Antigone Tragic Hero Essay Essay Essays

Antigone Tragic Hero Essay Essay Essays Antigone Tragic Hero Essay Essay Paper Antigone Tragic Hero Essay Essay Paper Essay Topic: Antigone Most Grecian calamities were based on myths and consisted of a series of dramatic episodes mixed with a chorus who commented on the dramatic action or analyzed the form of events. The function of a tragic hero was critical to the tragic dramas. Sophocles argues that a tragic hero is a character who possesses six specific traits. A tragic hero must be of baronial stature. can non be perfect. their ruin most be their mistake. their bad luck is non entirely deserved. the autumn is non a entire loss. and has a moral intent. Therefore. Creon is the tragic hero in Antigone because he is of baronial stature. posses character defects. and his autumn is non an full loss. Creon is the brother of Jocasta. who was the married woman and female parent of Oedipus. who was the male monarch of Thebes. He becomes swayer of Thebes after the s of Oedipus’ two boies. Eteocles and Polynices in the recent civil war. In his address to the people guaranting the citizens that order and safety have returned to Thebes he says. â€Å"I now posses the throne and all its powers† ( line 194. page 67 ) . This transition easy shows that Creon is the swayer of Thebes because it says that he posses the throne which is a ownership of the male monarch. This shows that Creon is of baronial stature. which is one of the necessities of a tragic hero. Throughout the whole drama Creon exhibits that he is imperfect. Creon is really obstinate every bit good as ignorant. which consequences in his many jobs all through the drama. In his difference with Haemon over the destiny of Antigone he says. % –show me a greater offense in all the Earth! She. she destroys metropoliss. rend up houses. interrupt the ranks of spearmen into hasty mob. But the 1s who last it out. the great mass of them owe their lives to train. Therefore we must support the work forces who live by jurisprudence. neer allow some adult female victory over us. Better to fall from power. if autumn we must. at the custodies of a man–never be rated inferior to a adult female. neer ( lines 751-761 page 94 ) . † The word % † fundamentally means â€Å"without a leader. † He makes it sound as if he may be talking about Antigone. Creon looks at as the ineluctable effect when insubordination of the jurisprudence is left with impunity. This extract vividly shows how Creon is really obstinate and nescient. He refuses to see that adult female play a major function in society. He merely views them as objects. He visions adult female as a menace to masculine high quality and he will halt at nil to debar this from go oning. His refusal to let Antigone to travel free finally consequences in the of his boy and his married woman. This shows that Creon is imperfect. which is besides one of the demands of a tragic hero. By the terminal of the drama. after the of his married woman and boy. Creon additions some self-knowledge and learns from what he has done. After Creon learns of the of his married woman and boy he says. â€Å"Ohhh. so mindless. so insane†¦ my offenses. my obstinate. ly- Expression at us. the slayer. the killed. male parent and boy. the same - the wretchedness! My programs. my huffy overzealous bosom. my boy. cut off so immature! Ai. . lost to the universe. Not through you stupidity. no. my ain ( line 1395-1400. page 124 ) . † This citation from the drama illustrates that Creon realizes that his obstinacy and folly is the cause of all of this chaos. Creon now understands that his defects resulted in his family’s. He so goes on to state. â€Å"Oh I’ve learned through and cryings ( line 1405-1406. page 124 ) . † This shows that he has learned his lesson so the of his household is non a complete loss because now he is cognizant of the fact that it is be cause of his obstinacy and stupidity that this occurred. This shows that Creon’s autumn is now a pure loss. which is every bit good. a status of a tragic hero. Creon is the tragic hero in Antigone because he is of baronial stature. posses character defects. and his autumn is non an full loss. These defects finally are what leads Creon to his death and to the of his married woman and boy. In Antigone there were legion subjects. One of the subjects is pride and its consequence on the characters. Both Antigone and Creon are extremely proud. doing it impossible for either one of them to endorse down one time they have taken a place on something. This character defect leads to their ruin. In modern-day times. we can associate this type of tragic hero to powerful figures like Donald Rumsfeld. who does non hesitate from his places until others have paid a heavy monetary value for his pride. Another subject is Moral Law vs. Human Law. This is shown when Antigone’s scruples influences her to bury her brother. which conflicts with Creons jurisprudence of the province. It’s a determination of whether ethical motives should be placed abov e the human jurisprudence. A semi-modern illustration of this can be seen in World War II where the soldiers had to make up ones mind between their ethical motives or the determination of the province in the s of the Jews. The 3rd and concluding cardinal subject is the place of adult female. This is brought up several times in Antigone. Creon feels that adult female are low-level to work forces and should neer be placed every bit high as work forces. This is besides apparent in present times because even now adult females do non hold the same chances as work forces do although adult females have come a long manner in merely this century. There will ever be tragic heroes in any society. They are normally high-profile people who rise and autumn in the public oculus. Hopefully. those of us who watch their narratives unfold can larn from their experiences by debating the virtues of the determinations a erstwhile hero made to render him/her tragic. The presence of a tragic hero is apparent in modern society because even now we have people who are illustrations of tragic hero’s.

