Indecision, Hesitation and Delay in Shakespeares Hamlet Essay

     Ã‚  Ã‚   The very intelligent prince in William Shakespeare’s Hamlet is a dallying type, especially at the crucial prayer scene where the king appears very vulnerable. But some esteemed literary critics do not consider the hero to be a procrastinator at all. Let us in this essay examine various points of view on the prince'’ various episodes indicting dallying or the opposite. Harry Levin comments on Hamlet’s uncharacteristic hesitation in dispatching the king, in the General Introduction to The Riverside Shakespeare: Comparably, Hamlet has been taken to task – or, perhaps more often, sentimentalized – for an alleged inability to make up his mind. Actually, both the testimony about him and his ultimate heroism show that his hesitations are uncharacteristic. It is a measure of the baffling predicament in which he finds himself that the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought (III.i.84) If Hamlet’s personality seems peculiarly elusive, if his different interpreters can endow him with such widely differing characteristics, it is because his part is presented subjectively, much of it confided to us through soliloquies. (24) David Bevington, in the Introduction to Twentieth Century Interpretations of Hamlet, eliminates some possible reasons for Hamlet’s hesitation in killing Claudius during the prayer scene:    Several limits can be placed upon the search for an explanation of Hamlet’s apparent hesitation to avenge. He is not ineffectual under ordinary circumstances. Elizabethan theories of melancholy did not suppose the sufferer to be made necessarily inactive. Hamlet has a deserved reputation in Denmark for manliness and princely demeanor. He keeps up his fencing practice ... ...n and Audio Performance. Rutherford, NJ: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press, 1988.    Levin, Harry. General Introduction. The Riverside Shakespeare. Ed. G. Blakemore Evans. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1974.    Nevo, Ruth. â€Å"Acts III and IV: Problems of Text and Staging.† Modern Critical Interpretations: Hamlet. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1986. Rpt. from Tragic Form in Shakespeare. N.p.: Princeton University Press, 1972.    Shakespeare, William. The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 1995. http://www.chemicool.com/Shakespeare/hamlet/full.html    West, Rebecca. â€Å"A Court and World Infected by the Disease of Corruption.† Readings on Hamlet. Ed. Don Nardo. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1999. Rpt. from The Court and the Castle. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1957.   

How Far Is Odysseus Motivated by Nostos?

