How Successful Do you Consider Act 1 Scene 1 of King Lear to be Essay Example

How Successful Do you Consider Act 1: Scene 1 of King Lear to be Essay The play King Lear has been described as Shakespeares most ambitious and brilliant work, and has been met with both strong condemnation and awe-inspired praise since its composition in 1606. The opening scene is heavily dramatic and eventful, detailing the splitting of Lears kingdom, his banishment of daughter Cordelia and servant Kent, and the worries of the character for Lears mental health. It is written and structured expertly, and presents the plays most important themes, issues and relationships in the language that will dominate the play.The play begins with a conversation between the Earl of Kent, the Earl of Gloucester and his illegitimate son Edmund. They discuss the imminent division of the kingdom and reveal that the king is to make a decision between two dukes: Kent suggests that the King had more affected the Duke of Albany than Cornwall. The exposition here is minimal, as the first event of consequence in the play is Lears division of the kingdom, but this does allow u s to see that Lear has changed. Gloucester admits that It did always seem so to us but in the division of the kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes [Lear] values most.The purpose of this conversation is really to introduce the sub-plot. Gloucester introduces his son and refers to him as a knave and whoreson, and jests about his conception; there was good sport at his making. This shows us the prejudice with which Edmund must live due to his illegitimacy, and provides the impetus for Edmunds later scheme against his brother. Explaining key details of the plot and introducing the sub-plot in the first scene is effective, because it establishes immediately that the play is not entirely focused on Lear and provides a clear motivation for Edmunds later actions.The plot is more fully explained in Lears address to the court, where he summarises the significance of France and Burgundy long in court have made their amorous sojourn and explains that his intent is to confer his responsi bilities onto younger strengths in a move to unburdened crawl towards death. The exposition is clear and makes sense in the context of the play, with Lear summarising the events that have transpired to draw attention to the gravity of the events that are about to happen, describing his will as a fast intent and darker purpose. It has none of the intrusion of a narrator giving the plot explanation (as in Henry V and other Shakespearian plays).In this opening scene the characters are established strongly.Lear only makes his entrance on line 29. having been spoken of previously by members of the court. This allows his entrance to be dramatic in its interruption of a conversation -Gloucester stops abruptly whilst talking to Kent and declares that the king is coming and allows the audience to observe how the nobility react to his arrival. He is represented as a very powerful figure. He speaks commandingly and decisively, instructing Gloucester to attend the lords of France and Burgundy and ordering his subject to give me the map. Gloucester obeys and refers to Lear as my lord. Respect is instant and the King is addressed with terms of reverence such as lord, sir and Royal Lear throughout the scene.This is only excepted by Kents challenges after Cordelias expulsion, where he refers to Lear as mad and old man. This communicates to the audience that Lear has made a grave error in divesting his power, and when combined with Kents reminders of his close and loyal relationship with Lear My life I never held but as a pawn, to wage against thine enemies suggests that Lears behaviour is unusual, if such a trusted servant is willing to admonish him openly. The reader cannot judge Lears behaviour because it is the opening scene and we have no point of comparison, but we know that Kent considers himself the true blank of [Lears] eye and if he is concerned then the audience must also call Lears behaviour into doubt.The characters of the sisters, Cordelia, Regan and Gonerill are also well established during the opening scene. The first opportunity which the two older sisters are given to speak is in response to Lears question of which of you shall we say doth love us most; their replies are of unrequited love for their father; Gonerill claims that it is A love that makes breath poor, and speech unable, and Regan states that her love is so profound that she makes herself an enemy to all other joys.This is contrasted sharply with Cordelias first line, a simple aside in which she reflects what shall Cordelia speak? love, and be silent. This outlines the differences in their personalities; Cordelia is blunt and honest I love your majesty according to my bond, no more, no less- whilst the sisters are able to tailor their speech to suit their agendas, whilst concealing their real thoughts and feelings, masters of what Cordelia terms a glib and oily art.Regan and Gonerill are not however portrayed as completely evil, as Shakespeare gives some example of Lears favouritism of Cordelia he reserves her a share of the kingdom more opulent than [her] sisters and provides some motive for the animosity which the sisters feel towards the king. This makes them more successful characters as they are believable, and the audience can understand on some level the reason for their feelings.Shakespeare has toned down their wickedness in this scene from the original source play, so we do not know whether they have rehearsed their replies to the love test.The play establishes the world in which its events take place with success. The devaluation of the monarchy is clear when Lear offers a coronet for his sons-in-law to divide between them; the coronet is a weaker symbol of power than a crown.Attention-grabbing dramatic events are essential to a good opening scene, particularly for a play, and Act 1:1 of King Lear moves at a reckless and impatient pace. The play begins with the casual mention of the division of the kingdom, a dramatic decision that woul d shock and intrigue an audience familiar with a feudal system of government.The kingdom is divided in exchange for declarations of love. The test is tense, with Cordelia punctuating the speeches of her sisters with worried asides, and when Lear finally realises the extent of her response that she loves him as a father, and as a king, but will reserve for her husband half my love half my care and duty, he explodes with rage, divorcing her as if she were his wife rather than his daughter and stating better thou hadst not been born than not thave pleased me better. This violent change of mind, expulsion of a daughter previously termed his joy, and subsequent banishment of long-time servant Kent cannot fail to capture the attention of the audience. The country and characters are divided in the very first scene.Another important function of the opening scene is to introduce the themes of the play. In the very beginning refrain between Gloucester, Edmund and Kent, we see many elements t hat will reappear in the wider play: father-child relationships are subject to careful measurement, with Gloucesters relationship with his two sons Who yet is no dearer in my account measured in the same way as those between Lears relationships with his sons-in-law It appears not which of the dukes he values the most. The words of measurement, more, most, weighed and neither appear throughout the play and foreshadow the crisis caused by Cordelias use of nothing in the rest of the scene.Also, the theme of blindness and the difference between looking and seeing is evidenced in this first act, with Kent pleading with Lear to let me still remain the true blank of thine eye, and to see better. This prefigures the imposed blindness of Gloucester later in the play.The opening of King Lear is highly successful in establishment of characters and in its depiction of dramatic events. The plot is clearly explained and the themes of the play are introduced skillfully. The opening works so wel l because it begins with the climatic event that will shape the entire course of the play, and sets a reckless pace that is sustained throughout the play, until Lears death.

