example of twisted femininity because she despartely wanted to be in control and was an asset to Lovborg’s death. She despised being Tesman’s wife and manipulated people for no apparent reason except for her own per sonal gain. Undermining her husband with her coldness, denying her pregnancy, destroying Theas life-work, burning Lovborgs manuscript, and committing suicide are all the attempts she made to try and satisfy her thrist for life. Hedda was not theRead MoreHenrik Ibsen s Hedda Gabler902 Words   |  4 PagesTrue Narcissist in Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler Within Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler the protagonist pushes the boundaries of what people are able to do and get away with. Some may consider Hedda to be a true romantic longing for a little excitement but beneath the mask behind which she hides, lies a truly selfish and arrogant woman. Hedda Tesman’s dark personallity can be easily observed within her interactions with her husband George Tesman and his aunt Juliana Tesman. Hedda treats her husbandRead MoreHedda Gabler, by Henrik Ibsen and Madame Bovary, by Gustave Flaubert742 Words   |  3 Pagesand the limitations society holds on its residents. In the two literary works, Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler and Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary, they share a common portrayal: the main heroine faces the complications of societal restraints. The novella by Ibsen and Flaubert’s novel emphasize upon women that struggle with what can and cannot be done in their society. The protagonists Hedda Gabler in Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler and Emma Bovary of Flaubert’s Madame Bovary are estranged individuals thwarted by societyRead MoreHedda Gablers Character Analysis Essays1550 Words   |  7 PagesHedda Is Not a Housewife The reflection of women in literature during the late eighteen-hundreds often features a submissive and less complex character than the usual male counterpart, however Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler features a women who confines herself to the conformities that women were to endure during that time period but separates herself from other female characters by using her intelligence and overall deviousness to manipulate the men in her life and take a dominant presence throughoutRead More Freud and Hedda Gabler: The Wolf Behind the Protagonist1369 Words   |  6 Pageslupus’ form of instinct suggest a more aggressive side of humans with the tendencies of not interacting with people but merely using people. Henrik Ibsen, through his use of the character Hedda Gabler, illustrates Sigmund Freud’s homo homini lupus form of instinct and uses that as a means of drawing out of the flaws of civilization at large. Henrik Ibsen always had the persistent theme of placing that one character within the setting that did not fit into the natural societal confines. This was

