Tragedy an Example of the Topic Arts Essays by

Tragedy The term tragedy could be literally transmitted to goat song, which in turn refers to the ritual of Dionysus. We, however, would not focus on the roots of tragedy as defined here; rather we would focus on Aristotles concept of tragedy. It was basically from the story of Dionysus, as well as from other sources on which Aristotles concept of tragedy was deeply embedded. One of the major features of Aristotles description of tragedy is an imitation of noble and complete action, having the proper magnitude which basically means that a tragic character is noble person or someone who is great or emits an aura of certain magnitude Aristotle, 350 B.C.). Need essay sample on "Tragedy" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed The conception of the tragic hero that we gather from Aristotles Poetics is that he is a highly esteemed and prosperous man who falls into misfortune because of some serious hamartia i.e. tragic flaw. Aristotle gives the example of Oedipus and Thyestes, which means that according to him, it was Oedipus hamartia that was directly responsible for his fall. Although the meaning of hamartia is far from certain, its most frequent applications is in the sense of false moral judgment, or even purely intellectual errors. Among Greeks no sharp distinction between the two existed. It is generally believed that according to Aristotle the hamartia off Oedipus consists in some moral faults and it has been tried to identify various moral faults in Oedipus. Distinguished Professor Butcher has identified four possible range of meaning of Aristotles Hamartia i.e. tragic flaw. The foremost of these connotations is an error due to unavoidable ignorance of circumstances whereas an error caused by unawareness of conditions that might have been identified and for that reason to some extent morally blameworthy is another manifestation of the sense in which the term hamartia was used by Aristotle. The third sense is A fault or error where the act is conscious and intentional, but not deliberate. Such acts are committed in anger or passion. Where as fourth is A fault of character distinct, on the one hand, from an isolated error, and, on the other, from the vice which has its seat in the depraved willa flaw of character that is not tainted with a vicious purpose.(Butcher, 1961, p. 310) Millers concept of tragedy was new and different from Aristotelian tragic conception as Miller was indeed sensitive to contemporanaeity and meant his play to be a tragedy. I think his theory of tragedy is more relevant in the contemporary world than the Aristotelian tragedy. At about the time of plays opening, Miller himself, when interviewed, stressed the tragic intention: The tragic feeling is evoked in us when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be, to secure one thing his sense of personal dignity. (Miller, 1949) This is a manifestation of Milers concept of tragedy which was new and different from classical concept of tragedy. He rejects the Greek tragedy and calls it archaic that fits only for the very highly placed, the kings or the kingly. (Miller, 1949) He considers that common man is an apt subject for tragedy, for exaltation of tragic action is a property of all man and tragic feeling is not aroused by stature of hero. He furthers his theory and is of the view that the feeling of terror and fear can be aroused by mans fight against the environment too. Consequently, tragedy, then, is the consequence of mans total compulsion to evaluate himself justly or the individual attempting to gain his rightful position in the society. The crucial point is that whether Sophocles wants us to think that Oedipus has basically unsound character. One way of deciding this question is to examine what other characters in the play say about Oedipus. The only result that we can arrive at in this way is that Sophocles intends us to consider Oedipus an essentially noble person. In the opening scene of the play, the priest of Zeus refers to him as the greatest and noblest of men and the divinely inspired savior who saved Thebes from being destroyed by the Sphinx. The Chorus also considers him to be noble and virtuous. They refuse to believe in Tireseas accusations of him. When catastrophe befalls Oedipus, not a single character in the play justifies it as a doom which has deservedly overtaken Oedipus. (Dodds, p.39) So there were certain other tragic flaws that were acting behind the curtain to bring about Oedipus tragedy. Furthermore, it is an imitation of noble and complete action and arouses pity and fear among audiences over the tragic destiny of Oedipus. So Oedipus rex corresponds to the classical concept of tragedy and indeed Aristotle heavily relied on Oedipus Rex to draw his theory of tragedy. This is primarily the reason why the claim that Willy Loman of Death of a Salesman is a tragic hero is arguable. There my be those who would argue that Willy Loman could not be regarded as great or noble even if he has a high moral reputation (which evidently he also lacked especially when he was portrayed as someone who committed adultery). However, one should take note of the fact that noble here does not necessarily mean that someone be of a noble blood or the like, rather it simply means that someone be larger than life - and that is something Willy Loman positively is, larger than life. All throughout the play, Willy had constantly been motioning, picturing things to be in such a state of splendor and relating it as such, an individual with huge plans and impressive dreams, really a grand character. Even if a person decides to scrutinize the play from another position but with the same definition, the outlook of the united individuals of the play no one is an actually a seeming person, rather a collection of enlarged appropriations, larger than life. There is no arguing the fact that The Death of a Salesman corresponds to the next characteristic of Aristotles notion of a tragedy: the Death of a Salesman is most absolutely portrayed in dramatic, not narrative form (Aristotle, 350 B.C.), there actually is no odds of it not meeting up to this particular description. It is quite obvious that the subject of modern tragedy cannot be king or royal personage but they must be larger than life characters as advocated by Aristotle. So Death of A Salesman is a tragedy in the modern as well as in the classical sense. References Aristotle. Poetics. London : Oxford University Press, 1978. Butcher, S.H. Aristotles theory of Poetry and Fine Arts. Hell and Wang: New York. 1961. Dodds, E. R. On Misunderstanding the Oedipus. Greece & Rome. Vo. 13. No. 1. (Apr.1966). Pp. 37-49. Miller, Arthur. Tragedy and the Common Man. 1949.