Fire and Its Impact on the Ecosystem essays

Fire and It's Impact on the Ecosystem essays Approximately, one month ago the news media was rife with details of problems caused by escalating fires that swept through forested areas in Southern California. (Kennedy, 2003) The newsreels teemed with instances of people whose houses had burned down or were in danger of being burned down. Naturally, one feels for these people deprived of their home and hearth by devastating effects of the fire. On the other hand, one must recognize the facts that not only are forest fires natural, they are a way for the earth to maintain ecological balance. Fires replenish the earth by doing away with the unwanted underbrush that threatens to suffocate the longer living plants by depriving the earth of aeration and nourishing water. It will be shown in this work that the plants have adapted to fires. Indeed, some plants have evolved to fuel the fires. Other plants have evolved to suppress fires. Still other plants have evolved to flourish in firestheir seeds only germinate after a fire. Plants are the primary providers in the food chain. Therefore, the flora of a region is the primary cause of the primary line of defense wherever natural fires are concerned. The fauna of a region is generally affected secondarily. The only animals that have an influence on fires are humans. Humans inadvertently, maliciously or carelessly cause fires. This essay will be devoted to providing a study of the relationships of fire in the maintenance of a balanced ecosystem and human efforts that are either (unwittingly) deleterious or beneficial. Fire, which is an integral part of nature, is important and necessary. It cleans the forest floors of dead organic matter and cycles nutrients back into the earth. The floor vegetation makes the land stagnant by retaining excess ...

Journal Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words - 39

Journal - Essay Example More distant sailors are known only by name. The two types of shell exchanged are the mwali (white arm shells), which moves in a counterclockwise path through the villages, and bagi (red shell necklaces), which moves in a clockwise direction among partners. Shells’ values are based on size, color, beauty of their polish and the history they bear. Kula path and partners are inherited by young ones, who are invited by their male kin on expeditions to observe the transactions, meet partners and learn the ways of the Kula ring. Good training is key since partners may reject an inexperienced protà ©gà ©. This tradition serves as a tool to bring the community together. The sailors’ return is awaited with great anticipation and feast is organized which unites the villages with their partners. This is key in preventing unnecessary conflict. It also acts as a symbol for power and prestige for those involved. Owning a piece of Kula made one a hero and this was compounded by the unique history of a shell especially if it was previously owned by a renowned individual. In addition, the islanders preserved history through the shells, associated with exploits and talents of its previous owners, some who have long since died. According to Holly, (2011) â€Å"One was able to transcend the history of one’s ancestral lineage and become part of the Kula history†. Finally, it serves as an opportunity to trade with other villages. The islanders would trade their own surplus goods for items they