The Transatlantic Slave essays

The Transatlantic Slave essays From the 1520s to the 1860s an estimated 11 to 12 million African men, women, and children were forcibly embarked on European vessels for a life of slavery in the Western Hemisphere. Many more Africans were captured or purchased in the interior of the continent but a large number died before reaching the coast. About 9 to 10 million Africans survived the Atlantic crossing to be purchased by planters and traders in the New World, where they worked principally as slave laborers in plantation economies requiring a large workforce. African peoples were transported from numerous coastal outlets from the Senegal River in West Africa and hundreds of trading sites along the coast as far south as Benguela (Angola), and from ports in Mozambique in southeast Africa. In the New World slaves were sold in markets as far north as New England and as far south as present-day Argentina. The Early History of European Trade with Africa The marketing of people in the interior of Africa predates European contact with West Africa. A Trans-Saharan slave trade developed from the tenth to fourteenth century which featured the buying and selling of African captives in Islamic markets such as the area around present-day Sudan. A majority of those enslaved were females, who were purchased to work as servants, agricultural laborers, or concubines. Some captives were also shipped north across the deserts of northwest Africa to the Mediterranean coast. There, in slave markets such as Ceuta (Morocco), Africans were purchased to work as servants or laborers in Spain, Portugal, and other countries. By the mid-1400s, Portuguese ship captains had learned how to navigate the waters along the west coast of Africa and began to trade directly with slave suppliers who built small trading posts, or "factories," on the coast. European shippers were thus able to circumvent the trans-Saharan caravan slave trade. The slave trade to Europe began to decrease in the late 1400s ...

Chinas One Child Policy Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Chinas One Child Policy - Research Paper Example   Additionally, China's compulsory one-child population law was implemented in 1980. The same law punishes parents for having more than one child. The scientists from the Ministry of Aeronautics and Astronautics Department initially proposed the China's 1980 compulsory one-child population policy. The scientists capitalized on their missile construction concepts to prove their claim that China's compulsory one-child population policy will greatly benefit the residents. The family having less than two children have fewer rearing responsibilities. The parents have fewer growing up expenses to make in terms of the children’s educational needs. Scientific experiments are based on limited evidences. The scientists base their findings on the gathered evidences during the research. The Song Jian group of scientist incorporated their missile technology expertise to come up with China's compulsory one-child population policy. The Deng Xiaoping China government leaders were convinced by the scientific research findings of Song Jian’s group.China's compulsory one-child population policy was crafted based on some missile scientists’ many years of population-based findings. The findings were based on their 1960s and 1970s researches. The current China government under President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao prioritizes human rights and the value of people in enhancing the currently favorable China economy Human rights includes the right to have a second child (Chen 403).   The current China government encourages the grassroots level people to vigorously contribute to the nation’s current favorable global economic environment. The policy change was expected. The government leaders during the 1950s, 1960s were most soldiers. During Deng Xiaping’s 1980s, Chairman Deng Xiaoping persuaded China’s engineers to help in the political management of China’s growing population. Starting in 1990, the government leaders were compos ed of economics and public administration graduates. The graduates were managing China’s control of the normal Chinese citizen’s lives (Chen 403).China’s one child policy created a gender imbalance in China (Li, Hongbin, Zhang, Junsen, Yi, Junjian 1535). The one-child China population policy generated a population situation where there were 104 boys more for every 100 girls during the 1980s. The research further indicated that there were 107 boys for every 100 girls during the 1991 to 2005 era. The primary data came from China’s official statistics-based department, the China Health and Nutrition Survey. China Chairman Deng Xiaoping’s new one child policy focused on reducing the population in order because of the scarce food and other natural resources (Wong 1161). During Deng’s 1980 leadership, several China quarters opposed the one-child policy starting in 1980. The policy drastically curved the uncontrollably ballooning Chinese population . Abortions, effects of China's compulsory one-child Population Policy China's compulsory one-child population policy was implemented through forced abortions (Mosher 1558). The pregnant women were forced to abort their prohibited unborn children. The government forced the helpless women to abort their child during different stages of the mother’s pregnancy. Many women had no other recourse but to comply with the