Using a Reading Guide For a Normative Argument Essay Sample

Using a Reading Guide For a Normative Argument Essay SampleUsing a normative argument essay sample can help make your research easier to read and easier to analyze. With this type of essay, the reader does not have to take on each and every aspect of the text, but simply has to follow along with what the writer is trying to say, and see the overall theme of the essay throughout.Using a reading guide for a normative argument essay will help the writer avoid repeating points that he or she already made in the writing. As such, it helps give the reader a better understanding of how the writer believes the information presented in the essay. To help understand the method, one must first understand the difference between qualitative and quantitative data.Qualitative data are the thoughts, opinions, and experiences of an individual or group of individuals. Qualitative data cannot be directly observed, therefore this type of data can't be directly measured by a scientist. For example, a qua litative argument essay sample might use poetry, television, literature, photographs, or any other media to show how people really think about certain topics.On the other hand, quantitative data can be easily measured by scientists. Quantitative data is the measurement of a measurable item, such as a percentage of sales in a certain category. It is very easy to compare two different pieces of literature, especially if they both contain similar words. This is why these types of data are often used to make broad statements about various subjects.So why should you use a normative argument essay sample? This question actually deals with using a normative essay when you are just working on an argument. There are many cases where one could benefit from a reading guide. In particular, there are many arguments that can be made using surveys, and the text that the survey is written in can have a direct impact on those arguments.If you are only using a study to show that a certain subject is being studied or to find out more about the topic of the argument essay, then this type of essay may not be right for you. This is because you may not be able to prove the same information using a survey that you can prove through the research that was done in the first place. By using a reading guide for the purpose of writing an argument essay, you are able to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the particular topic and how it relates to the topic that you wish to address.However, if you are trying to prove a point, then using a reading guide will greatly benefit you. You will be able to show the reader the flaws in your argument before the conclusion is even written. This can be very useful for writers who want to show the flaws in other people's work before they make a decision. This can be particularly helpful for argumentative writers who want to show the flaws in their own work.Using a reading guide for a normative argument essay sample can make your essay more readable . It is also a very good idea for writers who want to save time and energy while writing. They are also ideal for people who want to make a statement in their argument and make an impression on others.

