What Was the Renaissance Like

1 . What was the Renaissance like? Account for its main features. The term â€Å"Renaissance† is from the same French word, meaning â€Å"rebirth. † It comes from the Italian Reenactments, â€Å"Re† meaning â€Å"again† and â€Å"nascence† meaning â€Å"be born. † The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages (Tuscany) and later spreading to the rest of Europe. Its influence affected literature, philosophy, art, politics, science, religion, and other aspects of intellectual enquiry.As a cultural movement, the Renaissance period encompassed a rebellion of lassie-based learning, the development of linear perspective in painting, and gradual but widespread educational reform. Traditionally, this intellectual transformation has resulted in the Renaissance being viewed as a bridge between the Middle Ages and the Modern era. Although the Renaissance saw revoluti ons in many intellectual pursuits, as well as social and political upheaval, it is perhaps best known for its artistic developments and the contributions of such polymaths as Leonardo dad Vinci and Michelangelo, who inspired the term â€Å"Renaissance man†.The leading intellectual trait of the era was the recovery, to a certain degree, of the secular and humane philosophy of Greece and Rome. Another humanist trend which cannot be ignored was the rebirth of individualism, which, developed by Greece and Rome to a remarkable degree, had been suppressed by the rise of a caste system in the later Roman Empire, by the Church and by feudalism in the Middle Ages. Medieval Christianity restricted individual expression, fostered self-abnegation and self-annihilation, and demented implicit faith and unquestioning obedience.Furthermore, the Church officially ignored man and nature. Http://www. Timpani. Com/renaissance. HTML Literature (characteristics): Emphasis on classical studies in t he expanding universities. -Increasing literacy among the laity. -Learning increased rapidly. -New schools were founded throughout Britain, in rural villages as well as cities. -Growth of a critical, skeptical type of scholarship, leading to scientific inquiry. -Increasing trade leads to individual wealth, general prosperity, nationalism, and materialism. -Gradual movement from unquestioned religious beliefs toward a more human- centered philosophy. Emphasis on human potential, not God's power, believing one's role in life should be action, not religious contemplation. Language: English had triumph over French as the spoken language. It became the language of scholarship, replacing Latin, and the language of theology. It had no bounds to its development. As regards vocabulary, much growth came from the learned words borrowed from Latin and Greek, but explorers and overseas tradesmen brought an influx of words from many foreign languages. New words were invented daily. Spelling was e rratic.In pronunciation, many words were stressed on different syllables from the ones currently emphasized. Changes in grammatical elements: -Pronouns: ye was replaced by you. -Verbs: the endings the changed to s. . Explain how the Philosophy of Humanism differs from the ideals held during the Middle English Period. Humanism is a system of thought that considers that solving human problems with the help of reason is more important than religious beliefs. It emphasizes the fact that the basic nature of humans is good. It is secular-minded – religion is no longer the orientation.Humanism was not a philosophy per SE, but rather a method of learning. In contrast to the medieval scholastic method, which focused on resolving contradictions between authors, humanists would study ancient texts in the original, typically Ritter in Latin or ancient Greek, and appraise them through a combination of reasoning and empirical evidence. A) Mention the key representatives among Humanists wri ters -Sir Thomas More: he was a humanist and lawyer, the first layman to become Chancellor. Best known for his work Utopia (no place or good place), which tells of an ideal state with the truly representative government.It was written in Latin, addressing to all scholars in Europe (names were in Greek). He describes his ideas of a perfect society. His work gave rise to the Utopian literature (new genre), presented as an ideal of perfection. Tyndale: was the first translator of the Renaissance, a defender of the faith who creates new words that didn't exist in English. His work as a translator was opposed in England and he was forced to live in Germany, where he produced the first English version of the Bible between 1525 and 1531 – King James: made the first authorized version of the Bible.He used an archaic language so as to sound formal, show respect, and create a more distant atmosphere. It was a collected work of all the previous translations. – Sir Thomas Eliot: w ith â€Å"The book named the Governor† -Protestant/Anglican: Tyndale, Coverall Protestant/Calvinist: Geneva Bible -Catholic: Today Bible b) Focus on Thomas More and explain why his Utopia is a Renaissance literary work Sir Thomas Mere's most famous work is essentially a dialogue between More, and an imaginary character Raphael Hathaway.In the conversation between the two men, More learns that Hathaway is a traveler who has been all over the world with America Vesuvius and had been left to