Global food issue Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Global food issue - Research Paper Example ad cow disease, H5N1, H7N9, Norovirus Salmonella, Clostridium perfringens, Campylobacter spp., and Staphylococcus aureus, among many others (â€Å"Avian Influenza†; â€Å"Foodborne Illness†; â€Å"Questions and Answers†). Kuchenmà ¼ller et al. supported the World Health Organization (WHO) Initiative of understanding the morbidity and mortality effects of international foodborne diseases and they noted that the latter have become an increasing global burden because of the complexity of understanding their concepts (i.e. concepts of food safety and risk assessment of biological hazards), causes, and pathways and finding appropriate immediate and long-term solutions. The paper defines food safety and risk management of food safety, identifies problems in the monitoring and determination of problem-response paths of the national and global food system, proposes solutions to improve it, and handles objections to the solutions. The current weaknesses in national autho rity and lack of multilateral agreements and effective international mechanisms that ensure and respond to issues of global food safety endanger consumers who access the global food system, so these agreements and improvements in international and national capacities are fundamental to increasing food safety. There is no single definition of food safety, even among international healthcare organizations that deal with it, so it is important to define it to identify emerging issues connected to it and to find different measures and strategies in managing it in the global food supply chain system. International and national healthcare organizations do not offer an exact definition of food safety, although they underscore its importance to the health and the integrity of the international food system (â€Å"Foodborne Illness†; â€Å"Questions and Answers†). Food safety, as a concept, is generally connected to food quality and security. In particular, it includes â€Å"the conditions and practices that preserve the

The culture of punishment in America. Deathpenalty Essay

The culture of punishment in America. Deathpenalty - Essay Example It has been observed that since the 1970s, the number of death penalty cases have increased manifold, and America continues to justify the use of cruel methods of punishment for those indicted for all sorts of crimes. â€Å"The use of mass incarceration and the use of torture in prisons including Abu Ghraib and Guantanamo Bay are other shining examples of resurfacing of earlier held mentalities with regards to meting out of punishments.† (Silberman, pg154)But then, in the latter case, one has to take into account the fact that most of the prisoners were terrorists; what was at stake was the security of the citizens of America which had to be safeguarded under all circumstances! In this paper, the primary focus is going to be on the attitudes of the various states of America towards the use of the death penalty. The primary area of concern would be the justificatory statements pertaining towards the use of or abolishment of death penalty though initially the American attitude t owards the use of punishment techniques in general will be touched upon, for that has a strong bearing on present-day attitudes towards death penalty, and the use of numbers and figures would merely be to put the claims under clearer perspective. It would be well to learn about the general attitudes maintained by the federal and state machinery with respect to treatment of prisoners in American jails. The federal and many state prison systems have gradually done away with trying to rehabilitate prisoners, instead opting to keep them in prisons for longer periods of time. And the ones indicted of death penalty are finding it tougher to get their sentencing reduced to life-imprisonment. Throughout the 1970s, religious fundamentalism has played a major part in increasing the use of corporal punishment, long prison terms and death penalty. â€Å"Alongside, there is also evidence to show that America had never fully abandoned extreme forms of punishment before the 1970s, nor had she com pletely rejected the rehabilitative ideal since. The widespread abuse of the mentally retarded in institutions such as Willowbrook and the torture of prisoners in Arkansas and at other places showcases the contradictions in American culture with regards to punishment†. (Silberman, pg 155)Going by these incidents, the reader will have very less cause for wonderment as to the use of more innovative and sophisticated gadgetry to execute death row inmates. The Enlightenment philosophy and the religious traditions that has to do with the Universalist principles of famous political figures like Benjamin Rush have resulted in the â€Å"development of the modern penitentiary, designed to isolate prisoners from the negative influences of other prisoners and encourage them to seek redemption by reading the Bible. The restorative justice movement and its historical antecedents are as much a part of the American story as the moralism of the early Protestant settlers.† (Silberman, p g 155) â€Å"A growing chorus of voices is insisting on the re-examination of the death penalty in Ohio. Among the most powerful voices include Ohio’s Catholic bishops, Ohio Supreme Court Justice Paul Pfeifer; former attorney general Jim Petro; and former state prison director Terry Collins.†(McCarty pg A9) The only US manufacturer of pentobarbital--the drug Ohio

Civil Liberties: Voting Rights and Equal Representation

Civil Liberties: Voting Rights and Equal Representation One of the misconceptions we face in this country is a thorough understanding of civil liberties as they pertain to voting and representation. Many would believe that a country founded on the ideals of a republic would assuredly guarantee the right to vote for all its citizens. However, the ability to vote as we understand it today, was not initially expressed as an affirmative right in the United States Constitution. A central conflict in our nations brief history has been a battle of ideologies between those who would restrain the rights of others in favor of a slim minority versus those who believe that government should reflect the will of the whole of its citizenry. Access to representation remains relevant today because we do not possess a federal right to vote. The constitution has failed to fulfill the democratic premise most believe