â€Å"Odysseus is motivated only by his desire to return home (nostos). † How far do you agree with this view? In your answer you should: * Consider how Odysseus behaves on his journey home; * Include an analysis of his motives; * Support your answer with evidence from The Odyssey. On his journey home, Odysseus encounters many obstacles which he attempts to overcome swiftly so that he may arrive home as soon as possible; however, it can be argued that nostos is not his only motive throughout his journey, though it may be the most significant.In Book 5, Homer presents Odysseus for the first time, and we find him weeping for his â€Å"lost home† and discover that he has been doing so for the past seven years every day. This shows how much he longs for his nostos and that this is his main aim in life. However, despite his apparent pain and homesickness, he has not yet attempted to leave the island, nor does he hate Calypso for keeping him here, as he sleeps with her every night and shows no aversion to eating and talking with her.Of course, if he did try to escape he would die immediately, so his motive for not doing so is self-preservation rather than nostos; on the other hand, if he died he would never achieve his nostos, so perhaps his sole motive is nostos. Furthermore, he declines Calypso’s offer of immortality as he claims his â€Å"never-failing wish† is to achieve his nostos. In Book 9, Odysseus tells the Phaeacians that he and his men raided Ismarus when they left Troy.Odysseus’ motive for this could either be a desire for booty (in which case he wants kleos rather than nostos) or a desire for supplies (in which case he does want to achieve nostos, and so is preparing himself for the journey). Also, he is anxious to leave Ismarus as soon as possible which shows a desire for nostos; however, he allows his men to overrule this decision, which either shows that his motive is to please his men, or that his desire for nostos is not very strong at this point.If it is the former, his sole motive his not nostos. (Incidentally, when he drags two of his men away from the Lotus-eaters, his motive is to please his men as well as to be a good leader, not nostos, which shows that his sole motive is not nostos at this point). In Book 9, Odysseus explains how he tried to escape the Cyclops’ cave as he and his men were in â€Å"mortal peril†; thus, his motive was self-preservation and good leadership (as he wanted to save his men as well).Furthermore, the reason they were trapped in the cave in the first place was because Odysseus desired booty; though his men tried to urge him away, he wanted â€Å"gifts† and would not leave without them. In addition to this, he called out his true name to the Cyclops as he wanted kleos and thus provoked the Cyclops to curse him (which hindered his nostos). At this point in his journey, he was motivated more by kleos than by nostos. In Book 10, we find out tha t Odysseus stays with Aeolus for an entire month, thus fulfilling the laws of xenia by not rushing away, so piety seems to take precedence over nostos here.When he has left Aeolia, however, he is certainly anxious to reach Ithaca swiftly and even takes complete control of the â€Å"sheet of the ship† in his â€Å"anxiety†. He does not relax until they are finally in sight of Ithaca. Furthermore, when the winds blow him back to Aeolia, he does not attempt to linger once more but immediately requests Aeolus to assist him in reaching Ithaca as soon as possible and feels â€Å"deep distress† when the request his denied, showing how important nostos is to him.In Book 10, Odysseus also relates how he stayed with Circe for a year simply finding â€Å"pleasure in living† and enjoying himself. He does not feel any pressing need to return to Ithaca, and it is his men who finally remind him that they need to go home. This shows that he is not motivated solely by nos tos on his journey. On the other hand, when his men urge him to leave Circe’s island, he is quick to agree and they leave the next day, showing his eagerness to return home – however, despite nostos being the significant motive it is clear that it is not the sole motive at this point.In Book 12, Odysseus encounters the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis and the island of Thrinacie. Here it is very clear that his motive is not nostos; he listens to the Sirens rather than putting wax in his ears, motivated by kleos and curiosity; he attempts to kill Scylla rather than sailing swiftly past, again motivated by kleos; he easily gives in to his men and lands on Thrinacie despite knowing that their â€Å"deadliest peril† (and greatest obstacle to nostos) lies there, claiming his motive is that he cannot go against the majority vote.Although he does pray to the gods for a â€Å"way of escape† from Thrinacie, he can also be motivated by wanting supplies and self-preserv ation, so his sole motive is not nostos. On Scherie, Odysseus states that â€Å"All I seek now is my passage home†. The use of â€Å"all† shows that it is the only thing he wishes for and therefore his sole motive since he has left Calypso’s island. It can be argued, however, that it is only because Odysseus has achieved kleos (his name is known even in the heavens) and no longer has the responsibility of his men that his sole motive is now nostos.Also, he has now been away from home for twenty years, and is now truly homesick. Odysseus’ arrival in Ithaca is quite anti-climatic: although he is â€Å"overjoyed† and kisses the earth, Homer does not linger on the moment but relates how Athene and Odysseus proceed to make a plan. The killing of the Suitors is much more significant, as it is described in great detail and Books 14 – 23 concern mainly this matter.Then again, perhaps this is because Odysseus has not achieved his nostos simply by arr iving at Ithaca: he must regain his position as well, in which case the killing of the Suitors is far more significant. However, it can be argued that the killing of the Suitors is not solely motivated by nostos but also a desire for revenge, especially since Odysseus does not spare any of them and kills his disloyal servants as well, and would have killed the Suitors’ families if it had not been for Athene’s interference: it does not seem like the sole motive for all of this killing could have been nostos.In conclusion, Odysseus is motivated by many things throughout his journey, including kleos, revenge, curiosity, the desire to please his men, good leadership, leading a comfortable life and nostos. Before he lands on Calypso’s island, nostos is not the most significant; however, it becomes his sole motive for the rest of his journey. Once he lands in Ithaca, it can be argued that he is also motivated by revenge, but nostos is still a significant motive even i f it is not the sole motive.