explore the island of Utopia (nowhere). Hathaway explains how life in England has many evils in society in all aspects of life from political to social aspects. He then explains how the people of Utopia handled Hess everyday problems to make it the perfect nation. Sir Thomas Mere's Utopia is a satire – the name Raphael Hathaway meaner â€Å"dispenser of nonsense†-.The book also makes fun at many aspects of society in England during the time period such as the severity of crimin al law and the growing luxury of the wealthy class at the expense of the poor class's life of increased hardship. More can successfully accomplish the feat of criticizing the government because the character that is making the critical analysis of England is made up. By using this technique in Utopia, More can publicize his own thoughts on the nation thou being called out for treason to the crown. 3. Focus on the Sonnet Sonnet: short song, a lyrical poem in 14 lines. ) How does the Patriarchal sonnet compare to the Elizabethan sonnet? Patriarch wrote sonnets that consider love in an early renaissance sense; that is, they idealism the beloved lady, and they focus on the divine qualities she possesses, while lamenting the pain the speaker feels in not being with her. Each sonnet of fourteen lines considers one proposition in the opening octave of eight lines, and then considers the reverse or opposing view in the final sestets, or six lines. The switch from one view to its opposite is called the Volta.Shakespeare wrote sonnets in a much later period, and pokes fun at the idea that his beloved lady could possibly represent divine beauty. In addition, he took the English form of the sonnet, developed by the Earl of Surrey and Thomas Wyatt, which included a final rhyming pair of lines, called a rhyming couplet. Shakespeare then pursued the same proposition throughout the entire sonnet until the very end, often pushing the Volta to the final couplet. -Structure of the Sonnet Patriarchal sonnet: -Each line has 5 feet consisting of either one unstressed syllable followed by en stressed syllable (iambic pentameter).Each line has 10 syllables in all. -The poem is divided into two parts: the octave (8 lines – divided in two groups of 4 lines) and the sestets (6 lines – divided in two groups of 3 lines). -Between the octave and the sestets two main ideas are compared Octave: presentation, problem, argument, question. Sestets: solution, conclusion, answer. Or balance -The rhyme scheme at the end of each line of the octave is: baobab; the sestets often varies, CDC or ceded. Elizabethan, Shakespearean or English sonnet: -Each line is in iambic pentameter.The poem is divided into four parts: 3 quatrains (4 lines each) and a final couplet (2 lines). -The rhyme scheme is usually: ABA CDC fee / egg – Shakespeare. ABA Bcc CDC / e – Spencer. Http://suites 01 . Com/article/differences-between-the-patriarchal-and-the- Shakespearean-sonnet-a374838 b) Why can sonnets be equated to miniatures? C) Which is the function performed by the rhyming couplet in 16th century sonnets? The 6th-century sonnets were written to display the great cleverness, sophistication, and skill of the poet.Generally speaking, sonnets were more self- centered than their love rhetoric might initially suggest. Although they often purport to express private emotions from the poet to a beloved, they were usually meant not for private communication, but for â€Å"pu blic† consumption amongst a circle of Courtly readers. In other words, they were written to impress others rather than to convey genuine emotion. The great majority of 16th-century sonnets were written to explore unrequited romantic love. It was assumed that the speaker would be a besotted man and the beloved a resistant, disdainful, or otherwise unavailable woman.The speaker spends much of his time trying to persuade the beloved to sleep with him. Patriarch developed a number of conventions for describing love's varied pleasures and torments and the beauty of the beloved. Sonnets abound in wordplay: puns, double-entendre, multiple meanings, and clever figures of speech. The most common figures of speech used in 16th-century sonnets include the conceit, the blazon, and personification. Http://www. Lima. Ohio-state. Du/debarks/sonnet. HTML d) Which are the current themes in sonnets? Compare Patriarchal themes to Shakespearean themes. Courtly love: love as pain (unrequited); lov e as a labyrinth; love as passion stronger than will; loves as chains – you cannot escape. Art. -Time: poetry could stop the passage of time – preserve a particular moment. -Death. -Historical figures -Love at first sight, obsessive yearning and loveliness, frustration, love as parallel to feudal service; Patriarchal themes: The lady as ideally beautiful, ideally virtuous, miraculous, beloved in heaven, and destined to early death; Love as virtue, love as idolatry, love as sensuality; The god of love with his arrows, fires, whips, chains; War within the self- hope, fear, Joy, sorrow.Conceits, wit, urbane cleverness; disputations and scholastic precision; Allegory, personification; Wooing, exhortation, outcry; Praise, blame; self-examination, Self-accusation, self-defense; Repentance and the farewell to love. Shakespeare themes: One interpretation is that Shakespearean sonnets are in part a pastiche or parody