is a fundamental right. Our history however, has shown us time and time again that we cannot be trusted to apportion civil liberties under the z eitgeist the constitution was written in. In Federalist Paper 84, Hamilton reasons against the provision of the Bill of Rights citing that the constitution is sufficient in providing liberty through the application of checks and balances (Hughes, 2013). In our recent history, however, there has been an increased movement towards the enactment of voting laws aimed specifically, so it would seem, to restrict or curtail the right to vote. This institutional loophole prevents everyone from receiving the benefits afforded by our system of law. States have also established a long history of disenfranchising individuals convicted of felony crimes for the duration of their sentence and in some states for a period thereafter. In a handful of states, voting can only be restored by a petition to the court or governors office. These circumstances point to the need for a constitutional right to suffrage by means of a voting rights amendment or new act altogether. When the Declaration of Independence was signed in 1786, the legal right to vote was a privilege exclusive to white males who owned property. The ramifications of this design would permeate through the nation for the next eighty years. With the passing of the Naturalization Act in 1790, immigrants of Asian descent were prevented from becoming naturalized citizens. In 1848, the treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo declared Mexican nationals living within the territories as United States citizens, while simultaneously imposing voting laws requiring property ownership, English literacy proficiency and other means of discriminatory acts. Following the Civil War and the subsequent abolishment of slavery by the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865, the Southern states sought to perpetuate the economic and social subordination of African Americans through the adoption of the infamous Black Codes (Rossum and Tarr, 2014, p. 50). Congress responded to this overt circumvention through the Civil Rights Act in 18 66 and the Fourteenth Amendment. The Civil Rights Act guaranteed to black citizens the same rights to make and enforce contracts, to inherit, purchase, lease, sell, hold and convey real and personal property and to enjoy the full and equal benefit of all laws and proceedings for the security of person and property, as is enjoyed by white citizens (Rossum and Tarr, 2014 p. 51). The Fourteenth Amendment expanded constitutional authority to prevent further violations from the states, however, it addressed the issue generally, rather than enumerating the rights detailed in the Civil Rights Act. African American men were afforded the right to vote, if only technically speaking, through the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment in 1870 although they would continue to be disenfranchised by electoral rules and laws such as poll taxes, the so-called Grandfather Clause statutes, as well as comprehension and literacy exams that were passed to make the regulations more restrictive. Concurrently, women were deprived of their right to vote until 1920. The United States continued to deny naturalization to ethnic groups as evidenced by the Supreme Courts rulings in (Takao Ozawa v. United States, 1922) and (Bhagat Singh Thind v. United States, 1923). These blemishes on our nations history are important reminders of our failings in administering equality proportionately. Increasingly since 2008, there has been a nationwide surge in laws aimed at suppressing voting through limitations on early voting, purges of voter rolls, and voter identification laws. Such enactments adversely affect the elderly, and minorities such as African American and Latino voters. In (Shelby County v. Holder, 2013), the Supreme Court ruled that the coverage formula in Section 4(b) of the Voting Rights Act (VRA), which was used to determine the states and political subdivisions subject to Section 5 preclearance, was unconstitutional. While the Court did not invalidate the preclearance mechanism in the Voting Rights Act per se, it effectively halted its use by invalidating the formula that determined which places were subject to the preclearance obligation (Shelby County v. Holder, 2013). Following the invalidation of the Voting Rights Act of 1965s (VRAs) preclearance scheme in Shelby County v. Holder,Section 2 proscribes any voting qualification or prerequisite to voting or standard, practice, or procedure . . . which results in a denial or abridgement of the right of any citizen . . . to vote on account of race or color.Congress added the statutes results language in 1982 to clarify that section 2 violations do not require a showing of intentional discrimination they can be proved by showing discriminatory effect alone.Until recently, circuits have been sharply divided on the appropriate disparate impact test to apply to section 2 vote denial claims (110, No, Stat, codified, C, 2016). Per a Wisconsin federal court in 2014, three hundred thousand registered voters in that state lacked the forms of identification that Republican legislators deemed necessary to cast their ballots (Toobin, 2016). In June 2013, Texas passed (SB 14) which required voters to present one of six acceptable forms of identification to vote in person. Prior to this bill, residents could present voter registration certificates or sign an affidavit if they did not have one of the acceptable forms of identification available to them. Advocacy groups sought an injunction against the enforcement and in (Veasy v. Abbott, 2016), the fifth circuit court of appeals ruled against the bill as it would disproportionately burden black and Hispanic voters, thereby violating the federal Voting Rights Acts ban on racial discrimination in elections. There have been several other cases of the kind and it is likely that we will continue to see