Friday, December 20, 2019

Solution to the Foreclosure Crisis - 1326 Words

I have what I believe to be a viable solution to the foreclosure crisis. I am almost certain that, if implemented, it would work. We need social services reform. I hesitate to say this, because it may come off as sounding too radical, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Simply put, if something fails, we must look at the overall picture and see what may be wrong—we need to troubleshoot the system. To me, and hopefully to most Americans with any interest in the future of our nation, it is obvious that all is not well. Looking at our society and our government from a somewhat macro- standpoint, what I see is many areas of inefficient and misguided allocation of social service funding. In the recent past, in better times, during†¦show more content†¦Then they probably move on to another school. This is outrageous and incredibly costly for taxpayers since it can be assumed that it happens all the time, nationwide. Many will even take out Stafford loans for ex tra money and default on them, which adds to problems for the banks. The scary part is that it can happen indefinitely. Cracking down on this problem would quickly free up a lot of money that could be redirected to a social service that would assist homeowners facing foreclosure. I think that the Pell Grant should become more difficult to get, along the lines of a scholarship (not quite THAT difficult). I propose that the government should not give financial aid based solely on financial need. First a student should demonstrate financial need, as the system works now. That student should not automatically become eligible. The government should provide a few options for ways that the student can achieve eligibility. I have a couple ideas for this. Option 1 would be for a student to take an entrance aptitude test to qualify for financial aid. Higher scorers are more likely to succeed as students, and frankly, more intelligent people are more likely to see the advantage of receiving a college education and to stick with it as a legitimate student. They are less likely to be in it just for the refund check. It also adds an extra hoop to jump through, so to speak, soShow MoreRelatedA Practical Solution to the Foreclosure Crisis1122 Words   |  5 PagesIt is no s ecret the foreclosure crisis has played a significant role in the financial meltdown of the past year. The collapse of the housing marketing has brought thousands of families across the country to financial ruin, forcing many out on the streets. Although the common consensus is that something must be done to stabilize the foreclosure crisis, the agreement ends there. Proposed solutions to the foreclosure crisis have drawn controversy from all political affiliations and walks of life. ThisRead MoreA Solution To the Foreclosure Crisis Essay955 Words   |  4 PagesThe foreclosure crisis has reached new heights since the all-time high deficit in the economy. U.S. foreclosure rates went up more than 81% and 861,664 families lost their homes to foreclosure in 2008 (Les Christie). Also, 54 households received a foreclosure notice last year (Les Christie). So what is the solution? Bold action is needed to address this serious issue. I suggest a â€Å"real estate pause† for a temporary amount of time, similar to what Roosevelt did with the â€Å"bank holiday†Read MoreEssay on Solution to the Foreclosure Crisis2199 Words   |  9 PagesHow real is the mortgage foreclosure problem in America? How did it come about? What are some possible solutions? First of all, the problem is so big that almost everyone knows someone who lost their house because of a foreclosure, and this is new. It didn’t used to be that way. Listening to the stories of foreclosure evictions provides an eyewitness viewpoint of how it happened. This is important because it provides a background against which to decide solutions. The overhang of foreclosed homesRead MorePossible Solutions to the Foreclosure Crisis Essay1179 Words   |  5 PagesThe purpose of this writing is to analyze the foreclosure crisis and offer some solutions to keep people in their homes and satisfy the financial accounting records of the banking industry. With more lost jobs on the horizon and fluctuating adjustable mortgage rates, the foreclosure crisis continues to plague America. A recent report from the Mortgage Bankers Association reveals that 14% of loans are behind or in foreclosure. This is largely due to lost jobs in this volatile economy. Many factorsRead MoreProposed Solution to the Foreclosure Crisis Essay1250 Words   |  5 PagesToday’s America is in crisis; we are in a recession. The greatest factor driving this major recession is Foreclosure many Americans are forced to face every day. In simple terms, the foreclosure crisis was caused by greed in the banking industry and too much optimism of the American people. This resulted in a bubble of subprime mortgage lending, which eventually collapsed once leading mortgage firms in the banking industry such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac needed to be bailed out by the governmentRead MoreSolution to the Foreclosure Crisis: Lending Laws1518 Words   |  7 PagesThe current foreclosure crisis in America has directly impacted thousands of homeowners who have lost or are losing their homes. It has indirectly affected nearly every American, as it is the underpinning of our current economic recession. In order to resolve this crisis, we first need to understand how we got to this point. With that understanding, we can look for solutions, and then try to prevent this from happening again. In regards to a solution, I have come up with three steps that could beRead MoreProposed Solutions to the Foreclosure Crisis Essay1038 Words   |  5 PagesForeclosure is a growing national disaster in the United States. Every time you tune in to your local news, there is a new family whose house is being foreclosed. Every time you ride around the neighborhood, there is another house up for sale. There are several solutions to this increasing trend including cutting government spending and cutting funds towards unsuccessful government programs, devising financial plans to assist families by setting up payment plans that they can afford, getting communitiesRead MoreEssay on A Solution to the Foreclosure Crisis2422 Words   |  10 Pageslike to stop foreclosure on their homes, we need to address the root or the heart of the problem, not just a branch or limb. Solving foreclosure would be like putting a band-aid on a wound which needs surgery. The real problem resides in human behavior and governmental policy concerning the environment which we inhabit. So, with this information, I will address how to come about a real solution in terms of preventing foreclosure (and better than that, solving what causes foreclosure) (which is interrelatedRead MoreAn Integrated Solution to the Foreclosure Crisis Essay2100 Words   |  9 PagesForeclosure. Only recently has the term become a buzz word among the American public and various media. The crisis that has enveloped the United States has initiated widespread questioning of the very financial systems in which the American innovators have grown to prosper. Although the foreclosure crisis is often viewed as a product of greedy financial institutions, causation cannot be distilled to individual constituencies; further regulation on various components of the crisis can develop theRead MoreSolving The Foreclosure Crisis: Two Solutions Essay1444 Words   |  6 Pagesthe rapid increase in foreclosures across the country. The country’s immense housing crisis can be addressed by referring to not only the accumulating irresponsibility of the individual American loan borrower, but also the growth of greed at the corporate level which led to the financial market’s negligence. To stop the spread of this issue we should look at closer government watch of the market and specifically focus on consumer education. The Quagmire What is foreclosure? Well it is actually