Free Essays on A Visual Analysis Of “Jonah Cast Up”

A collection of marble sculptures called the â€Å"Jonah Group† is now on display at the Cleveland Art Museum. â€Å"Jonah Swallowed, Jonah Cast Up, Jonah Praying, Jonah Under the Gourd Vine, and The Good Shepherd,† are the separate titles for each of the different statues depicting events in the Bible story. They are part of the John L. Severance Fund; numbered 1965.237, .238, .239, .240, .241 respectively. The â€Å"Jonah Group† was created in Asia minor, approximately 270 to 280 AD. These statues most likely decorated the water fountain in a wealthy private home. This visual Analysis focuses on â€Å"Jonah Cast Up.† â€Å"Jonah Cast Up,† this sculpture portrays the miraculous event of Jonah being spit out of the Whale. It consists of a strangely shaped whale lying on its stomach. The whale arches its back so that the curvy tail twists up over its head. Shooting out of the whale’s mouth is Jonah. He is halfway out head first with his arms o utstretched straight above his head. The figures rest on a rectangle base that is roughly 3 inches tall and approximately a square foot in area. The whole sculpture is 15 inches tall, 16 inches long, and 81/2 inches wide. The Jonah figure is missing a left hand which has broken off over time. It is a statue showing action and movement by the way Jonah is being cast up and out of the whale’s mouth. The sculpture, as all of â€Å"The Jonah Group,† is constructed of white marble from Roman Imperial quarries in Ancient Phrygia. Having been unearthed from a large pithos in central turkey, nearly fifty percent of the sculpture’s surface remains covered with a thin layer of light brown dirt or dust. The surface is so smoothly shaped that the stone looks soft to the touch. Under an outdoor fountain, the wet statue would have a brilliant white shine. The figure of Jonah has a well proportioned, muscular, upper body sculpted resembling a Greek God. He has a full beard and wavy flowing hair. In this sculpture,... Free Essays on A Visual Analysis Of â€Å"Jonah Cast Up† Free Essays on A Visual Analysis Of â€Å"Jonah Cast Up† A collection of marble sculptures called the â€Å"Jonah Group† is now on display at the Cleveland Art Museum. â€Å"Jonah Swallowed, Jonah Cast Up, Jonah Praying, Jonah Under the Gourd Vine, and The Good Shepherd,† are the separate titles for each of the different statues depicting events in the Bible story. They are part of the John L. Severance Fund; numbered 1965.237, .238, .239, .240, .241 respectively. The â€Å"Jonah Group† was created in Asia minor, approximately 270 to 280 AD. These statues most likely decorated the water fountain in a wealthy private home. This visual Analysis focuses on â€Å"Jonah Cast Up.† â€Å"Jonah Cast Up,† this sculpture portrays the miraculous event of Jonah being spit out of the Whale. It consists of a strangely shaped whale lying on its stomach. The whale arches its back so that the curvy tail twists up over its head. Shooting out of the whale’s mouth is Jonah. He is halfway out head first with his arms o utstretched straight above his head. The figures rest on a rectangle base that is roughly 3 inches tall and approximately a square foot in area. The whole sculpture is 15 inches tall, 16 inches long, and 81/2 inches wide. The Jonah figure is missing a left hand which has broken off over time. It is a statue showing action and movement by the way Jonah is being cast up and out of the whale’s mouth. The sculpture, as all of â€Å"The Jonah Group,† is constructed of white marble from Roman Imperial quarries in Ancient Phrygia. Having been unearthed from a large pithos in central turkey, nearly fifty percent of the sculpture’s surface remains covered with a thin layer of light brown dirt or dust. The surface is so smoothly shaped that the stone looks soft to the touch. Under an outdoor fountain, the wet statue would have a brilliant white shine. The figure of Jonah has a well proportioned, muscular, upper body sculpted resembling a Greek God. He has a full beard and wavy flowing hair. In this sculpture,...