of the three-centuries-old tradition of Patriarchal love sonn ets; Shakespeare consciously inverts conventional gender roles as delineated in Patriarchal sonnets to create a more complex and potentially troubling depiction of human love.He also violated many sonnet rules, which had been strictly obeyed by his fellow poets: he plays with gender roles, he speaks on human evils that do not eve to do with love, he comments on political events, he makes fun of love, he speaks openly about sex, he parodies beauty, and even introduces witty pornography e) Account for the main contributions made by renaissance consenters: Wyatt, Surrey, Lily, Sidney and Spencer. To do so, focus in the themes these consenters privilege and the main devices they employ. Provide 2 examples of their poetry. ** Wyatt: Betrayal is a prevalent theme in Watt's work.Typically, the narrator is the wronged person and the poem serves to expose betrayals involving affairs of the heart along with political and social treachery. In Watt's work, the fickle nature of women can rear it s head at any time and a courtier could be given the cold shoulder on the whim of the king – especially true in Henry Vic's time. For example, in ‘They Flee From Me', the narrator details being forsaken both by a woman he loved and by acquaintances who once sought his guidance. Watt's narrators experience lash out from the pain but also dejectedly accept their position.In ‘My Heart I Gave Thee', the narrator realizes that to pursue the one who wronged him is pointless. Still, the betrayed are not without their cutting words and extreme motions. ‘Lug! My Fair Falcon', believed to have been written during Watt's imprisonment, contains vivid imagery (like lice away from dead bodies they crawl') to illustrate the cruelty of betrayal. Even God abandons him. He follows Patriarchal theme of courtly love ** Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey The tight rhyme scheme is not Surrey's only sonic device: there's plenty of alliteration, too. Brittle beauty†, â€Å"tickle treasure†, â€Å"slipper in sliding†, â€Å"Jewel of Jeopardy† are among the most noticeable examples, but almost every line makes use of the device to some degree. Influenced by Wyatt, he popularizes English form of sonnet while adding the theme of nature. He did much to establish the tradition of courtly concerned with arts and letters. He translated the Amended, making first use of blank verse (unrushed iambic pentameter). ** John Lily He is best known for Pushes (puppyish – style) which has trivial and twisted plots but was read for its alliterative style and extravagant language.He is involved in the writing of Drama. He takes his imagery from classical learning. There are classical allusions, symmetry, parallelism, alliteration. People loved it so much that he wrote a second part of Pushes. * Sir Philip Sidney He was the first English literary critic. He argues that poetry has the function of both teaching and delighting. The great end of learning is the living of a virtuous life, and the inspired poet can lead readers to the highest truths. Prose: -Arcadia: as Lily, he uses the prose for ornamental use and has a twisted plot. Device used: pathetic fallacy, beyond personification.He gives inanimate objects willing and feelings of their own. He uses imagery from nature – sounds more fresh. Poetry: -Catastrophes and Stella: first sequence of related sonnets in English. Catastrophes (star lover) – Stella (star) *Edmund Spencer: He was the first important modern English poet. His poetry continues in the allegorical verse tradition of the Middle Ages. His allegories, however, were much more complex than previous ones on three levels: moral, historical, and personal. Allegories were suggested by the character's names: Vanity, Queen of Pride, Gluttony.Readers should be alert to the multilevel meaning of each character. Spencer divides a nine line stanza, rhyming Babcock, now known as the Spenserian stanza. The first eigh t lines of the stanza are in iambic pentameter, the last is an Alexandrine (iambic hexameter). Faerie Queen: culmination of allegorical tradition. It brings together history, folklore, patriotism, political thought, humanism, Protestant idealism, epic and romance, etc. Amaretto: a sonnet sequence f) Analyses The Hind by Wyatt and the sonnet that begins â€Å"Since brass, nor stone†¦ By Shakespeare. The Hind by Wyatt Wyatt uses the sonnet form, which he introduced to England from the work of Patriarch. The Patriarchal sonnet typically has 14 lines. The first 8 lines, or octet, introduce a problem or issue for contemplation and the remaining six lines, or sestets, offers a resolution or an opinion. Wyatt uses iambic manometer. This meaner that there are five pairs of syllables, each with the stress on the second syllable. It is the most common rhythm used in traditional poetry and was used by Shakespeare in his sonnets, poems and plays.Iambic pentameter, though a regular rhythm, was thought to be closest to ordinary speech patterns, so it is an attempt to imitate but also elevate the sounds of everyday conversation. By opening the poem with a question, the narrator challenges the reader. There is an invitation in his words, and the use of an exclamation mark at the end of the first line implies excitement at the idea. As hunting was a