The inverse relationship between price and quantity demanded of a Essay

The inverse relationship between price and quantity demanded of a commodity - Essay Example This implies that as the price of a commodity increases, the quantity demanded for that product would reduce, similarly as the price decreases, the quantity demanded for that commodity would increase. Behravesh (2008) describes the inverse relationship between price and quantity demanded is a constant law in economics. There seem to be no real exception to the inverse relationship between price and quantity demanded as long as it is a commodity that consumers crave to get, this law would always hold its ground. The quantity demanded for a particular commodity depends on the price. The quantity demanded would begin to decrease when the suppliers or manufacturers decide to increase the price of the commodity. Consumers would begin to look for substitutes to these commodities that have a lower price and these means that the quantity demanded for a commodity that its price has just been decreased would begin to reduce drastically. The reason for the inverse relationship that exists betwe en price and quantity demanded is not far-fetched. There is always a price that consumers are willing to pay for a particular commodity and when there is a change in this price, they begin to change their mind. Some consumers may even look for other alternatives and this would affect the general quantity demanded for that commodity. ... ists between the price of a commodity and the quantity demanded is seen below: Quantity Demanded Price 600 100 300 200 150 400 75 800 40 1500 The effect that the increase in the price of a particular commodity would have on the quantity commodity is clearly shown above as an increase in the price would drive the quantity demanded downwards. However, there are exceptions to this law of demand as there are some commodities that the price of a commodity does not affect the quantity demanded for the same commodity. Drugs seem to be an essential commodity for sick people that the price of this commodity does not really affect the quantity demanded for that commodity. Consider a drug that has proven to be the most potent solution to a particular ailment and the price suddenly goes up. A patient that loves his or her life would pay anything to get that drug. Thus, an increase in the case of potent drugs would not in any way affect the quantity demanded for that drug. Hence, there are some e xceptions to the inverse relationship between price and the quantity demanded for a commodity as there are some commodities that some consumers can pay through the nose to get (Jones 2008, pp. 23-26). Another thing to consider is the income of consumers. The quantity demanded for a particular commodity may reduce and the price of that commodity may still remain constant. In this case, would we say that there is an inverse relationship between price and quantity demanded? The answer is no. the quantity demanded reduced due to the reduction in the income of the consumer as consumers would only buy what they can afford as they cannot in any way spend beyond their financial limits (O'Sullivan, Sheffrin, & Perez, 2010). Hence, this represents a somewhat exception in the law of demand’s inverse

The Nazis regarded the war against the Soviet Union as a 'war of Essay

The Nazis regarded the war against the Soviet Union as a 'war of extermination' (Vernichtungskrieg). What does it mean - Essay Example In  the  spring  of  1941, as preparations were under way for the invasion of the USSR, Hitler proclaimed that a war of destruction was about to start. He called for the annihilation of the Bolshevik leadership, thus laying the foundation for the extermination of what Hitler considered to be the biological source of Bolshevism: the Jews of the USSR. The application of Nazi ideas and ideology depended on two types of force, one of these took the form of indoctrination and propaganda, the other was based on terror. The initial phase of success on eastern front gave Wehrmacht, the opportunity to implement their policy of extermination (Lee 30). This resulted in the worst genocide of history, in which millions of people were killed brutally by using gassing techniques and starving them to death. Thus, the Nazis considered their war against Soviet Union as war of extermination and application of their policies of persecution. Nazis Ideology A profound understanding of Nazis ideolo gy is essential in order to understand the true spirit of Nazis war of extermination. The official name of Hitler’s movement throughout the period 1920 to 1945 was the National Socialist German Workers’ Party. ... Hence, Jews were to be excluded from German nationhood; all non-German immigration must be prevented (Lee 12) There were Nazis who emphasized the socialist element of their ideology, but these did not include Hitler. Instead, Hitler focused more and more on racial rather than economic explanations for major historical trends. He argued in his 1925 book Mein Kampf (My Struggle) that ‘The adulteration of the blood and racial deterioration conditioned thereby are the only causes that account for the decline of ancient civilizations; for it is never by war that nations are ruined, but by the loss of their powers of resistance, which are exclusively a characteristic of pure racial blood’ Lee 13) Hitler has unique importance as the creator of the Nazis programme and ideology; most of his ideas are contained in Mein Kampf and the Zweites Buch (Second Book).(p14) A vital component of Nazism was the ‘Fuehrer principle’ (Fuhrerprinzip). It is true that the cult of lea dership is to be found in all fascist movements, but it was of particular importance in the Nazi context since Hitler’s ideas were crucial in defining the nature of Nazi eclecticism. Above all, Hitler provided Nazism with a unique vision of racial purity and anti-Semitism (Lee 14). Adolf Hitler  had argued in his autobiography  Mein Kampf  for the necessity of Lebensraum, acquiring new territory for German settlement in Eastern Europe. He envisaged settling Germans there as a master race, while exterminating or deporting most of the inhabitants to  Siberia  and using the remainder as  slave labor. The linking of anti-Semitic accusations to race struggle is what made Nazism so genocidal. The Nazis believed the Jews were responsible for what they