The Protectionist Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930

The Protectionist Smoot-Hawley Tariff of 1930 The US Congress passed the United States Tariff Act of 1930, also called the  Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, in June 1930 in an effort to help protect domestic farmers and other US businesses against stepped-up imports after World War I. Historians say its excessively protectionist measures were responsible for raising US tariffs to historically high levels,  Ã¢â‚¬â€¹adding considerable strain  to the international economic climate of the  Great Depression. What led to this is a global story of devastated supply and demand trying to right themselves after the terrible trade anomalies of World War 1. Too Much Postwar Production, Too Many  Imports   During World War I,  countries outside of Europe increased their agricultural production. Then when the war ended, European producers stepped up their production as well. This led to massive agricultural overproduction during the 1920s. This, in turn, caused declining farm prices during the second half of that decade. One of Herbert Hoovers campaign pledges during his 1928 election campaign was to aid the American farmer and others by raising tariff levels on agricultural products. Special Interest Groups and the Tariff The Smoot-Hawley Tariff was sponsored by US Sen. Reed Smoot and US Rep. Willis Hawley. When the bill was introduced in Congress, revisions to the tariff began to grow as one special interest group after another asked for protection. By the time the legislation passed, the new law raised tariffs not only on agricultural products but on products in all sectors of the economy. It  raised tariff levels above the already high rates established by the 1922 Fordney-McCumber Act. This is how Smoot-Hawley became among the most protectionist tariffs in American history. Smoot-Hawley Provoked a Retaliatory Storm The Smoot-Hawley Tariff may not have caused the  Great Depression, but the passage of the tariff certainly exacerbated it; the tariff did not help end the inequities of this period and ultimately caused more suffering. Smoot-Hawley provoked a storm of foreign retaliatory measures, and it became a symbol of the 1930s beggar-thy-neighbor policies, designed to improve ones own lot at the expense of others. This and other policies contributed to a drastic decline in international trade. For example, US imports from Europe declined from a 1929 high of $1.334 billion to just $390 million in 1932, while U.S. exports to Europe fell from $2.341 billion in 1929 to $784 million in 1932. In the end, world trade declined by about 66% between 1929 and 1934. In the political or economic realms, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff fostered distrust among nations, leading to less cooperation. It led toward further isolationism that would be key in delaying US entry into World War II.   Protectionism Ebbed After Smoot-Hawleys Excesses The Smoot-Hawley Tariff was the beginning of the end of major US protectionism in the 20th century. Beginning with the 1934 Reciprocal Trade Agreements Act, which President Franklin Roosevelt signed into law, America began to emphasize trade liberalization over protectionism. In later years, the United States began to move toward even freer international trade agreements, as evidenced by its support for the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Reasons for the failure of the hundred days reform in 1898 (History of Essay

Reasons for the failure of the hundred days reform in 1898 (History of China) - Essay Example In 1895, Shimonoseki mortifying treaty inflamed the anger of China’s public. Students took an action against this agreement and around 600 young students signed a ‘Ten Thousand Words Memorial’ refusing Shimonoseki treaty and promoted institutional reform. Kang Youwei was the leader. Regardless of the official and traditional ban against the political grouping, young scholars shaped an organization called hsueh-hui to save the country. After 1895, many loyal societies of this type emerged. These societies were extended over the provinces and were struggling to save their homeland. Emperor Guangxu and Kang Youwei were brought together, as both had the same motive to save their homeland from the enemies and unfaithful leaders.1 At that time there was a great threat posed to the people and the country of China and to settle the situation they needed a revolution. China was lacking in every field i.e. of technology and education. Technology was outdated in China and to compete with the developing world there was a need to change and adapt the conditions of the developing world. In the late 18th century countries started demanding China of un-authorized benefits which they had to give to them as they were not strong enough to fight with them. The emperors did not take this matter seriously until 1898 when Emperor Guangxu realized the significance of this threat and took some precautionary measures in order to avoid any mishap which could occur. He was a man who realized that the country needed to adapt to the changing conditions of the world and leave behind the traditions and culture which limited them in progressing. On June 11, 1898 the Emperor finally decided to announce for a change in the country of China. This change was first welcomed by the masses and people of China. The emperor tried to implement policies of his own which gave a new way of progress to China. This article would further

E-commerce. Social Networking Sites Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