popular pastime in the court of Henry VIII, this suggests a poem along the lines of Henry Vic's own most famous lyric, ‘Pastime With Good Company.However, problem within the octet is revealed in line 2 as the poet tells us that he is no longer part of the hunt. An exclamation mark is used in line 2, again to emphasize emotion, but this time frustration and regret. This is a passionate yet contradictory introduction. Line 3 makes use of assonance to reveal the poet's earlier hunting efforts as Vain travail' which has tired him out to the point of physical pain. We can see that the memo is an extended metaphor for the end of a relationship. The metaphor is an excellent choice in terms of the Tudor court and the possible situation to which it is attributed.The poet is now at the tail end of the pursuit, although, he says in line 5 that his mind has not deviated from the hunt. Wyatt makes use of enjambment (breaking a phrase over more than one line of verse) and caesura (concluding a phrase within the first half of a line of verse) across lines six and seven to highlight the discord represented by the end of the relationship as he subverts and challenges his own chosen structure. In line 8, the poet uses the concluding line of the octet to stress the futility of his former quest. He uses the metaphor of catching the wind in a net to emphasize the pointlessness of his chase.The final sestets begins with line 9 reiterating the appeal to those who wish to join the hunt, but he continues in to line 10 to explain that the pursuit will be in vain for them too. Again there is an exclamation mark to indicate an intensity of feeling. Line 11 continues the extended metaphor as an explanation of why his hunt of this ‘hind', and that of others who pursue her, is so pointless. She has a bejewel collar, indicating she already has an owner. Her collar is adorned with the Latin phrase ‘Noel Me teenager' meaning touch me not'. This expression refers to a phrase spoken by Jesus to Mary Magdalene in the Bible.The design also includes the name of her owner – for Career's I am. ‘ If we identify the poem as referring to Anne Volley, then her new owner would be King Henry VIII; the pair were married around the time when this poem was composed and Wyatt could no longer compete for her affections. By describing Henry using the allusion of Caesar, Wyatt bestows on his monarch the qualities of a reputation of greatness and incisive rule. Caesar was, like Henry, a leader early in late teens, a handsome and strong young man and was significant in the political and aesthetic changes and developments of his realm.Both were literate, charismatic and influential. However, other less favorable parallels can be drawn. Both Caesar and Henry VIII incurred huge debt during their respective offices. There were many subjects who were held captive, sometimes executed, on charges of treason. Caesar faced questions regarding his sexuality and his unsuitable choices of women. Wyatt may also be alluding to these less appealing aspects of Caesar in his comparison if we see the suasion in the poem to be borne of frustration and anger. Http://www. Graveside. Mom/collected-poems-of-sir-Thomas-Wyatt/study- guide/sections/ Sonnet 64 discusses the â€Å"lofty towers I see down-razed,† the â€Å"brass† which is â€Å"eternal slave to mortal rage,† or a victim to war, and the destruction of â€Å"the kingdom of the shore† by the â€Å"hungry ocean. † Here again, â€Å"brass, nor stone, nor earth, nor boundless sea† can escape the ravages of ti me. Line 3 asks, â€Å"How with this rage shall beauty hold a plea,† characterizing beauty as the plaintiff in a legal dispute. Time is thus characterized as an unfair warrant, against which delicate beauty stands no chance in court.The legal terminology is continued in the following line with the use of the word â€Å"action. † The idea of time's â€Å"rage† links Sonnet 65 to the previous sonnet. In Sonnet 64, â€Å"brass† is described as an â€Å"eternal slave to mortal rage. † The term â€Å"rage† in association with time is also seen in Sonnet 13, which refers to the â€Å"barren rage of death's eternal cold. † Lines 6-8 present a metaphor of the seizure of a city, which would be the final destruction of war. In line 6, â€Å"the wrathful siege of battering days,† refers to ruin and

Reflection Paper on Passing by Nella Larsen Term

Reflection on Passing by Nella Larsen - Term Paper Example Irene was a woman who hated racism. Irene learns that Clare has been hiding her African inheritance throughout her wedding. Heatedly, Irene returns home and decides to keep away from Clare, but finds herself yielding to Clare's attraction once again. Clare wants to retort the black community and induces Irene to invite her to a social circle. During the dance, Irene resentfully comprehends that Clare seems to get along with everyone and grows disappointed with her. When Irene repeatedly watches Clare's luck augment concerning her hazardous risks, she feels endangered and in the end, kills Clare by pushing her out of the window. Not only does Clare pass in skin shade, but she also passes in societal rank, which intimidates Irene's outlook of the idyllic middle-class African American. Because Clare passes for white, marries a rich man and hides her African race. Although Irene resented the way Clare hid her African race but still she supported her because of the racial ties she shares with her. As Clare was afraid of what will happen if she will show that she is African. She thought that her social class will fall and she will lose all friends but Irene didn’t believe it to be true but still she doesn’t go against her as this would be against her rules as well.