Thursday, December 12, 2019

All I see is You kissing Her Essay Example For Students

All I see is You kissing Her Essay All I see is you kissing her  I open the drawer  and gently pick up,  my most prized possession.  It is a picture,  of you and me.  We are standing there,  all dressed up and laughing.  I close my eyes,  and try to remember  what it was like.  But all I see,  is You kissing Her.  It is a movie slowly playing in my mind.  I see my friend running in,  shouting my name.  She is laughing.  I ask what has happened,  but all she says is that I must come.  And then I suddenly sees,  what she think is so funny. But I dont feel like laughing,  I feel more like crying.  Because what I see  is You kissing Her  I put on my smile  and pretend to be laughing.  But my mind screams out,  WHY HER?!  She doesnt know you,  she doesnt care about you.  Like I do.  She only cares about,  being seen with the right people.  Shes only going to hurt you.  So why is all I see,  You kissing Her?  I wish you knew how much I care,  and how much I miss you.  I wish you knew  that Im laying awake tonight.  Looking at the picture of you and me,  writing this poem about you and her.  Why are you making it,  so painful and yet so easy,  for me to be in love with you?  Why are you kissing her,  and not me? In preparation for my acting assessment, I am playing the role of Dennis in Just Between Ourselves by Alan Ayckbourn. In order to research Ayckbourns style and method, I have also looked at his Confusions collection and, in particular, the play Between Mouthfuls. Just Between Ourselves is a comedy, set in late 70s England, following a dysfunctional married couple (Dennis and Vera) on their quest to sell a useless old car to an equally troubled pair (Neil and Pam). It is, however, a dark comedy which touches on many serious issues, such as mental and physical illness, and the constant tension and conflict between the ill-matched couples. Between Mouthfuls also depicts two couples the wealthy, bossy, and slightly posh Donald and Emma Pierce, and the younger Martin and Polly Chalmers. It is set in a restaurant in 80s England, and during the course of the play we experience the conversations from the point of view of the waiter, who remains hilariously deadpan and emotionless, despite the increasingly violent confrontations amongst the couples. The period and culture of both plays are almost identical theyre both set in the late 20th Century, in a suburban middle class world, and deal with middle-aged couples and their marriages. Both have very unremarkable settings, using only a garage and a garden space, or a restaurant for the whole play to take place in. The settings are incredibly original, with Ayckbourn even utilising a car on stage throughout Just Between Ourselves demonstrating daring creativity on the writers behalf. In both plays, the couples seem to be comfortably off without having in any way extravagant life-styles. The restaurant in Between Mouthfuls is modest and ordinary, and the car being sold in Just Between Ourselves is very standard (although we try to put forward the impression that its old and useless for comedic effect). The couples have enough money to go out to eat, go on holidays abroad, and to run cars; however theyre not wealthy. Their pre-occupations are their work, their homes and their family relationships. There are no references to historical or political events, but the period shines through via the lack of technology (no mobile phones or internet) plus the rather old-fashioned attitudes to women, such as my character Denniss constant sexist yet seemingly innocent abuse towards his wife, for example Let the queen back in her kitchen! and bloody dopey, arent you my love. This clearly would be considered disgraceful these days, so certainly helps establish the plays period and culture.

Wednesday, December 4, 2019

Compare and Contrast John Betjemans Essay Example For Students

Compare and Contrast John Betjemans Essay Slough is more a mixture of comments and opinions on society its falsehood/artificiality. The author has clearly got a communist attitude, agreeing to equal classes, rights and incomes and targeting the rich and important: And get that man with double chin Wholl always cheat and always win, Who washes his repulsive skin In womens tears The poems seem to reflect the life and upbringing of their author; for example soil, tractors, hens, fields and swedes are all small parts of farm life of which Thomas would have been accustomed to; living and serving in an agricultural community. Betjeman was more of a townie as he attended Oxford University and lived in the Oxford area and sub-urbs for some time. Thomas probably did not get the chance to go to university or learn much about city life, so his poetry is centred around things that he understands and knows best, like religion. Although Slough is not focused on anything particularly biblical, it does contain some slight bible parallels. The idea of the bombs falling on Slough and wiping it out is similar to the story of Noahs ark, when God decided to give the earth a clean sweep and start again. This was done to put all the mistakes of man in the past. The same idea occurs in Slough, to clear the world of that rich man with double chin and make a fresh start, but to spare the hand working, poor clerks. The clerks represent Noah and his animals, which were taken on the ark and saved from Gods ex-o-sketch remake of the world. Interestingly, Slough and Soil both have similarities to George Orwells novel Nineteen eighty-four, in the way that a sense of entrapment, or the knowledge of a higher being is present. This is just like the atmosphere in Nineteen eighty-four, being unable to escape the eyes of Big Brother and The Thought Police. In Soil there is a definite awareness of a higher being above the worker, This his world, the hedge defines only the sky is boundless, and he never looks up He is enclosed and contained by his boundaries (hedges) and can be viewed only by that above him. Overall the poems are of a completely different sort, style and address different issues. The authors write in their own individual ways and use words in contrasting ways for their desired affect. This is expected as the authors have completely divergent backgrounds and education, and no two poems can ever be the same. However, it is interesting to see the different approaches the authors take to create the environment of their poems, like the sense of entrapment found in both Soil and Slough, with actual material boundaries (Soil) and verse structure and repetition (Slough). Although the authors may share similar opinions and may share the same morals and messages, the poems by Thomas and Betjeman are understandably more different than alike in the ways of structure, style and content.