Improving Listening for Communication Skills

Improving Listening for Communication Skills   Listening guidelines for myself for improving this important and necessary skill Introduction: Listening may be defined as the process of receiving, understanding, remembering, evaluating, and responding to verbal [spoken or written]and/or nonverbal messages (DeVito p.148). Listening is vital in the business world and is one of the most important and most valued communication skill we can have because at work we spend most of our times listening to co-workers, supervisors, and managers. Poor listening is inevitable and the good news is that listening can be improved through training. 1. How can I improve my listening skills in work situations to improve my overall performance? In todays workplace if we are going to function effectively in increase our overall performance we need to listen. In work situations one of the ways I can improve my listening skills is by improving my listening ability by strengthening the skills needed at each step of the listening process such as attention and concentration (receiving), learning(understanding), memory(remembering), critical thinking(evaluation), and competence in giving feedback (responding) (DeVito p. 148-149). I can face the speaker and maintain good eye-contact (a sign of honesty and a basic ingredient for effective communication). I can then start being attentive. Attentive means to be present, to pay and give attention to the speakers verbal and nonverbal messages. Understanding requires that I learn what the speaker means. I dont interrupt and I dont offer solutions if I am not being asked to. It is always polite to wait for the person that speaks to pause if clarifying questions need to be asked. These questions need to be used only to endure understanding. Also, if I want to communicate feedback I ask permission to do so. At work is imperative at the end of a message to rephrase in my own words what I heard to make sure I understood correctly the meaning of the message. Effective listening depends on remembering. (DeVito p.152) Taking notes and sometimes recording the message can be helpful with remembering the message. Evaluating is useful after a message has been clearly understood. Responding happens in two phases: immediate feedback responses that I make while speaker is still talking and delayed feedback- responses that I make after the speaker has stopped talking. 2. How can I improve my listening behaviors with a significant other? Personally, we want partners who listen to us. If we are to understand what a person means and what a personal is feeling, you need to listen with some degree of empathy, the feeling of anothers feelings. (Rogers, 1970) At home I can improve my listening behaviors with a significant other by engaging actively in the following behaviors: communicate a clear willingness to listen (DeVito p.162). First, I need to let my spouse know that I am open to listen to his thoughts and feelings. Create an atmosphere of openness and trust because this help my significant other with self-disclosing revealing information about himself that might be difficult to communicate. When listening to my spouse it is important that I look directly to him and I position my body towards him. In close intimate relationships, the emphatic style is the preferred mode of listening and depending on the situations nonjudgmental, active and depth could also be used. Emphatic listening allows me to understand my spouses meaning of the message the way he sees it and the way he feels it. It is essential that I echo his nonverbal expressions to demonstrate that I understand and feel my spouses thoughts and feelings. Lastly, it is desirable at the end of a message to give positive feedback and ask questions. It is important that I state to him in clear and honest language what I liked about his message, to stress my good intentions and to mention areas of agreement or disagreement. Asking questions is helpful in case I need to secures additional information and to reaffirm my interest and concern for my spouse. Research shows that practicing these behaviors and especially engaging in emphatic listening helps me to enhance my relationship (Barrett Godfrey, 1988; Snyder, 1992). 3. How can I improve my listening skills with a child? Every parent knows that parenting is hard work. When I became a mother, I realized that I have not always displayed the best listening skills with my son Daniel. Over the years through instruction and practice I have improved my listening skills. Here are the most significant ones that I have found useful and rewarding: it is crucial to let the child know that you are interested in listening to what he/she needs to communicate. Avoid all distraction and fully tune your attention and your body to all his/her verbal and nonverbal communication. Physically get down to the childs level and bring active, emphatic and objective listening styles listening to them and their messages. From a childs prospective it is necessary to feel that the parent is seen as a base to which they can always return when they need help and support. In my experience, whenever I use these types of listening I communicate to my child that he is a valuable person worthy of my time and attention. I also demonstrate that I appreciate, feel, and see his world through his own eyes instead of my own and that I can walk in his shoes and feel the way he feels. Acceptance is paramount here. This is a special time when the child gets to express without being interrupted or judged. It is crucial for parents to do this because they get to create a caring and loving relationship with the child and a positive and supportive environment for their child to grow. 4. How can improve my listening skills with someone I dislike, but need to communicate with? Sometime I encounter a situation where I need to communicate with someone that I make up I dislike. How can I improve my listening skills in these types of situations? Polite listening style is essential here. Politeness may be signaled through listening (Fukushima, 2000). To start I can accept the reality that I need to communicate with this person and the dislike is more about me and is not about the other person. Next, I need to scan my body language that could leak out my attitude. Listening with curiosity and with intent to learn also helps. Show empathy with the speaker. Show that I understand the speakers thoughts and feelings by echoing the feelings of the speaker. (DeVito p.162). The goal here is not to agree with him/her, but to assess what they are trying to express. Finally, give the person consistent feedback to show that I am attentive and they are being listened to. Conclusion: Great communicators are great listeners. Listening is a vital component in communication and in interpersonal communication because it helps us know others. After carefully reading chapter 6 and completing this assignment I come to believe that to improve my relationships with others and increase my overall performance at school or work I must participate in cultivating proven and effective listening skills. This requires effort, openness and a willingness to change a few unhealthy habits with new ones. It is self-evident that by developing a daily practice my relationships and life can benefit increasing my chances of becoming likeable, loveable, friendly and agreeable, and these are all qualities I value and consider worth changing for. Works Cited: DeVito, Joseph A. (2016) The Interpersonal Communication Book 14th edition: Boston: Pearson Education, Inc Barrett, L., Godfrey, T. (1988). Listening. Person Centered Review 3 (November), 410-425