an increase of these laws and further discussion. An issue that is not surprisingly on the forefront of everyones minds when it comes to voting rights is the disenfranchisement of those convicted of felony crimes. The Supreme Court ruled in (Richardson v. Ramirez, 1974) that the disenfranchisement of convicted persons was constitutional under Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment which states except for participation in rebellion, or other crime (Rossum and Tarr, 2014 p. 892). However, when considering that obligations have been or are being met while a sentence in being served, convicted felons should be guaranteed to the right to voice their opinion on laws that may very well affect them in their current conditions. Additionally, the disproportionate incarceration of minorities across the nations is further evidence that there is a systematic failure in our systems of law and the ability to impart justice equality. Thirty-four states strip the voting rights of persons convicted of felonies in the past, irrespective if they served probationary periods or prison time. The inability to vote on key legislation or in elections is an additional loss of benefits to convicted persons, it further marginalizes them and does little to reduce recidivism. Those able to freely engage in society and utilize their voice are more able to adapt and cope with the ramifications of their status such as the difficulty to find employment, the inability to work for the federal government, serve in the armed forces or seek political office. Every one of these examples is a reminder of past mistakes, the inability to vote should not be among them. There have been recent surges towards voting restoration laws and the universal right to vote. In 2015, (HR 1459), the Democracy Restoration Act was re-introduced and subsequently referred to committee. Also, introduced in 2015, the Civil Rights Voting Restoration Act (S 457) and the Baltimore Act (S 1610), call for the restoration of voting privileges for those who have completed their prison terms. The creation of the Presidential Commission on Election Administration seeks to address some of the symptoms of the problems with our elections. But is cannot remedy the issue itself. This push towards access to the ballot reinforces the need for basic voting standards through the building of legislative protections for inclusive participation in our democracy. What is inherently germane to the issue is the need for an act guaranteeing a universal right to vote for all Americans. Only then would we truly have a democracy that is representative of all its people without preclusions thereo f. A country that prides itself on its democratic principles should provide such voting standards, for its rich culture, its people, and its future. References Bush v. Gore. (n.d.). Oyez. Retrieved February 5, 2017, from https://www.oyez.org/cases/2000/00-949 Green, John. [Tinkers Thinkers]. (2014, February 18). The Constitution, the Articles, and Federalism Crash Course US History #8. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/JHu6yTDflL4. Hughes, Keith. (2013, September 13). The Federalist Papers Explained. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9lCkWJ72yE. Hughes, Keith. (2014, October 9). The 19th Amendment Explained: The Constitution for Dummies. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/Qf7wX8yc1ws. Katzenbach v. Morgan. (n.d.). Oyez. Retrieved February 5, 2017, from https://www.oyez.org/cases/1965/847 Minor v. United States. (n.d.). Oyez. Retrieved February 5, 2017, from https://www.oyez.org/cases/1969/189 Rossum, R. A., Tarr, G. A. (9th ed.) (2014). American constitutional law: The bill of rights and subsequent amendments (Volume II).Boulder, Colorado: Westview Press. Shelby County v. Holder. (2013). Retrieved February 11, 2017, from Civil Rights, Retrieved from https://www.civilrights.org/shelby-county-v-holder.html?referrer=https://www.google.com/ Shelby County v. Holder. (n.d.). Oyez. Retrieved February 11, 2017, from https://www.oyez.org/cases/2012/12-96 Toobin, J. (2016, December 12). Jeffrey Toobin. The New Yorker. Retrieved from http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/12/12/the-real-voting-scandal-of-2016 Women in the British War Effort: 1914-1918 Women in the British War Effort: 1914-1918 Assess the extent of the contribution made by women to the British war effort 1914-18. When discussing World War One, one point that is often brought up is the contribution women made to the British war effort. It is clear that many women contributed to the war effort, be it through volunteering or working in factories to produce bombs and shells. Women were called to help through requests printed in newspapers, and hundreds enthusiastically volunteered to care for those who were sick or injured.[1] It is often thought that many women jumped at the opportunity to help their country during the war, either due to their patriotism or because of the many new opportunities that were now opening up to them. It is often thought that the contributions that women made to the war effort eventually led to female suffrage in 1918. Though the right to vote was limited to women over the age of thirty, it was seen as a large step forward towards gender equality at the time by many. However, the question remains: what contributions did women make to the British war effort that led to this? This essay shall explore the many different ways in which women contributed to the war, from manual labour to domestic chores. Regardless of the roles they played, many historians agree that the contributions that women made to the British war effort was vital in ensuring victory. As World War One was the first instance of total war, a joint effort by both men and women on the front lines and back home was needed in order to succeed. It is often interpreted that the situation of women during the war was simple. Gail Braybon explains that it is a common misconception that women took over mens jobs during the war, and because of the work they did they were rewarded with the vote; the reality, however, is more complicated.