Hawaii’s Annexation to the US

History is rife with instances of nations wielding power over independent states as a means to gain socio-political or economic ends. In the case of the US, numerous factors buoyed its resolve to acquire territories during the 1890s. Foremost of these is that resource-rich countries showed promise of fueling an industrial America. On the other hand, there was the influence of naval strategists. They succeeded in expounding the overall view to American political leaders that there are vast benefits in acquiring territories and ports of strategic naval importance. Under the guise of Manifest Destiny, which rationalized dominant nations’ imperialist expansion in the mid- to late 1800s, the US proceeded to aggressively expand and take control of nations, among them Hawaii. Hawaii’s Annexation to the US The annexation of Hawaii to the United States was preceded by a sequence of events that finally led to that crucial turning point in history. Still reeling from the ruins and desolation of the Civil War, America had rapidly marshalled efforts to promote its interests and embark on an overt colonization of countries that offered it distinct advantages. Before it plunged head-on into an aggressive territorial expansion, it kept a wary eye both on foreign territories that were ideal for its commercial interests, as well as on dominant European powers that were also expanding beyond their borders and establishing colonies. Political and business leaders put forth the idea that â€Å"the rapid industrial development of the United States required the acquisition of foreign territories to gain easier access to vital raw materials† (Tindall and Shi, 2006, p. 59). The desire for new markets to be exploited economically eventually turned to coveting nations and creating an American empire, at all expense. William H. Seward, the United States Secretary of State from 1861 to1869, believed that â€Å"the United States first had to remove all foreign interests from the northern Pacific coast and gain access to that region’s valuable ports† (Tindall & Shi, 2006, p. 862) if it intends to successfully conquer Asian markets. A strategic imperialistic ploy adopted to indirectly take control over the economic life of a nation was to enter into trade agreements with them. Many years after the signing of a friendship treaty, came the sealing of the 1875 reciprocal trade agreement between Hawaii and the US, â€Å"under which Hawaiian sugar would enter the United States duty-free and Hawaii promised that none of its territory would be leased or granted to a third power† (Tindall & Shi, 2006, p. 86 3). This precipitated the next events that would lead to Hawaii’s annexation. Decades earlier, economic treaties had been offered to Hawaii by Great Britain and France, but the US had asserted itself to uphold its interests in Hawaii. The latter had actually â€Å"signed trade and peace treaties with the United States, England and other foreign nations, each recognizing Hawaii's independence† (Sforza, 1996, para. 5) and this is why on hindsight, it sees the broken agreement with the US as some sort of betrayal. In retrospect, back in 1820, American missionaries from Boston in 1820 stayed in Hawaii and soon turned out to be powerful sugar planters and politicians who served as advisers to the reigning monarchy (Sforza, 1996, para. 5). Queen Liliuokalani sought to shift power back to the monarchy, but the rapid succession of events eventually led to political turmoil â€Å"engineered mainly by the American planters hoping to take advantage of the subsidy for sugar grown in the United States† (Tindall ; Shi, 2006, p. 64). The imprisoned Queen Liliuokalani had issued a statement that pointed to the role of American diplomat, John L. Stevens in the conspiracy to overthrow the Kingdom of Hawaii. Amidst the commotion, a committee representative of the group that seized power from Hawaii’s reigning Queen Liliuokalani had shown up in the US seat of government in Washington with a treaty calling for Hawaii’s annexation to the US. President Grover Cleveland opposed the treaty and had attempted to restore the queen to power while seeking to provide amnesty to the coup instigators (Tindall ; Shi, 2006, p. 864). In December 1893, he expressed, â€Å"By an act of war, committed with the participation of a diplomatic representative of the United States and without authority of Congress, the government of a feeble but friendly and confiding people has been overthrown† (Sforza, 1996, para. 13). Party politics and other issues, however, eased Cleveland out of office. As fate and US maneuvering would have it, Hawaii was eventually annexed to the US in 1898 â€Å"at the urging of President William McKinley† (â€Å"Annexation of Hawaii,† n. d. , para. 3). The island state became a territory in 1900. Statehood was deferred â€Å"until a bipartisan compromise linked Hawaii's status to Alaska, and both became states in 1959† (â€Å"Annexation of Hawaii,† n. d. , para. 3). References Sforza, Terry (1996). Hawaii’s annexation a story of betrayal.   Retrieved September 20, 2008, from http://www.hawaii-nation.org/betrayal.html Tindall, G., & Shi, D. (2006). America – a narrative history (7th ed.). New York: W.W. Norton & Co.