E-commerce. Social Networking Sites - Essay Example Facebook’s most important method of earning revenue is through advertising. A major chunk of its revenue is generated by the self-serve advertisement system which allows companies to decide who they want to market to, based on various preferences such as age, gender, marital status and the likes (Guardian 2009). The same report talks about Facebook selling virtual advertising estate on their websites to anyone who can dole out the cash, directing them to pages or profiles as they see fit. Finally, Facebook’s base of 3rd party apps has been the basis for many credit-card based transactions (in games for example) of which Facebook receives a certain percentage. All of these methods have helped Facebook’s revenue rise enough to be able to breakeven with its day to day costs which is a major breakthrough for any social networking site (Guardian 2009). MySpace The leading social networking site before Facebook was established, MySpace had made its name in the field for being a site that was preferred by upcoming musicians for its ability to allow easy sharing of music. It was considered the youth’s most preferred network, since it was the first site that allowed them to ‘relate to brands and bands’ (Web Strategist 2008). ... MySpace The leading social networking site before Facebook was established, MySpace had made its name in the field for being a site that was preferred by upcoming musicians for its ability to allow easy sharing of music. It was considered the youth’s most preferred network, since it was the first site that allowed them to ‘relate to brands and bands’ (Web Strategist 2008). However, the site currently owned by Specific Media, failed to innovate and lost a lot of its market share after the advent of Facebook, and has a current active user-base of 110 million users (The Next Web 2010). MySpace’s revenue model also revolves mostly around advertising. The site uses the basic two types of advertisements that are used by a lot of popular websites, namely pay-per-view and pay-per-click. In the former, the marketer pays a certain amount of money to have his Advertisement Banner up on MySpace’s pages while in the latter; he pays a certain amount (usually a few pennies) for every click that his advertisement gets. Although that may not sound like much, but with MySpace’s users still numbering in the million, the numbers certainly add up with the company making more than $550 million in revenue in 2007. However, since MySpace has fallen behind its major competitors, it needs to attract more users and perhaps find a more effective way of earning revenue than just relying on their current method, which seems ‘archaic’ in comparison with Facebook. Twitter Launched in March 2006 by Jack Dorsey, Twitter revolutionized the concept of communicating through social network sites. Instead of relying on photos or music, the heart of Twitter

Background and Summary of King Lear :: Essays Papers

Background and Summary of King Lear Background of King Lear King Lear was written between 1603 and 1606, and is considered to be Shakespeare's greatest tragedy. The main plot was drawn from an old chronicle play called The True Chronicle History of King Leir and his Three Daughters, supplemented by treatments of that story in Raphael Holinshed's Chronicle of England, Scotland, and Ireland, Spenser's The Faerie Queen, and perhaps others. The subplot of Gloucester and his two sons comes from Sir Philip Sidney's popular romance The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia. Shakespeare also makes considerable use of Samuel Harsnett's Declaration of Egregious Popish Impostures (1603) for Edgar's language of demonic possession as Poor Tom and the mock exorcism he works to cure the blinded Gloucester's despair. The play was performed December 26, 1606, for King James, as part of the court's Christmastide celebrations, as well as on the public stage at the Globe. Recoiling from the bleakness of the play's tragic vision, Naham Tate revised it in 1681, providing interpolated love scenes between Edgar and Cordelia and a happy ending in which Lear and Cordelia survive: his version held the stage for a century and a half. Dr. Samuel Johnson and the Romantic poets testified to the original play's greatness--Shelley terming it "the most perfect specimen of dramatic poetry existing in the world"--but they also began a critical tradition that judged the work too large and sublime for the stage. Lear has, however, proved notably successful in the modern theatre, accustomed to nonrealistic stage techniques and Samuel Beckett's apocalyptic dramas as well as to the contemporary horrors of concentration camp and Gulag. - Norton, 888 Summary of King Lear ACT I This tragedy play tells of the downfall of King Lear and the death of his daughter Cordelia. The play begins with the old Lear, deciding to retire, plans to divide his kingdom between his three daughters Goneril, Regan, and Cordelia.. With his daughters and men gathered around him, Lear asks his daughters, "Which of you shall we say doth love us most?" (Act I, Scene 1. 43). Both Goneril and Regan reply with flattering words of love which satisfied their old father, in turn he gave each of them a third of his kingdom. Cordelia, Lear's favorite daughter, answers with words from her heart, saying that she loves him as much as he loved her and as she should. However, Lear sees her words as disrespectful and demands Cordelia to reply again like how her sisters did, with flattering words.