Google and Microsoft Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Google and Microsoft - Essay Example A number of internet-based products and services have been initiated and developed by Google and it earns most of its profits from advertising through its program known as AdWords. Microsoft: This renowned name in computing is again an American multinational corporation which specializes in initiating, developing, manufacturing, licensing and also supporting an unending range of products and services pertaining mainly to computing through its various product divisions. Leading products and/or services Google: AdWords for advertising based auctions at real-time basis, AdSense program senses and enables web sites to deliver customers’ ads from AdWords, Gmail, Orkut, Google Display, DoubleClick Ad Exchange used as a real-time auction market place for trading of display space for ads and Youtube which provides video and other interactive mediums for advertisers. Microsoft: Windows and Windows Live Division Segment which offers mainly PC operating systems including Windows 7 and Wi ndows Vista, Microsoft’s Server and Tools segment proffers mainly windows server operating system and product support services, Online Services Division Segment provides online information and content using Bing, MSN Portals, and others, Microsoft Business Division Segment offers Microsoft Office and other related products and Entertainment and Devices Division serves Xbox 360 entertainment platform including a whole lot of entertainment resources. Management/Leadership Style Google: This Company has a normal hierarchical structure and organized in the form of ‘bottoms up’ from the angle of creativity of product and ‘tops down’ from going on with the financials, the quarter and other aspects. Disagreements are encouraged along with large group conversation and in discussions, both sides of the mark are motivated and expected as well. Decision making does not involve hierarchy. Microsoft: The management style here is quite culture oriented, creating a nd nurturing the correct culture and relax and feel at home are two of the practices at Microsoft Corporation. Developing a clear vision, pegging to it and working hard on it is essential. Hiring of action-oriented employees is being practiced and protecting the corporate image along with ruthlessly controlling budgets form some aspects of the company’s management style. Innovation Track Record As Microsoft is quite older a company than Google, its innovation has elevated by leaps and bounds throughout its operations. But Google has proved its development and performance in a smaller time frame. Google has a policy for employees to spend 80% of their time on core projects and operations and the rest, 20% or one day a week on activities pertaining to innovation that induce their personal interests and passions. Google has created various creative internet search softwares and the Google search engine is the leader in search engines and is better than Microsoft’s Bing. I ts products such as AdSense and AdWords have shunned everyone especially in the advertising sector all over the globe; Gmail is now used and favored by a considerable lot of people. This shows that Google has focused more on the consumer side which needs more innovation for satisfaction. Microsoft has worked mainly on sophisticated softwares related mainly to

Analysis of Innovation at Panasonic Research Paper

Analysis of Innovation at Panasonic - Research Paper Example It promotes a very environmentally friendly image which is a positive and helpful point in promotional activities (Forbes, 2011; Panasonic Website, 2011). When discussing the company’s rich profile of successful products even in today’s competitive world with equally good competitors like Sony, Samsung, Toshiba and Canon, Panasonic has been a very technologically sound and growing firm with consistent improvement and innovation in its products. Panasonic owes much of its success to it Research and Development Centre which has helped it in creating technology oriented products that were a success. Some of these products include SD Memory cards and DVDs. Their Usability Centers established all over the world ensure that the products features and functionality is perfectly in line with the expectations of the company and the consumer. With the help of these, the products that are sold to the final user are competitive and successful in terms of their usage. Panasonic has b een successful at gauging consumer insight and boosting sales due to its impressive technological advancements, producing products that amaze consumers and competitors in the technological industry (Panasonic Annual Report, 2011; Panasonic Website, 2011). ... Panasonic wants to reduce wastage and increase efficiency in its processes. It wants to reduce its costs and believes that recycling products will bring an environmental protection to the world as a whole. Panasonic is showing its