Battles and Battle Techniques essays

Battles and Battle Techniques essays Many battles happened during Romes reign over its Empire. Although many, I will only name a few as well as some of their techniques that helped them ensure a victory. Probably Romes most famous battles came from the Punic Wars. A revolt in Messana, Sicily, provided the opportunity the Romans were looking for. Asked for help against the Phoenicians, the Romans sent in an expeditionary force, small, but sufficient to send the Phoenician group back to Carthage. Carthage responded by sending in a larger force, to which the Romans responded with a full consular army. In 262 B.C. Rome won many small victories, giving it control over almost the entire island. But the Romans needed control of the sea for final victory and Carthage was a naval power. With both sides balanced, the war continued for 20 more years until the war-weary Phoenicians just gave up in 241. Rome eventually defeated Carthage altogether and in a burst of anger, decided to destroy the entire city, then pour salt all over it so nothing would grow on it ever again. Many other great battles took place as Caesar triumphed in Gaul, north of Italy. There he conquered the whole area but only for his personal gain and to get a Triumph when he returned to Rome. Now, some of Romes battle techniques, strategies and basic military tactics. Your basic Roman soldier wore a tunic, but with barely any armor, carried and shield but more often than not just slung it over is soldier when not in battle, held a spear and wore two belts around his waist with a dagger in one and a sword in the other. Roman helmets were usually made of copper and the solider would often scratch is name on it to signify ownership. Now Im going to go into some detail about Romes most famour battle technique, the phalanx. Then Roman phalanx was quick, strong, and an effective way to ...

5 Benefits Better than a Salary Bump

5 Benefits Better than a Salary Bump Negotiating your compensation for a new position? Salary might not be the most important factor in your wheelings and dealings, particularly if you’re leaving a position or company with a solid benefit package. Consider the following five benefits that can often be worth more than a few thousand dollars difference in pay, and learn which questions are most worth asking. 1. 401k MatchingThe pension is all but a dinosaur in today’s workforce. The 401k matching program is a popular consolation from companies wishing to contribute to their employees’ retirement. Weigh the matching figures and do the math against your past and future salaries. The difference between a 50% and 100% matching program can make an enormous difference over the course of your career, even if your contribution is small.2. Cadillac InsuranceMedical costs are through the roof, and insurance companies are paying for less and less. Will your new employer contribute to a Health Savings Account? Do they offer disability coverage? Or extra maternity leave? A lower premium? Anticipating your out-of-pocket health costs can come in handy and save hundreds of dollars in health care if you factor them into salary negotiations.3. Wellness ProgramsDoes your new company offer to subsidize a gym membership? Financial incentives for flu shots or achieving fitness goals? A smoking cessation program? Or even a nutritional consultant? These are all added perks that you might have otherwise spent a good portion of your salary acquiring for yourself.4. Continuing Education PerksYour hard work and perseverance got you here. But what’s next? You want to keep growing and reaching for the next rung on the ladder. Why not get your employer to foot the bill? Does your new company offer undergraduate or graduate educational assistance? Additional training programs? Access to extra resources? These are the kinds of benefits that, when taken advantage of, can really vault you to the next level - and the next salary grade.5. Commuter AidWe spend a lot of time and money getting to work, between public transportation, gas, mileage, and maintenance. Factor the convenience level of your new commute into your view of your compensation. Does your new employer offer a pre-tax public-transit pass? Or is your commute just plain shorter? Less of a hassle? Sometimes you can’t put a price tag on quality of life.To factor these perks into your negotiations, do your homework. Find out what benefits are standard within your industry, know what to ask for, and be bold enough to put it on the table. It could make the difference when the salary bump is not enough.