[2] He states that in order to understand women during this period, one must à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ consider women both as subjects, and as objects of pity, derision, hostility or admiration.[3] Alan G. V. Simmonds agrees with this, stating that historians are presented with many uncertainties when it comes to studying working women during the war.[4] Indeed, exploring this area of history does prov e to have challenges, from inaccurate government figures and the many different experiences that the war brought. Even then, it is agreed by many scholars that the contribution made by women to the British war effort was of high importance for many different reasons. When discussing the role of women during the First World War, many immediately think of those who volunteered to help with the sick and wounded during the war. The Voluntary Aid Detachments, also known as the VAD, was founded in 1909 and were a group of untrained nurses who assisted trained nurses by caring for patients. According to Anne Summers, the VADs have been portrayed as the epitome of enthusiasm, dedication and efficiency[5], and between 1914 and 1919 at least 32,000 women served as military nurses.[6] While the VADs were not permitted to ride to the front lines in order to treat wounded soldiers, many were sent abroad in order to serve at British bases; one of the most well-known was in Calais. Despite this, many VADs remained in Britain. The VADs were seen as highly important during war-time Britain, as they were needed in large numbers and quickly.[7] It is often thought that a vast majority of those who volunteered to be part of the VAD were from middle- or upper-class b ackgrounds, and while this is true, it is important to note that a large flux of working class women joined the VAD towards the end of the war.[8] The contribution that the VADs made towards the British war effort, in the end, was extremely important. It is argued that they were so important that they were often compared to volunteer soldiers,[9] which at the time would have increased patriotism in many. This comparison between soldiers and VADs is extremely important in showing how much these women contributed towards the British war effort; that is, arguably, if the comparison had not been made then it would be safe to assume that the role women played was not of great importance in comparison to the men. Therefore, from this is can be proposed that the contribution that the VADs made to the British war effort was very important. Alongside the VADs, there were other important volunteer groups set up during the war. The Womens Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC), later renamed Queen Marys Auxiliary Corps, were a group of women who were attached to the army that was founded in 1917. It was founded in order to help solve the issue of providing manpower for the army,[10] though it was not taken very serious, especially by men. This was due to how, according to Gould, The idea of women performing military serviceà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ was both disturbing and offensive to many peopleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.[11] Women were not expected to partake in activities such as this, which is why the WAAC was not taken seriously when it was founded. Even in 1907, when preparations for war were already underway, women were not expected to join the Territorial and Reserves Force, which aimed to train people to defend Britain against invasion.[12] Due to how they were not harshly disciplined and were not expected to fight like men were, it can be disp uted that the WAAC did not necessarily contribute much to the war effort in comparison to the VADs and munitionettes. Other organizations, such as the Womens Royal Air Force (WRAF) and the Womens Land Army (WLA) were set up in 1918 and 1917 respectively in an attempt to get women to do their part. The WLA aimed to get more labour onto the fields in order to produce good harvests during the war and take over from men who had been called to join the army. Around 5,500 women applied by April 1917 and 45,000 women volunteered by the end of the war, only 23,000 women actually worked due to the reluctance for farmers.[13] By volunteering for the WLA, women were able to help with food produce as well as have a sense of patriotism. As food is a necessity, it can therefore be argued that this contribution was important. Without the WLA it is possible that rationing in Britain would have been worse. That being said, as so many women were turned away it can be said that perhaps the need for fa rmers was not as drastic as initially thought. Regardless, this contribution can still be seen as important due to the necessity for food. Another key role that is often discussed alongside the topic of womens contributions to the British war effort is women at work, especially the factory workers who were also known as the munitionettes. According to Angela Woollacott, à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ women munition workers received public acclamation for their part in the war effort.[14] Working in munitions factories was extremely dangerous due to the high risks of injury and accidents, and it was because of this that many women involved in these accidents received the Order of the British Empire after the war.[15] While the middle- and upper-classes tended to volunteer as nurses, a vast majority of women who worked in munitions factories were working class women who had to make a living in order to keep their families fed. After the Shell Scandal of 1915, there a greater focus on producing munitions for the war. Due to this, the number of workers who worked in industries classed under munitions increased; for example, in 1914 170,00 0 women worked in the metal industry, though this increased to 594,000 by 1918.