initiatives that it has taken for its â€Å"Green Business Innovation† for conservation of energy and efficiently utilizing resources available. Panasonic wants to convert most of this world into a 3D phenomenon which includes personal and professional lives of people. The company has set up a Panasonic Booth for showcasing its plans for becoming the best Green Business Innovator by 2018. The booth constitutes of an Eco Corner which emphasizes on the creation of solutions based on energy conservation usage and storage. The ultimate goal of the eco corner is to promote a lifestyle which is ‘greener’. The Panasonic booth also has a 3D HD presentation wall that airs the full line of products of Panasonic which are 3D solutions, and appear t o be a great experience for those who visit. There is also a Digital Imagery corner and Television Internet service providers followed by a Home theatre corner, AV Solutions and Energy Solutions Zone, all promoting Green Business Innovation. The company’s Annual Report 2011 has shown a steady increase in its Sales all over the world owing to the cutting edge technology usage and its effective promotion. The company was involved in aggressive selling throughout the year and made its way because of its latest digital AVC Networks that constitute of the latest technology products such as camcorders, digital cameras, DVDs, Blue ray technology and other recording/storage items.

Price Analysis for the Navigation System Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Price Analysis for the Navigation System - Essay Example For a cost to be said to be allowable, it has to be reasonable, allocable and comply with the terms of contract. The cost has to be reasonable in the sense that, the government buyers do not feel like they are being over-charged for the goods or services being offered by the company. The cost has also to lie within what the government would wish its citizens charged for the same (CCH Incorporated, 2007). Another type of cost to be determined is the variable cost which is a contrast of fixed cost. With the former, any variation in the expenses incurred will result in a corresponding increase in the output. However, with the former, the variation resulting from the incurred expenses does not affect the output. In the determination of the variable cost; that is after the completion of the start-up phase of a company, one has to bear in mind the costs relating to packaging, raw materials and the labour that is directly involved in the manufacturing process of the company. The total variable cost can be determined by getting the product of total cost per unit of output and total quantity of output. The semi-variable cost, which is also referred to as mixed cost, include both the variable and fixed rates. Electricity is considered to be the most common variable cost especially in the manufacturing companies. Cost analysis is very important to help one determine how to price a given commodity from a particular supplier. Before performing price analysis, there is need to compare competitive bids. This can be achieved through comparing several suppliers of a given similar commodity then at the end of the day, the average of the costs one has obtained can be very useful in helping him/her determine the price of a given good. Despite the fact that the above method is regarded as the best one when it comes to price analysis, there other methods which include prices set by law and regulation, comparison of a published price list,

Gender Dynamics of Men and Women Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Gender Dynamics of Men and Women - Essay Example Moreover, new insights about the importance of genders are also discussed in the article. Obviously the writer has knowledge about animal behaviors and Matt Ridley seems to take special interest in animals to explain his point. His first argument questions if men are necessary at all. If the reason for their existence is for evolution purposes, then, they probably are as unimportant as males are in some animal families. â€Å"Whiptail lizards are an all male species. Various fish, crustaceans, insects, and worms can reproduce without the male sex† (Ridley, 225), he notes. This implies that if there are animals which are able to reproduce without males, then it should be possible for humans, too. The author then goes to cite the fact that there can now be virgin births through the help of science and technology. Therefore, the argument that males are necessary for reproduction is not anymore a convincing reason for their existence. Females can maintain human life without males. The second argument Ridley presents is the probability that men exist because women invented it. This may be a ridiculous idea which could get a lot of reactions from readers but the author expounds his considerations through humorous manners that it is rather entertaining than infuriating. He cites the example of the female elephant seal which chooses the strong and evil male to father her babies who might be killed by their own father as he tramples them underfoot. Ridley says, â€Å"-females are responsible for these. It is their fault because they have been allowing victors of battles to win their hearts for thousands of generations† (227). He then ends his argument with a neutral note that