Assessing Crime Trends as a Security Specialist Essay -- Crime

Crime is known as an action or omission that constitutes an offense that may be prosecuted by the state and is punishable by law. Depending on where one may reside, different punishments from certain crimes can depend on the governmental bodies. Also crimes can vary by the jurisdiction from state to state. For most crimes, after a completion of affirmative action one can be punished for the conduct. Many people have the assumption that crimes are the result of intentional conduct, when most of the time it is negligent conduct such as speeding. When there is a significant change in the nature of chosen crime types within a defined geographical region and stretch of time, is known as a crime trend. When crime trends in different areas are being assessed, various methods are used in order to collect the data that is needed. When first assessing crime one may ask, â€Å"What is the cause of crime.† Criminologists have looked at a ride range to explain the factors on why people tend to commit crimes. Many of these factors can be looked at through different societies, cultures, and families. These aspects can be brought on by certain emotions such as anger, greed, jealousy, and sometimes through getting a rush for carrying out such acts (for example stealing). In the article 10 Causes of Crime By Talidari, reveals 10 different causes on how crime commences: Weakness – regarding lack of faith and/or imbalance, Poor judgment – lack of proper education, Lack of love – living in a dysfunctional family, Poverty – poor families tend and unemployment, Deprived neighborhoods – Economically impecunious neighborhoods, TV violence, Being a victim in a chain of events – being in the wrong place at the wrong time and getting sucked in, Poor parenting... ...The report will also be more precise for the security specialist from the media taken and the reports. Just by looking off charts off of the internet that can be compared to the average in the U.S. without evidence can be sometimes cause disbelief. In order to be able to fully implement protection the different factors stated will make for safer living. Works Cited Careless, J. (2012). Video evidence. Retrieved from http://www.cba.org/CBA/practicelink/leadership_technology/video_evidence.aspx Crime and arrest reports. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/about/spotlight/crimeReport/ Dutelle, A. (2010, January). Documenting the crime scene. Retrieved from http://www.evidencemagazine.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=184 Talidari. (2012). Hub pages. Retrieved from http://talidari.hubpages.com/hub/10-causes-of-crime