Global Warming and Energy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Global Warming and Energy - Essay Example The global warming issue is divided by 1) spreading process, 2) spreading locations, and 3) principal causes. Global environmental issues include a wide range of environment related issues, such as, global warming, depletion of the ozone layer, acid rain, rain forest phenomenon, desertification, reduction of wildlife species, pollution problems in developing countries, water life pollution, hazardous wastes, etc. Among all of these issues, the global warming issue, which is caused due to the increased consumption of energy derived from the fossil fuels, draws an increasing attention of the whole world. Mechanisms of Global Warming Mechanism of Warming The surface of planets including Earth is heated by solar radiation energy, which is a visible light with short wavelength, whereas it is cooled by releasing energy, which is an infrared ray with long wavelength. The temperature of the planet surface is determined by the balance between the incoming and outgoing energies. A. Cooling Eff ect Not all solar rays that are radiated towards the earth reach the surface of the earth. There are substances around the earth that reflect the solar rays. The reflected radiation energy does not reach the surface of the earth. ... e are certain gases present in the atmosphere, which do not have the tendency to absorb the visible light with short wavelength, such as, solar radiation energy but they can absorb the infrared radiation with long wavelength, such as, the energy that is released from the earth. Once these gases absorb the released energy from the earth's surface, they re-radiate the energy in all directions. Some energy is directed upwards, whereas some energy is directed back towards the earth's surface. As a result, the temperature of the earth's surface starts increasing due to the energy which is directed towards the surface of the earth. Types of Greenhouse Gases The greenhouse gases which occur naturally include methane, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and ozone, whereas the artificial greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, and chlorofluorocarbon. Among these greenhouse gases, carbon dioxide is the type of gas, which contributes most to the issue of global warming. If we analyze the rate of emissions of the last decade, we find that the global warming caused due to carbon dioxide accounts for approximately seventy percent, which is really a great percentage. Before the industrial revolution, the greenhouse gas concentration was relatively stable, but when the world’s population started to increase rapidly along with industrialization and agricultural modernization, the greenhouse gas concentration increased up to a great extent. Japan's Carbon Dioxide Emissions Since the first oil crisis, which occurred in 1973, Japan's carbon dioxide emissions had remained unchanged until the mid 1980s. Then, due to strong economic growth during the bubble period and the low energy cost, it faced an upward trend. Thereafter, the increase rate became slow, but in 2008, 1187 million tons

Anthropology Research Paper - The Amish Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Anthropology - The Amish - Research Paper Example Introduction: The Amish movement which originated in Europe was initiated by a reform group in order to reestablish the conventional practices as followed by the Mennonites. The Amish community migrated to the United States during the early eighteenth century and have settled in various parts across the country, ever since, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, and New York. The Amish community has historically strived to uphold the values and culture of seventeenth century Europe by restraining from accepting and adopting any aspect of contemporary life offered by modern society, thus leading to their social isolation from the present day popular/ mainstream culture/ society. There are however various subgroups formed among the Amish community such as the Old Order, New Order and Andy Weaver Amish groups, who believe in and follow different ideologies and have accepted different degrees of modernity in their everyday lives (Kraybill and Stephen, 2004). Primary m ode of subsistence: The Amish community has historically been closely associated with the soil and activities associated with the same. The Amish people have been and are agriculturists and have worked as farmers on their family owned farms during the early 1960s (Lowry, 1997). In fact most of the Amish people still continue to work on farms and are predominantly viewed as agricultural by occupation. However with the rapidly changing external environment, there has been a simultaneous and corresponding impact and change in the patterns of Amish occupations, which have now shifted from farm based to non-farm based activities in recent times. Furthermore the rising land prices as a result of rapid urbanization have also pushed the Amish community to look for other sources of occupation (Pandit and Withers 1999; Bingham and Eberts, 1990; Ayres, 1998). Farming as well as other farm based occupations such as livestock rearing and /or animal husbandry still has retained precedence over ot her occupations within the Amish community although statistics suggest that hardly ten percent of the Amish population is now actively involved in farming and agricultural activities during the last century. The Amish farmers have increasingly included and integrated non-farm based activities with their primary occupations. In recent decades various Amish communities have started actively participating in small business activities as their occupation with employees less than ten. Most of these businesses are associated with wood production for household use, building barns and gazebos etc., while others have opened bakeries and quilt shops as well, thus engaging in profitable business ventures. Furthermore several Amish groups are now also involved in construction businesses while others have started working in factories in and around small towns (Kraybill and Nolt, 2004). Impact of primary mode of subsistence on the Amish culture: As discussed previously, the Amish community is pri marily an agricultural based community, where a majority of Amish men are still involved in farming and other farm based activities. It is on account of this reason that their lifestyles are fundamentally based around farming and agricultural activities. However with the rapid pace of change in the external environment brought about by urbanization has forced the Amish men to take up