[16] Other industries appeared to experience a decrease in workers as women changed occupations to be of more use to the war effort, such as clothing and textiles. Alongside this, many factories turned to making munitions in an attempt to help with the war effort. For example, Woollacott mentions that a tobacco factory began making shells whilst a gramophone factory turned to making shell-fuses.[17] However, working in industry did not come without backlash. It is often thought that women replaced men, and this belief was strong during the war. In The Aberdare Leader, an article about a brawl between two women stated that Women have replaced men in many a walk of life since the out- break of the warà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦.[18] This belief that women had replaced the men who had gone off to war was fairly common during this period, and women were often reminded that their jobs were only temporary. Deborah Throm wr ites that the number of women who joined the workforce replacing men is questionable,[19] mainly due to the lack of official figures that support this view. Women were also excluded from certain jobs, such as coal-mining and dock work, meaning that it is impossible for women to have replaced men in the workforce during this period.[20] Regardless, the contribution women made to industry during the war is quite important, especially when one considers the Shell Scandal of 1915. With women working in munitions factories, the possibility of another crisis happening had decreased, and even then they were working in a dangerous environment that saw thousands of injuries and fatalities. Alongside working in factories and volunteering, women were also expected to keep performing their regular domestic duties. This resulted in a double burden, meaning that many married women had to work in order to feed their family as well as care for said family when they were not working. In some cases, it was noted that some women had barely six hours sleep due to her duties at home and at work. [21]It was important that women kept the homefires burning and acted as though everything was normally back home, mainly due to the fear that fathers and sons would not make it back home. During the war married women were expected to leave their jobs in order to look after their family, though not many wanted to or could afford to.[22] Many middle- and upper-class women were in the position where they could afford to leave work, thought the working-class could not. Therefore, regardless of whether they were in employment or not, women were expected to look after the home as though was had not happened. Alongside this, many women did all they could to ensure that they could help those on the front lines. Watson mentions that during the war many women adopted prisoners of war and sent them letters.[23] Homemade goods such as knitted mufflers and socks were also sent to men on the front lines, alongside chocolate and cigarettes, as a form of comfort and a reminder of home.[24] This was quite an important contribution towards the war effort. This is because, by doing this, it was believed that goods from home would increase morality for the men who were fighting on the front lines. Women also tried to persuade men into joining the war through the White Feather Movement. While in some cases this can be seen as cruel, women would bestow men who were not at war with a white feather to show their cowardice. To some this may have encouraged them to enrol before conscription was introduced, though to others who may have received them it would have been unfair, mainly due to in visible disabilities that may have prevented them from enrolling. Nevertheless, the White Feather Movement during the war would not have contributed to much long-term. Womens domestic roles, however, was an extremely important contribution that kept the illusion that everything was normal afloat. Therefore, it can be argued that womens contributions to the home was important for the war effort, even as important as the munition workers and those in employment. The overall contributions that women made to the British war effort were extremely important, both in helping those abroad as well as those back home. Despite the fact that many people were still prejudiced against women working outside of their normal occupations, such as nursing and sewing,[25] it is undeniable that the overall contributions women made to the British war effort was of high importance. Women workers and those who volunteered during the war were, arguably, the most important when it came to contributions, due to the overall impact and contributions that they made. With VADs helping the sick and munition workers making shells and bombs for the army, it is understandable why women were praised considerably during the war despite initial prejudice. Their hard work during the war it why many say that it led to women gaining the right to vote. While this is still somewhere debates amongst historians, it is somewhat clear that their hard work had some role in ensuring wome n suffrage. All women were seen as having an important role at home and abroad during the war, be it volunteering or simply looking after the home. The contributions that women made to the British war effort are important in the sense that it helped women experience a new life, for example working in areas that they may not have worked in before, as well as help the war effort as a whole; to undermine womens contributions is, in a way, to undermine an entire part of the war. Bibliography: Primary Sources: The Aberdare Leader, 29th June 1918, National Library of Wales. Secondary Sources: Beddoe, Deirdre. Back to Home and Duty: Women Between the Wars 1918-1939, London, 1989. Constantine, Stephen, Kirby, Maurice W and Rose, Mary B. The First World War in British History, Great Britain, 1995. Gowdy-Wygant, Cecilia. Cultivating Victory: The Womens