if women invented men, likewise, men invented women. That is, how women look at males suggests how men should be- big muscles, good looks, etc. On the other hand, sexy women with swollen breasts, small waist and big hips are what define women as suggested by the males. The ideas in th e article could be sensitive to some readers, seemingly attacking the males, suggesting that they are not needed in the modern world if the only reason for their existence is evolution. However, it is written with humorous insights which balance the issue. To some degree, this could be true. Still, males would counteract that there could be no source of semen when they get extinct. This may lead to a wider scope of the debate. Nevertheless, to stick with the article, let it be said by this author that males may sure be unimportant these days considering Ridley’s argument but child-bearing would not be as wonderful as it is without sex. Sure, there are always ways to get that excitement of love-making but I believe nothing beats that which one gets with the opposite sex. On the making of the woman and man, I strongly agree that somehow, we have created what men and women are: their roles, looks, and uses. For generations, women were known to be child-bearers, caretakers and ho usekeepers. With the rise of feminism, liberalism and fight for equality, more desirable women were created- the modern woman who has an education, culture, high-paying job, with good looks and figure. Men and women were probably created equal- equally beautiful and necessary, but we have drawn the line that separates males and females and in an ironic way, Ridley questioned the necessity of the existence of males. The Failure of Feminism on the other hand has a serious tone, almost angry in expressing the ideas presented. The article is written by Phyllis

The Lake School Poets Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

The Lake School Poets - Essay Example As Romanticists, they have been staunch supporters of freedom and the French Revolution. For them, it was a noble cause for it promotes the tenets of Romanticism, although they deny being a part of the said movement. The French Revolution symbolized liberty from the trappings of wealth that was the French Royalty. Not only that, it symbolized the inequality of power between the people and the monarchs. Because of this love for liberty, they believed on France’s Revolution and had their passionate beliefs. However, after some time, they abandoned their liberalist beliefs, especially William Wordsworth, and became conservatives, largely believing now in constitutional monarchy and the power of the Protestant Church as the guiding light for the British. Is the shift because of Napoleon’s failure to reach the poets’ expectations of being a libertarian because he also intended to conquer Europe, or is it because their own personal struggles that lead them to prioritiz e their own individual beliefs? Was it because of their age? This essay proposes that they became conservatives because of their Napoleon failed their expectations. II. Summary and Critique According to Bertrand Russell, â€Å"In his youth Wordsworth sympathized with the French Revolution, went to France, wrote good poetry, and had a natural daughter. At this period he was called a 'bad' man. Then he became 'good,' abandoned his daughter, adopted correct principles, and wrote bad poetry.† This is an observation to the poet shifting from being a liberalist to a conservative. Romanticists are known to being ambivalent towards the society as they were politically involved but they were also distancing themselves from the public. And as romanticists, they strongly objected to the oppression and injustice. However, the Lake poets shifted to conservatism. There are many theories on why this has happened. There is a theory that it was because of Coleridge addiction to opium, the dea th of Wordsworth’s brother and their disenchantment on the French revolution. Coleridge’s addiction to opium was because of his chronic rheumatism. The doctors prescribed laudanum to him, an opium derivative, and became addicted for sixteen years. His condition never really affected his writings as he wrote good poetry even when he was high with drugs. His good friend Wordsworth even took him into his home and he spent two years there. When he moved out, he learned that Wordsworth told their mutual friend not to take him in because he had â€Å"a derangement in his intellectual and moral constitution† (Shmoop Editorial Team). This resulted in the breaking up of their friendship and they both wrote less poetry after the incident. Another theory is that Wordsworth’s brother’s death may have contributed to the shift of the poets to shift to conservatism. This happened in 1805 and has affected him strongly. This only happened to Wordsworth, not everyon e in their movement. Although they are all good friends, this could not have effected the others that much. The last theory proposed by Fairchild is that they were all disenchanted by the way Napoleon took over France after the French Revolution. Because after the Revolution ended, Napoleon began conquering other countries. This failed them because their cause about liberty and the revolution did not end up the way they wanted it to be as Napoleon also got into other