Land Army and the Victory Garden, Pittsburgh, 2013. Higonnet, Margaret Randolph, Jenson, Jane, Michel, Sonya and Weitz, Margaret Collins. Behind the Lines: Gender and the Two World Wars, New Haven and London, 1987. Marwick, Arthur. The Deluge, Hampshire, 2006. Simmonds, Alan G.V. Britain and World War One, Oxon, 2012. Summers, Anne. Angels and Citizens, Newbury, 2000. Wall, Richard and Winter, Jay. The Upheaval of War, Cambridge, 1988. Watson, Janet S. K. Khaki Girls, VADs, and Tommys Sisters: Gender and Class in First World War Britain, The International History Review, Vol. 19, No. 1, Feb 1997, pp. 32-51. Woollacott, Angela. On Her Their Lives Depend, California, 1994. [1] Gould, Jenny. Womens Military Service in First World War Britain in Behind the Lines: Gender and the Two World Wars, Higonnet, Margaret Randolph, Jenson, Jane, Michel, Sonya and Weitz, Margaret Collins (eds.), p. 116. [2] Braybon, Gail. Women and the War in The First World War in British History, Constantine, Stephen, Kirby, Maurice W and Rose, Mary B (eds.), p. 141. [3] Braybon, Gail. Women and the War in The First World War in British History, Constantine, Stephen, Kirby, Maurice W and Rose, Mary B (eds.), p. 141. [4] Simmonds, Alan G. V. Britain and World War One, p. 129. [5] Summers, Anne. Angels and Citizens, p. 227. [6] Summers, Anne. Angels and Citizens, p. 231. [7] Summers, Anne. Angels and Citizens, p. 232. [8] Watson, Janet S. K. Khaki Girls, VADs, and Tommys Sisters: Gender and Class in First World War Britain, The International History Review, p. 33. [9] Watson, Janet S. K. Khaki Girls, VADs, and Tommys Sisters: Gender and Class in First World War Britain, The International History Review, p. 34. [10] Gould, Jenny. Womens Military Service in First World War Britain in Behind the Lines: Gender and the Two World Wars, p. 114. [11] Gould, Jenny. Womens Military Service in First World War Britain in Behind the Lines: Gender and the Two World Wars, p. 117. [12] Gould, Jenny. Womens Military Service in First World War Britain in Behind the Lines: Gender and the Two World Wars, p. 115. [13] Gowdy-Wygant, Cecilia. Cultivating Victory: The Womens Land Army and the Victory Garden, p. 40. [14] Woollacott, Angela. On Her Their Lives Depend, p. 8. [15] Woollacott, Angela. On Her Their Lives Depend, p. 8. [16] Woollacott, Angela. On Her Their Lives Depend, p. 25. [17] Woollacott, Angela. On Her Their Lives Depend, p. 28. [18] The Aberdare Leader, 29th June 1918, p. 8. [19] Deborah Throm. Women and Work in Wartime Britain in The Upheaval of War, Wall, Richard and Winter, Jay, p. 308. [20] Braybon, Gail. Women and the War in The First World War in British History, Constantine, Stephen, Kirby, Maurice W and Rose, Mary B (eds.), p. 150. [21] Warwick, Arthur. The Deluge, p. 154. [22] Woollacott, Angela. On Her Their Lives Depend, p. 152. [23] Watson, Janet S. K. Khaki Girls, VADs, and Tommys Sisters: Gender and Class in First World War Britain, The International History Review, p.p. 36-7. [24] Watson, Janet S. K. Khaki Girls, VADs, and Tommys Sisters: Gender and Class in First World War Britain, The International History Review, p. 37. [25] Gould, Jenny. Womens Military Service in First World War Britain in Behind the Lines: Gender and the Two World Wars, p. 118.

A Midsummers Nights Dream by William Shakespeare Essay -- Papers

A Midsummer's Nights Dream by William Shakespeare William Shakespeare wrote a midsummer's night dream in 1595. He wrote this comedy to celebrate the marriage of a noble man. An important guest at the wedding was Elizabeth 1st. The play describes the adventures of two sets of lovers as they pass through the forest outside Athens, they are misused by immortals Oberon the fairy king and puck his messenger. To get revenge on his wife Titania, Oberon misuses Bottom a labourer. The love tangles are all resolved at the end of the play when love rules all end married and happy. Shakespeare wishes his audience to enjoy the falling in and out of love of the characters. His message is that true love never runs smoothly. The theme of love is involved with all of the characters from the quarrel of Oberon and Titania, to the play Pyramus and Thisbe performed by the labourers for the wedding celebrations of Theseus and Hippolyta. Oberon has power over all the elements. He can change weather and seasons. "These are the forgeries of jealousyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ But with thy brawls thou hast disturbed our sportà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The seasons alterà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ The spring, the summer, the childing autumn, angry winter, changeà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦" This speech of titanias shows us that the seasons and all the growth of nature are changed because of their jealousy arguments and disagreements. This is because Oberon and Titania are king and queen of immortals and have control over them and all nature. Their argument causes evil to occur. Later in the play when they are reconciled they bring blessing to the mortal world. He therefore decided to teach his wife a lesson when she refuses to .. ...eron's "bed and company" we see how determined Oberon is to have the little Indian boy, his wife refuses. While angry with his wife Oberon feels sorry for Helena when he hears Demetrias treats her badly. How strange that Oberon intends to use the flower juice on his own wife to misuse and embarrass her. The swing of the emotion is typical to mood swings through the play. It is Oberon that controls the lives of the other characters and brings changes of mood and atmosphere. It is he who moves he story to a happy end. When Titania agreed to give Oberon the little Indian boy he takes the juice of her eyes. The lover's muddles are sorted out and they are happy. This is a very different Oberon from which we see at the start of the play, he is a much better person. In the same way he acts like a spoilt child.